User:Kaliper1/sandbox

Archives of interest.

Here are archives that seemed interesting for me to archive.

Trump annexation proposal canada

Starting in December 2024, then President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters have expressed support for Canadian annexation into the United States of America as its 51st state. This came after months of tarrif threats on Canadian goods, and renewed demands by Trump for Canada to increase its military spending and prioritize border security. Politicians from across the Canadian political spectrum have dismissed calls for annexation, and most Canadians polled were not in favor.

Pre-inauguration proposals

In December 2024, President-elect Trump suggested Canada consider becoming the 51st U.S. state if Prime Minister Trudeau felt his planned tariffs would hurt Canada’s economy during a tense meeting with him over trade deficits and border security at Mar-a-Lago. He later referred to Trudeau as the “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada” and said that he looked forward to meeting the "Governor" again to continue their talks on "Tariffs and Trade". During an appearance on Fox News, Ontario Premier Doug Ford jokingly stated that this was Trump's attempt at revenge for the War of 1812 by saying; "I guess he’s still upset that in 1812 we burned down the White House and he’s holding a grudge after 212 years. He’s a funny guy".

In response to Trudeau suggesting that Canada's liberal electorate would skew American politics, Trump suggested that Canada could enter the Union as two states, one more conservative and one more liberal. Canada has ten provinces and 3 territories.

In a similarly humorous vein, Independent and leftist Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said he would back Trump's plan to bring Canada in as a state if they could expand Canada's state-run health care system to all Americans.

Again, on December 18, 2024, President-elect Trump suggested on his social media platform Truth Social that Canada should become the 51st State of the United States. He expressed displeasure in his belief of the US over subsidizing Canada.

No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense! Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea. 51st State!!!

— Donald J. Trump, Truth Social

Trump again referred to Trudeau as the "Governor" of Canada in his Christmas post and said that if Canada became the 51st State, Canada's taxes would be reduced by "more than 60%", its businesses would "immediately double in size" and it would become exceptionally militarily protected. He later suggested that NHL legend Wayne Gretzky should run to become the Prime Minister of Canada which he said would soon be known as the "Governor of Canada", which Gretzky would win easily.

Trump reacted to Trudeau's resignation as the Prime Minister of Canada by again suggesting Canada merge with the U.S, saying:

Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!

— Donald J. Trump, Truth Social

In January 2025, President-elect Trump and his supporters continued talking about the idea of Canada joining the United States. On January 7, 2025, during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, President-elect Trump reiterated his position that Canada should become the 51st state but ruled out the use of military force to annex or acquire Canada, stating that he would instead use "economic force" to pressure Canada into joining the United States. He further commented, "You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, And it would also be much better for national security. They're great, but we're spending hundreds of billions here to protect it."

Canadian reactions

Trump's comments on using economic force to annex Canada have been widely condemned by Canadian politicians. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that there was "not a snowball's chance in hell" of Canada joining the United States. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre commented "Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country." New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh responded with "Cut the crap, Donald. No Canadian wants to join you." and later referred to the President-elect as a "bully." Statements criticizing Trump's comments on Canada joining the US have also been made by other federal and provincial leaders and politicians. An opinion poll from Leger taken after the comments found that only 13% of Canadians supported the idea of a merger with the United States compared to 82% who were opposed, contradicting the claim that there was serious interest in Canada. Another poll from Angus Reid, also taken after President-elect Trump's comments, put support even lower at 6%.

another one

U.S. states and Canadian provinces and territories

Canadian and United States flags

2024–2025 proposals for Canadian annexation to the United States was a public discourse between the President Elect of the United States and Canadian officials, taking place starting December 2024 and onward. Seemingly starting of as a spirited discussion between President-Elect Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau over trade negotiations, it spilled over into analysis and reactions by many parties.

