Initially the Netherlands merely strived to restore the colonial order. But Dutch administrators in Indonesia were quick to realise the force of nationalism and the threat of civil war.

Also, the plight of thousands of Dutch people, who months after the liberation were still imprisoned in Japanese camps in Indonesia, carried a lot of weight. To free them, Allied help was needed but the British wanted to take action only when the Netherlands started negotiations.

Under this pressure Dutch-Indian politicians abandoned the goal of colonial restoration and aimed for gradual decolonisation. But the political home front in the Netherlands was divided and the army strengthened its military force. Oorthuys photographed political leaders and Dutch troops along the demarcation line, Breijer captured how daily life resumed.