Why did Britain give Indonesia back to the Netherlands? (Short Animated Documentary)

During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain seized the Dutch East Indies to prevent it from enriching France. After Napoleon was defeated, Britain chose to hand it back, so why? To find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary.

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[chrisr]

The answer to any question that starts with “Why did Britain…” is almost always “…To inconvenience France”

[TheTrex]

Letting the Dutch keep their empire so the UK wouldn't have to decolonize is the most British thing ever.

[Tomtiedom]

Good video. Note: Ceylon (nowadays Sri Lanka) was also part of the Dutch colonial empire and kept by the British after Napoleon's fall.

[MrHasugur]

Having done my bachelor thesis about the Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, I just want to add/correct an interesting part to this. The Dutch republic (actually the Stadholder) and the British crown actually made a deal (the so called Kew Letters) to secure each others colonies when either of them would be invaded by France.

As the French did invade the Dutch republic and installed their puppet regime in the Netherlands (Batavian republic), the British did invade Dutch Indonesia. However they felt the right to do so because of the Kew Letters.

[twinfeathers]

“We already have so much to manage, can’t be bothered right now.” -British Empire

[MatthewTheWanderer]

I thought this was going to be about what happened after World War II, so I was slightly surprised when it was about the Napoleonic Wars instead. Fascinating as always!

[tailortelhais]

Few things have made me go "Huh, history sure is arbitrary, isn't it?" more than learning that Britain decided to keep half of Guyana because it was profitable and they wanted it for themselves while also sort of wanting the Netherlands to prosper.

[micahbush]

I'm starting to realize that a lot of British foreign policy over the past few centuries has basically been, "We don't want to have to get involved on the Continent. Better to have someone else who can do it for us."

[In_Our_Timeline]

Note: One of the Dutch king Lodewijk Napoleon's generals, Herman Willem Daendels, was dispatched to serve as governor-general of the East Indies, headquartered in Java, in 1806. Daendels' mission was to fortify Javanese defenses against an imagined British invasion. On January 5, 1808, he arrived in Batavia (now Jakarta), where he succeeded the outgoing Governor General, Albertus Wiese. He increased the number of troops, constructed new roads throughout Java, and enhanced the island's internal governance.

[Ooilei]

One thing I've learned from all these history clips is the British government can be, or at least seems to be, extremely generous sometimes, like giving Indonesia to the Dutch, letting France be a victorious nation after WWII, etc., but it's all usually because they either don't have the man power to keep controlling something indefinitely or it costs too much money and they don't want to fork over the extra cash

[TheBrowncoat]

“Because making money was popular” has to be the most understated thing I’ve ever heard on this channel.

[jannegrey]

You always manage to find such interesting topics that are packaged as bunched of trivia. Very useful as well. Both trivia and now people know what to look for, if they want to research it more. Even if they didn't know about this 5 minutes earlier.

[TheOGDisco]

Something, something James Bisounette joke. Obviously.

[umang]

The east india company already had Straits Settlements in that region. They were already over extended and would also acquire Singapore in 1824

[untendohd]

Can you please make a video about one of these questions:

1)How did the world react to the year without summer (1816)?

2)Why do Afghanistan and China have a border?

3)Why did Vietnam invade Cambodia in 1979?

[itwaswalpole]

In fact there was an even earlier time when the Anglos controlled parts on Indonesia. In the mid 17th century England controlled a small Indonesian island called Pulau Run and the Dutch really wanted it. After a few years of fighting and most of the Royal Navy being destroyed in Chatham England sued for peace. In exchange for this island and a few other colonies England was given New Amsterdam, later renamed as New York.

[royhe]

If I had a nickel for every time the British returned Indonesia to the Dutch, I'd have 2 nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice.

[michaelmisiewicz]

I am so glad that you start all of your videos with "which raises the question..." instead of abusing the expression "begs the question"... which so many people mis-use

[ElladanKenet]

Giving Indonesia back is also a big feather in the diplomacy cap for Britain. It shows they can be reasonable and trusting (regardless of how much of either they actually are). It at least gives the appearance.

[ArthurCSchaperMR]

Please do a video on the following topics:

1. Why did the revolution of 1848 fail in Spain and the German states?
2. Why do people drive on different sides of the road in different countries?