Starting in December 2024, then President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump engaged in a series of comments expressing support for Canadian annexation into the United States of America. This came after months of tariff threats on Canadian goods, and renewed demands by Trump for Canada to increase its military spending and prioritize border security. Politicians from across the Canadian political spectrum have dismissed calls for annexation, and the vast majority of Canadians polled were not in favor.

The United States and Canada were both colonies of Britain before the American Revolutionary War, in which the United States won its independence, but were not joined by the regions now owned by Canada. Since then, the United States has been a republic, while Canada stayed as a colony, and later a Dominion of the United Kingdom, and is now de facto a fully independent nation. Since the United States obtained its independence, there have been numerous calls for Canada or parts of it to be annexed to the United States made from within both countries, for reasons variously including republican ideals and economic interests, but none were successful.

Today, the United States and Canada share the world's longest border, the world's most valuable trade relationship, with a total of US$923 billion exchanged in 2023, and the world's most powerful military alliance. The United States has a population roughly 8 times that of Canada's, and an economy roughly 13 times as annually productive as Canada's.

Pre-inauguration proposals

In December 2024, President-elect Trump suggested Canada consider becoming the 51st U.S. state if Prime Minister Trudeau felt his planned tariffs would hurt Canada’s economy during a tense meeting with him over trade deficits and border security at Mar-a-Lago. He later referred to Trudeau as the “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada” and said that he looked forward to meeting the "Governor" again to continue their talks on "Tariffs and Trade". During an appearance on Fox News, Ontario Premier Doug Ford jokingly stated that this was Trump's attempt at revenge for the War of 1812 by saying; "I guess he’s still upset that in 1812 we burned down the White House and he’s holding a grudge after 212 years. He’s a funny guy".

In response to a table member suggesting that Canada would be too liberal, Trump suggested that Canada would enter the Union as two states, one more conservative, one more liberal. (Thus, Canada would take up at least both 51st and 52nd states in this proposal.) Canada has ten provinces and 3 territories.

Again, on December 18, 2024, President-elect Trump suggested on his social media platform Truth Social that Canada should become the 51st State of the United States and suggested that the US was subsidizing Canada.

Trump again referred to Trudeau as the "Governor" of Canada in his Christmas post and said that if Canada became the 51st State, Canada's taxes would be reduced by "more than 60%", its businesses would "immediately double in size" and it would become exceptionally militarily protected. He later suggested that NHL legend Wayne Gretzky should run to become the Prime Minister of Canada which he said would soon be known as the "Governor of Canada", which Gretzky would win easily.

Trump reacted to Trudeau's resignation as the Prime Minister of Canada by again suggesting Canada merge, and noting several points, which is Canadian's love, United States alleged deficits and subsidies, and this caused the planned resignation. He went on to say, that with statehood there would be not tariffs, taxes would go down, and greater security. Trump concluded

Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!

— Donald J. Trump, Truth Social

In January 2025, President-elect Trump and his supporters continued talking about the idea of Canada joining the United States. Trump posted an image on Truth Social with the U.S. flag emblazoned across the territories of U.S. and Canada with the caption, “Oh Canada!”

On January 7, 2025, during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, President-elect Trump reiterated his position that Canada should become the 51st state but ruled out the use of military force to annex or acquire Canada, stating that he would instead use "economic force" to pressure Canada into joining the United States. He said that the U.S. taking control of Canada “would really be something." He further commented, "You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, And it would also be much better for national security. They're great, but we're spending hundreds of billions here to protect it."

Canadian reactions

Trump's comments on using economic force to annex Canada have been widely condemned by Canadian politicians. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that there was "not a snowball's chance in hell" of Canada joining the United States. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre commented "Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country." New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh responded with "Cut the crap, Donald. No Canadian wants to join you." and later referred to the President-elect as a "bully." Statements criticizing Trump's comments on Canada joining the US have also been made by other federal and provincial leaders and politicians. An opinion poll from Leger taken after the comments found that only 13% of Canadians supported the idea of a merger with the United States compared to 82% who were opposed, contradicting the claim that there was serious interest in Canada. Another poll from Angus Reid, also taken after President-elect Trump's comments, put support even lower at 6%. A few elected officials were taking Trump's proposal seriously.

