This City Is a Battlefield (Perang Kota)

Northwest of Australia,

rough stepping stones between the Commonwealth and Malaya,

these islands are among the richest prizes for which Japan struck in the Pacific.

The name of Java means rice country,

but Dutch colonization has given the East Indies infinitely more.

Beneath the solemn magnificence of a Buddhist temple,

there dwells a people whose ancient culture

has survived the change to modern East.

But the race whose forefathers were engaged in piracy and plunder

became, under the influence of Holland, contented, prosperous, and peaceful.

Of the total population, some 70 millions,

65 millions were native to the island,

one-and-a-half million were Chinese,

and approximately 300,000 Dutch.

The fact that they could live in harmony together

is a tribute to the wise administration of the Netherlands Government.

Yes, Java was a happy land.

But her welfare was too great a temptation for the Nazis of Asia.

Peace has finally arrived in the Dutch East Indies,

as our friends from the Netherlands

have reclaimed leadership over this beautiful archipelago.

The invading Japanese occupiers have laid down their weapons,

and the Dutch, who have ruled over this land for 300 years

and brought so much culture to this savage land,

are set to return it to its prosperous state.

All this is fortified by the Indian Army

and our mighty British troops.

Since the defeat of Japan,

the administrative building for the whole of Java

has been taken over and run by the self-appointed regime.

Java has been brought to the crossroads.

The people are on the march towards a new way of life,

with a handful of rebels rejecting the leadership of the Netherlands.

But what this way is to be lies in the hands of the Allies.

But surely, the people of the Dutch East Indies

are glad to nurture old friendships and establish new ones.

May the future see only peace.

Liberty!

Liberty!

Teacher, we're going.

Hello.

The checkpoint is open?

Thank God.

Hey.

We can go now.

They stole my fork.

Is it expensive? A gold fork?

In these hard times,

they would steal a handkerchief

for a grain of rice.

Maybe you should start selling your wife's cakes.

Liberty!

Liberty!

Liberty!

Liberty!

Liberty.

His wife went back to Semarang.

She left yesterday.

Her heart will be broken

when she finds out he won't come.

Who reported him?

Achmad brags about being in the revolution.

He's less clever than you.

If it wasn't for you.

I would have died in Surabaya.

- - Ready to go, sir!

I'm nothing compared to the Dutch,

who are so clever at choosing allies.

They were crushed by the Germans in Europe,

and slashed by samurai in the Dutch Indies.

Indonesia.

What?

Indonesia.

Not the Dutch Indies.

Isa, come quick.

Rakhmat.

Are you mad?

Who is their target?

Someone denounced a rebel in Jaksa Lane.

The other day…

…I helped three young locals.

They wanted me to hide two guns and five hand grenades.

So I hid them in my basket.

I waited until the end of the search

near the sepoys' truck.

Weren't you scared?

I was scared to death!

They threatened me.

Said they would beat me

if I refused to hide their weapons.

They came back and collected their weapons.

Then I could breathe!

- And then? - They tipped me five rupiah!

Hey!

I'm sorry.

Take it.

It's okay.

Thank you.

Semedi.

If it were up to you,

would it be better to be under Japan or the Dutch?

Or those young local frauds

who will poison our country?

Who wants to be colonized?

Especially by the Japanese.

Their three years felt like thirty.

Liberty, Fatimah.

Damrah, liberty.

A bag of rice, please.

Six rupiah.

It used to be two-fifty.

Gone up again?

Hard to bring in lately.

Put it on my tab.

Dad!

Can't do that anymore!

But I'm a regular.

Please.

It's a tough time.

It's tough for everybody!

It's tough for me too!

I can't let you pay later.

I just can't.

- - Sepoys!

To the attic!

Fatimah!

Fatimah, run!

- -

- -

Does he speak Dutch?

Are you Baba Tan?

The owner of this store?

There's been a report of some activities…

A Dutchman, wearing a British uniform,

speaking Dutch.

Using the Gurkhas

to do his dirty work!

- What did he say? - He confessed.

Come.

Go.

Baba!

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