Why did the Dutch Empire Fall Apart? (Short Animated Documentary)

What happened to the Dutch Empire? Why did it Collapse and what caused it to fall apart?

The Netherlands built an impressive empire, including South Africa, Indonesia and Suriname to name a few colonies. But why did it collapse? What caused the Dutch to lose so many colonies so quickly and what were the effects of this? Find out in this video, the latest in my very short animated historical documentaries (about history).

Special Thanks to the following Patrons for their support on Patreon:
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Sources:

Decolonising the Caribbean: Dutch Policies in a Comparative Perspective by Gert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers.

A Concise History of the Netherlands by James Kennedy.

[alex_ho]

In Malaysian textbooks, the Dutch were remembered fondly as the guys who kicked the Portuguese' ass and did absolutely nothing until Britain came.

[dragos]

The Dutch Empire
"Britain stole most of it"
Well...You're not The only ones

[Lukegriz]

I remember when the names James Bizinet and Party Boyko were read together. The good old days.

[ForelliBoy]

Fun fact, with its empire "confiscated" during the Napoleonic Wars, the only place in the world where the Dutch flag flew freely was Dejima, the exclusive Dutch trading post in then-closed Japan

[SuperLusername]

"The make up of the Dutch empire changed little until things started to head south."


You mean, the Japanese started to head south

[mr.shredderplayz]

“Britain stole most of it”


Basically the history of most empires in a nutshell

[eodyn]

Last time I was this early Manhattan was still called New Amsterdam.

[IJustKant]

I learned more about the Japanese occupation of Indonesia in a video focusing on the Dutch than in most books I’ve read about the Pacific War, well done

[faishalhakim]

Forgot to point out that it was the US who supported Indonesia diplomatically because Indonesia was considered to be a useful ally against communism in the Cold War. The Indonesian govt suppressed communists in the Madiun Affair (Pemberontakan Madiun) in 1948, which consolidated their anti communist stance in the eyes of the West (this... Changed a lot in the 1960s).

[Lancor]

As a German I didn't even know that they even tried to retake Indonesia after the world war. You don't get this taught in school here, only our own national crimes.

[ill_geffen]

too focused with water trying to flood Netherlands I see

[demiRaziel]

As an Indonesian, thanks for doing this! Maybe a possible topic in the future is the early colonization/exploration efforts on Southeast Asia.

[HistoryHustle]

The Dutch only granted limited rights of autonomy to the Indonesians. Therefore the Japanese were seen as liberators initially. After WW2 was over the Dutch had the wrong impression to continue their colonial rule as from before the war. It led to a messy conflic.

[cleopires]

next explain why Tannu Tuva is a thing in HOI4

[ricardoguanipa]

I'm from Aruba, the only people I have heard talking about the Dutch islands becoming fully independent are:
Lefty/Socialist/afrocentrics activist that leave in the Netherlands and only come to the islands for holidays
Far-right Dutch Politicians (you know who) that said we are burden to the taxpayer,
And Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela

[AudieHolland]

Some additional information. The incorporation of the Caribbean colonies into the kingdom of The Netherlands was not for selfish Dutch reasons.

When the Dutch granted independence to Suriname in 1975, the Dutch government eagerly got rid of Suriname because it had stopped being profitable. Many Surinamers saw the writing on the wall and migrated to The Netherlands shortly before independence.

The Dutch colonies in the Caribbean were even less economically viable ever since sugar had stopped being profitable.
But its population wanted to avoid independence so they opted to become part of The Netherlands because so their children would be able to get higher education in The Netherlands and the mother country would still have to invest in proper health care and other services.

[risannd]

Things left by the Dutch after Indonesian independence:

1. Useful loanwords (kantor, handuk, apotek, etc)
2. Law
3. Lots and lots of railway tracks.
4. Dutch cuisine (semur, perkedel, nastar, etc)
5. Eating bread with chocolate sprinkles.
6. Something to hug when sleeping (then the Japanese stole the idea and add anime girl on it)
7. Always being runner-up in football matches.

[jeffreywinkelman]

Fun fact: Suriname still has old colonial place names like: "Groningen", "Wageningen", "Lely dorp" and "Batavia" Dutch is still spoken in Suriname and apart from the political turmoil and anti-Islamic statements we still like the people from Suriname and they like us.

[alfredoalfaro]

-Dutch "Damn Brits stole my empire!"
-French, Spanish, Portuguese, Ottomans, Zulus, Germans, Chinese, Persians and Mughals: "First time?"

[michaelrizka]

I'm an Indonesian, although this is quite a simplification of the events concerning our independence it still good unbiased video. But you can't forget how the Dutch hate Americans because it's literally the American that insist the Dutch East Indies must be independent. Not to mention the fact that the Papuan Referendum is quite a mess from the start cause not everyone has a voting rights (and it turns out to be a more problem for modern Indonesian government too). So yeah, the 3 sides that fuck up Dutch Empire are the Japanese from WW2, Indonesian cause of the independence stuff, and American who support it.