Canadian Green Party leader Elizabeth May suggested that the U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington join Canada as provinces, offering universal health care and stricter gun laws in response to Trump suggestion that Canada join the U.S.

Canadian author Don Tapscott outlaying several terms for the merger including that each Province and Territory would need to maintain its identity, so each Canada would need to be at least 10, or perhaps 13 states or territories. For example, Ontario would become the fifth largest state in the USA with 16 million residents. Next, Canadians must maintain their healthcare system. Canada spends 11 percent of its GDP on healthcare and Canadians live six years longer with no one uninsured, in contrast to the U.S., almost 20% is spent. Then there were additional legal rights including women's healthcare, paid parental leave for men and women, gun control, campaign finance, standardized education funding, and a pro-refugee immigration stance are some issues that would have to be worked out.

U.S. reactions

Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said he would back Trump's plan to bring Canada in as a state if they could expand Canada's state-run health care system to all Americans; at the time the public discussion was oriented towards Trumps comments as a humorous rhetoric during a meeting with Trudeau.

Fox News commentator Jesse Watters expressed during a broadcast the desire for a military invasion of Canada saying that it would "quench his imperialist thirst". He also stated that Canadians should consider it a "privilege" to be taken over by the United States.

One poll, noted by the Toronto Star, showed that about 50% of Americans are against Canada joining, 25% are in favor, and 25% are not sure. However, during this time one poll found that 2/3 of Americans are unaware of Trump's annexation comments.

Analysis

One article in Newsweek tried to analyze the economic, social, and geographic implications on the United States. They noted that Canada is slightly larger in population than California, the largest current US State by population, but has about 25 times the land area of California. However, the economy though is smaller than several US States, including California, New York, and Texas; overall the U.S. economy is ten times the size of Canada at the time. Economically, such a merger is predicted to increase trade, but result in increased competition for businesses.

See also

• Proposals for the United States to purchase Greenland
• 2024 Puerto Rican status referendum
• Territorial evolution of Canada
• Territorial evolution of the United States
• Trump tariffs (Mostly regarding first term)

References

Category:Canada–United States relations Category:Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign Category:Second presidency of Donald Trump

Free Republic of Nias

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Free Republic of Nias Freie Republik Nias (German)
1942
Anthem: Indonesia Raya
Territory of the Free Republic of Nias
Capital	Gunungsitoli
Common languages	Indonesian Nias German
Prime Minister
• 1942	Ernst Leo Fischer
Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 1942	Albert Vehring
Historical era	World War II
• Republic declared	29 March 1942
• North Nias occupied by Japan	17 April 1942
• South of Nias occupied by Japan	22 April
Preceded by Succeeded by Dutch East Indies Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies
Today part of	Indonesia

The Free Republic of Nias (Indonesian: Republik Nias Merdeka, German: Freie Republik Nias) was a short-lived and unrecognised state proclaimed by German prisoners on Nias Island, Indonesia, with Ernst Leo Fischer as Prime Minister and leader. The state lasted less than a month until the island was fully occupied by Japanese forces on 22 April 1942.

Background

Sinking of the SS Van Imhoff

S.S. Van Imhoff in Gorontalo Bay

On 10 May 1940, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands. The Dutch government in the Dutch East Indies retaliated by arresting German nationals. Before the war, German nationals fled their homeland from 1930 to find protection in the Dutch East Indies. During the Second World War, they were regarded and treated as ordinary German citizens and also held in internment camps. The Dutch government on Nias, led by J.L. Plas as supervisor (Dutch liaison for indigenous peoples) of the region, began to arrest German missionaries and doctors whose predecessors had been active since the 1880s in North Sumatra.

