Yankin da ake kira Indonesia a yau ya kasance wani ɓangare na Dutch East Indies, mulkin mallaka na Netherlands, daga 1800 zuwa 1942. Sojojin Japan sun mamaye a watan Maris na shekarar 1942, sun kori sojojin Holland, kuma sun mamaye Dutch East Indies. Bayan shan kashi da kuma mika wuya na Japan
a watan Agusta 1945, Sukarno nan da nan ya ayyana 'yancin kai na Indonesia daga mulkin Holland a ranar 17 ga Agusta 1945. Wannan ya sa Yaren mutanen Holland suka ayyana yaƙi da masu neman 'yancin Indonesia, kuma suka yi ƙoƙari su sake kafa mulkin mallaka a kan Indonesia. Bayan yaƙi na shekara huɗu da rabi, Netherlands ta amince da ikon mallakar Indonesiya a watan Disamba na shekara ta 1949.