Oorlog zonder genade

Military chaplains were an important part of the Dutch armed forces during the War of Independence in Indonesia. In the second half of the 1940s, hundreds of ministers and priests were deployed in uniform to provide spiritual support to the troops and boost military morale. The military chaplains, too, were firmly convinced of the righteousness of the Dutch actions. According to their message—both in word and deed—God had called upon the Netherlands to restore the colonial order. Risking their own lives, they accompanied soldiers on patrols and during attacks. Along the way, they witnessed extreme violence: burning villages, torture, and executions.

Who were these military chaplains, and what exactly was their role during wartime? And did their attitudes shift under the brutal conditions of war? Based on extensive archival research, Koos-jan de Jager tells their story in this book. Oorlog zonder genade presents a shocking account of the Dutch churches’ involvement in the merciless war in Indonesia.