Meanwhile, north of Nias, in the town of Kutacane, Aceh, around 2,400 German men and women were imprisoned by Dutch troops. These included Basel and RMG missionaries, doctors, hospital nurses, engineers, artists and German Jews living in the Dutch East Indies. Most of them were detained in the Fort de Kock and Alas Valley camps, both on the island of Sumatra.

In February 1942, Japanese troops landed at Air Bangis, Sumatra. Knowing of the impending Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies, the Dutch government planned to send 2300 German citizens to British Raj. The prisoners were moved to Sibolga on the north coast of Sumatra and then transported to India in groups via three KPM ships assigned for this mission, namely SS Plancius, SS Ophir, and SS Van Imhoff.

SS Van Imhoff was a ship of the Dutch shipping company Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM). The ship was built twice. The first ship was sunk in 1911. The second ship of the same name was built in 1914 at Fijnenord. The SS Van Imhoff was named after the German-born Governor-General of the Indies, Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff.

On 15 January 1942, the Captain of the SS Van Imhoff, M.J Hoeksema received orders from Padang to depart from Sibolga for India.

On 18 January 1942, the van Imhoff departed carrying 478 German internees and 110 Dutch, 62 of whom were KNIL soldiers.

The first two groups arrived in India. But on 19 January 1942, the third group, SS Van Imhoff, was attacked by Japanese bombers about 177 km off the west coast of Sumatra and badly damaged. The first two bombs exploded near the ship, but the third bomb hit the van Imhoff ship right.

Captain Hoeksema panicked and ordered all the lifeboats to be released into the sea. However, one lifeboat could not be lowered and was left unattended. One of the guards asked Captain Hoeksema to put the prisoners on the lifeboat, but Captain Hoeksema refused because there was no order to release the prisoners. He also considered all prisoners to be enemies. Thus the prisoners were abandoned by the captain and crew who left in a lifeboat.

Of the 478 German internees and 110 Dutch, 48 were crew and 62 of whom were KNIL soldiers, 201 survived the drowning, while 276 inmates drowned immediately. 134 survivors, who were on the raft, later drowned. Only 67 reached Nias. Among the victims were a remarkable number of German Jews and anti-National Socialists whose citizenship in Germany had been withdrawn. Among the dead were veterinarian Professor Fritz Ludwig Huber, officer of the Order of Oranje Nassau, researcher Hans Overbeck, and artist Walter Spies from Germany, and Austrian sinologist Erwin Ritter von Zach.

After a few months, this incident reached Germany. This led the German authorities to arrest KPM employees in the Netherlands and send them to forced labour. KPM was also forced to pay 4 million guilders as compensation to the families of those who drowned on the van Imhoff.

Some people managed to escape on two remaining small boats without rudders and emergency rations and some rafts and were sighted by a Dutch Navy flying boat the next day . This called the Dutch steamer Boelongan for help, which arrived at the first lifeboat at around 9.20 a.m. Albert Vehring, one of the surviving prisoners, recounted that on 20 January 1942, the ship approached their raft. From a distance of 100 metres, the captain of the Boelongan, M. L. Berveling, asked through the megaphone if there were any Dutch in the boat. the castaways responded with "No, we are Germans." When his suspicions were confirmed and learned that the shipwrecked were all German civilian internees, he turned around and now headed for the bamboo rafts and the workboat, which were more than a kilometer away, without complying with the request for drinking water and food or admission on board. Berveling explained that did so as he had received the following instructions:

“First take the crew of the steamship van Imhoff on board, namely the European and local crew as well as the military personnel who were on board to guard the internees. After that, by order of the military commander, take on board trusted elements among the German internees (who were transported with the van Imhoff). Prevent the rest of the Germans from landing.”

Berveling had interpreted the orders to mean that he was not to take any German internees aboard. His stance apparently greatly angered the rest of his crew.

