Time and again, the negotiations between the Netherlands and the Republic arrived at an impasse. In addition, early in 1947 the Netherlands were in danger of going bankrupt because of the high army expenses. Therefore, the so-called First Police Action (20 July 1947 - 4 August 1947) had as its objective the recovery of economically important regions. By this time, Oorthuys's photo book had already been published. His urgent plea for a peaceful solution was by then superseded. 

Breijer re-edited a news item about the advance of the Dutch army that had been judged too aggressive. During the Second Police Action (19 December 1948 - 5 January 1949) he was attached to the army. Because his car drove onto a mine on one of his first days, he did not witness the occupation of Yogyakarta. From a military point of view, this action was a success for the Netherlands, but politically it was an international defeat.