INDONESIA: The Vacuum Called Freedom

The ceremonies at Jogjakarta went off with the fine precision of a Javanese ritual dance. The electors took their places around a U-shaped table, behind signs lettered in the republican colors of red and white; each stood for one of the 16 states that make up the new federated republic of the United States of Indonesia. They solemnly drank Dutch chocolate, munched cookies, then cast their votes for the U.S.I.'s first President. There was only one candidate: Soekarno.

How to Fight. For 4½ years, Soekarno (like many other Indonesians he has no surname) had been president of the rebel Indonesian republic...

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