A few minutes later, another lifeboat, two rafts and castaways were sighted in the water from the Catalina, which was supposed to protect the ship from underwater attacks. The Boelongan, which was being piloted there, was there at around 10.40 a.m., but again did not take any of the castaways on board. Shortly after the Boelongan passed the castaways' vehicles, an aircraft attack on the steamer was observed from the Y-63. The testimony of Berveling, who claimed to have been attacked several times by the Japanese plane, was not consistent with testimonies from survivors in the lifeboat and observations by the Y-63 crew, who claimed that the plane veered away after dropping a single bomb. The occupants of the boats separated from the shipwrecked on the slow rafts on January 21, 1942, in the hope of being able to send help later.

Arriving in Nias

The 67 survivors who reached Nias were divided into two groups. The first, consisting of 53 prisoners, moved parallel to the coastline. On 21 January 1942, at 09.00, they saw a small beach with a reef in front of it. Hungry and thirsty, they finally washed up on the coast of South Nias, near Muara Eho. They descended and searched for signs of life, finding a small river but no food. That afternoon, a Dominican Catholic priest named Van Stralen appeared with two bottles of wine, promised to return the next day with a doctor and food, and guided him to some locals. The indigenous people declared that they were Christians and told him that they were on Nias.

On 23 January 1942, the condition of the surviving prisoners was getting worse.

On 24 January, After a long walk, the second group of 14 prisoners reached Hilisimaetano, the colonial administrative centre in South Nias. One of them, Albert Vehring, saw an isolated house. Some prisoners went to the house and the owner of the house felt threatened, cutting some coconuts for the group. The incident caught the attention of nearby villagers. One of the villagers was able to communicate with the prisoners who told him about the Van Imhoff incident. After the villagers left and the survivors went to sleep, one of them, Dr Heidt, was invited by the village chief to a meeting. The next day, after temporary hospitalisation, they were taken by local authorities to Gunungsitoli, the administrative centre of Nias.

As the second group marched towards Gunungsitoli, They found an oplet (local taxi), to take them to a nearby village. There, during a feast served by the locals, they were spotted by the Dutch authorities. Reluctant to treat them as prisoners, the Dutch authorities released them and let them go to Gunungsitoli on their own. The groups would then meet at a crossroads.

A truk 60 mi (97 km) from Gunungsitoli was waiting for the prisoners and transported them to the prison guarded by 38 veldpolities (customary guards) and some Dutch soldiers.

Coup d'etat

Nias coup d'etat 1942
Part of Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies
Date 28 March 1942 Location Nias, Dutch East Indies Result All non-German Europeans imprisoned Formation of the Independent Republic of Nias
Belligerents
German Prisoners Veldpolitie Nias	Dutch East Indies
Strength
67 German POWs 32 Veldpolitie	20 People
Casualties and losses
None	1 Dutchmen injured

After a few days in prison, word came that Sibolga, a city located on the mainland of Sumatra, had been occupied by the Japanese. The German prisoners convinced the bataknese native police, known as Veldpolities, to defect from the Netherlands on the grounds that Germany and Japan were winning the war. On 28 March 1942, the veldpolities revolted against their Dutch superiors. The veldpolities fired on Dutch houses and freed German prisoners. Albert Vehring states that the veldpolities emerged after the firefight had subsided. The veldpolities distributed firearms to the freed Germans from the prison armoury. The Dutch were unarmed as almost all the weapons were in the armoury: only a doctor and a Nias deputy had firearms at home. Although the German veldpolities and prisoners far outnumbered the Dutch, only one Dutchman was wounded.

Shortly after the shootout, the Dutch deputy resident, superintendent and chief of police on Nias, along with five British soldiers, several Dutch priests and other Dutch residents were arrested and imprisoned. At first, the Dutch and other prisoners thought that they would be shot, but later, learnt that the rebellious veldpolities had simply separated them into male and female prisons. Until, the Dutch arsenal was finally dismantled by the German internees and the Germans managed to take over Nias Island and detained several Dutch citizens including the assistant resident, controller, head of the Dutch police, 5 British escaped soldiers, a clergy, and other Dutch citizens.

