(1901–1970)
Indonesian politician. After his studies as an engineer in Bandung, Sukarno became involved in the nationalist movement. He was an advocate of the principle of noncooperation with the Dutch colonial government in the Netherlands East In dies. In 1927, he founded the Partai Nasional Indonesia. During World War II, he collaborated with the Japanese who had occupied the archipelago in 1941. After the war, Sukarno became the first pres ident of the Republic of Indonesia, which was proclaimed indepen dent on 17 August 1945, although not recognized by the Dutch gov ernment until 1949. In 1963, Indonesia occupied Dutch New Guinea, which had been excluded from the new Indonesian state and had re mained under Dutch sovereignty.
Historical Dictionary of the Netherlands. EdwART. 2012.