Establishment

The next day, 29 March 1942, in collaboration with Nias leaders, the former German prisoners proclaimed the "Free Republic of Nias" in the name of Adolf Hitler. One of them, former head of the Bosch company in the Dutch East Indies, Ernst Leo Fischer, became the first prime minister. He appointed Albert Vehring, a former manager of Emil Helfferich's tea plantation in Java, as foreign minister. The declaration of the republic was greeted with joy by the local population, as they were the first people in the Dutch East Indies to overthrow the colonial rule of the Dutch government. Although the people of Nias had high hopes for the new republic, the Germans themselves did not take the republic seriously, as some considered it as a joke.

Knowing that the veldpolities would revolt if not paid, the Germans looted ƒ857,000 from the vice-resident's house and the pawnshop, consisting of three months' salary for all government employees in Nias and the residents' savings. Some of this was given to the veldpolities to ensure their loyalty, while some was kept by the Germans.

Nine patrol groups were formed to guard Nias, each consisting of a German and a veldpolitie armed with carbines. The Germans also took as many weapons as possible and occupied radio stations to contact the Japanese who had captured Sumatra. The attempt failed, as the Japanese and Germans could not understand each other.

Important Events

Dutch ship captures

On 31 March 1942, two Dutch ships, SS Sumatra and SS Salida, arrived in Gunungsitoli harbour. The Germans acted cautiously and approached with rifles. The captains, Bloemers and Flothuis, did not realise that the island was uninhabited by the Japanese and were surprised when they were held at gunpoint by German troops. Both were imprisoned by the Germans. The Germans learnt from the internees that a Dutch ship was chartered by the Japanese in Sumatra for ƒ7,000 to deliver rice from Nias. The Germans realised that the Japanese did not know they were on the island. One of the prisoners, Grasshof, used the radio to play a German military song and thus identified their presence to the Japanese troops.

Transportation of prisoners

To show their loyalty, the Germans decided to transport the Dutch and British citizens of Nias to mainland Sumatra 200km away, and hand them over to the Japanese. Along with Albert Vehring, they commandeered a ship to tow several open boats with the prisoners. On 6 April, they left Gunungsitoli for Sibolga, arriving later that day. When a small Japanese motorboat arrived, German soldiers stood to attention and greeted them with the Hitler salute, but the Japanese did not respond, as a way of demonstrating their authority. They were all investigated further in Medan. Albert Vehring suggested sending a Japanese officer and some Japanese troops to Nias but this was rejected due to suspicion on the part of the Japanese. Vehring was sent back to Nias, while the other prisoners were held by the Japanese in Sumatra. After a brief exchange of contact, the prisoners were taken away by the Japanese. On 12 April, a second wave of prisoners, accompanied by 22 Germans, travelled to Sibolga.

Dissolution

On 17 April 1942, the Japanese arrived on Nias with six ships and 120 to 200 soldiers to occupy Nias. Members of the government of the Free Republic of Nias – Leo Fischer, Albert Vehring, Dr. J.K.G Moeller, Edmund E.J.F Schroeder, Dr. Karl Heidt – and other Germans welcomed them at the harbour. The Japanese were greeted with the Nazi salute, and school children sang the Indonesian national anthem, "Indonesia Raya".

Although the island had been officially occupied by Japan, the Germans still managed to organise a small event to celebrate Hitler's birthday. The Germans brought a portrait of Hitler, and the event ended with a triple banzai and Nazi salute. On 22 April 1942, the Japanese occupied the southern part of the island by sea.

Japanese Occupation

After the Japanese occupied the island, the remaining Europeans on the island, regardless of nationality, were transferred to Sumatra on 24 April 1942. Only one German, Dr. Karl Heidt, remained as a doctor. The Japanese force doctor Heidt to stay behind as one of the few reliable medics around. However, his deepest wish is to start a medical practice again in Sumatra. Being alone on the island, he died on 2 September 1942 after committing suicide via an overdose of sleeping pills. His headstone on Nias near Gunungsitoli reads "Einsam aber unter Freunde gestorben" (Lonely but deceased among friends).

Bibliography

• Oktorino, Nino (2019), Seri Nusantara Membara: Invasi ke Sumatra (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Elex Media Komputindo, ISBN 978-602-04-8798-4
• Habsyah, Attashendartini; Sudiharto, Mooriati; Trihusodo, Putut (2008), Perjalanan Panjang Anak Bumi, Yayasan Obor Indonesia, ISBN 978-979-4616-54-3
• Oktorino, Nino (2020), Jejak Hitler di Nusantara - Petualangan, Intrik dan Konspirasi Nazi di Indonesia (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Elex Media Komputindo, ISBN 978-623-00-1536-6
• Geerken, Horst H. (2017), Hitler's Asian Adventure, Norderstedt: Books on Demand
• Anwar, Rosihan (2004), Sejarah kecil "Petite Histoire" Indonesia (in Indonesian), vol. 1, Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kompas
• Government of Dutch East Indies (1941), Regeerings-Almanak voor Nederlandsch-Indie (in Dutch), vol. 2, Batavia: Landsdrukkerij
• Information Bureau of North Sumatra (1953), Republik Indonesia: Propinsi Sumatera Utara (in Indonesian), Medan: Ministry of Information
• Womack, Tom (2015), The Allied Defense of the Malay Barrier, 1941-1942, McFarland, ISBN 978-1-4766-6293-0

In acquired and occupied territories

As the Japanese extended their territorial holdings, shrines were constructed with the purpose of hosting Japanese kami in occupied lands. This practice began with Naminoue Shrine in Okinawa in 1890. Major shrines built across Asia included Karafuto Shrine in Sakhalin in 1910 and Chosen Shrine, Korea, in 1919; these shrines were designated just under Ise Shrine in national importance. Other shrines included Shonan Shrine in Singapore, San'a Shrine in Hainan Island (China), Japanese Shrine in Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Akatsuki Shrine in Saigon, the Hokoku Shrine and Chinnan Shrine in Java, and the Yorioka Shrine in Sarawak.

The Japanese built almost 400 shrines in occupied Korea, and worship was mandatory for Koreans. A statement from the head of the Home Office in Korea wrote about the shrines in a directive: "…they have an existence totally distinct from religion, and worship at the shrines is an act of patriotism and loyalty, the basic moral virtues of our nation."

By 1937, more than 500,000 Jingu Taima shrines had been set up across households in Taiwan. Out of the 68 approved places of worship, 38 were constructed between 1937 and 1943. Schools and organizations were ordered to worship there.

In Manchuria, The Japanese conducted scholarly research on the local folk religion and built 366 Shrines, although without trying to impose Shinto on the native populations as it was the case in Korea and Taiwan, as the Manchurian State was conceived as a spiritually autonomous nation. while in the rest of the Chinese territory occupied by the Japanese, it is estimated that there are at least 51 shrines.

At least fifteen State Shinto shrines were established in the South Seas Mandate in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Shinto was primarily practised by Japanese settlers, but also by indigenous populations. The shrine at Jabor on Jaluit Atoll in the Marshall Islands was reportedly the easternmost shrine in the Japanese Empire. There were seven shrines built in the Mariana Islands, while other shrines were built on the more remote islands of Kosrae, Truk, Ponape, Yap and Lamotrek. The largest shrine in the mandate territories was the Nan'yō Shrine in Palau, with its significant Japanese population. It was located on the outskirts of Koror and dedicated in 1940.

Post-insert

insert

Integration

In May 2000, the finance ministers of ASEAN+3 meet in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and agree on the Chiang Mai Initiative (CMI) – a network of bilateral currency swap arrangements among Asian countries intended to provide emergency liquidity in future crises​adb.org. The CMI, essentially an extension of an earlier ASEAN Swap Arrangement, represents a concrete outcome of post-crisis regionalism and is hailed as a foundation for an Asian financial safety net. Within ASEAN, members start implementing the Hanoi Plan of Action: steps are taken to harmonize customs procedures and integrate utilities and transportation networks. Politically, ASEAN foreign ministers endorse the idea of an ASEAN Troika (a three-member team) to address urgent regional issues, a mechanism tested when ASEAN deploys a ministerial Troika to facilitate dialogue in Cambodia in 2000. In November 2000, an Informal ASEAN Summit in Singapore launches the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to help newer members – projects in infrastructure, human resource development, and information technology are initiated for CLMV. ASEAN also signs a cooperation agreement with China on the less sensitive area of development, while engaging China in discussions on a South China Sea code of conduct. At the same time, ASEAN begins exploring a treaty on counter-terrorism and transnational crime, as concerns rise about extremist groups (this predates 9/11 but ASEAN countries like the Philippines were already dealing with groups such as Abu Sayyaf). By 2000, ASEAN’s economy as a bloc is the fifth-largest in the world, and intra-ASEAN tariff rates among the original members are mostly down to 0–5%, indicating progress of AFTA.

In 2001, The seventh ASEAN Summit is hosted in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, on 5–6 November 2001. This summit occurs in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, which cast a spotlight on terrorism in Southeast Asia. ASEAN leaders respond by issuing the 2001 Declaration on Joint Action to Counter Terrorism on 5 November 2001. In this declaration, ASEAN unequivocally condemns terrorism and pledges cooperation in information sharing, border control, law enforcement, and addressing root causes of terror. This marks a new area of security collaboration, driven by the post-9/11 landscape. Also at the 2001 summit, China, Japan, and South Korea join ASEAN leaders for the now-regular ASEAN+3 Summit. China surprises ASEAN by proposing to form an ASEAN-China Free Trade Area within 10 years, signaling deeper economic interdependence. ASEAN welcomes the proposal, and negotiations are slated to begin. Additionally, the ASEAN leaders adopt an ASEAN Declaration on HIV/AIDS to tackle the disease, reflecting the growing social dimension of ASEAN’s agenda. In economic matters, ASEAN accelerates integration efforts: the ASEAN Economic Ministers agree to advance the AFTA tariff elimination deadline for the original members to 2002 (from 2003) to stimulate regional trade amid a global downturn. Cambodia finally participates in its first ASEAN Summit in 2001 as a full member, completing the “ASEAN-10” presence at the highest level.

Group photograph of Head of States/Governments at ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos on November 30, 2004.

In 2002 ASEAN makes strides in security diplomacy and environmental cooperation. On 4 November 2002, at the eighth ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, ASEAN and China sign the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). The DOC is a landmark ASEAN-China agreement in which all parties commit to exercise self-restraint and resolve disputes peacefully in the South China Sea, and to work toward a formal code of conduct. Although the DOC is non-binding, it is seen as a confidence-building measure that caps years of negotiations and helps stabilize the maritime disputes by embedding China in a cooperative framework with ASEAN. The 2002 summit also sees the launch of negotiations for the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement, with a target to establish the FTA by 2010 (for older members) and 2015 (for newer members). Economically, ASEAN and India hold their first annual summit in 2002, upgrading India to full Dialogue Partner status and signaling India’s “Look East” engagement with ASEAN. In June 2002, ASEAN addresses a pressing environmental issue by signing the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in Kuala Lumpur. This agreement is a legally binding pact wherein member states commit to prevent and monitor land and forest fires and to cooperate in firefighting and haze mitigation. It is the world’s first regional haze treaty, prompted by the recurring smoke haze that affected Southeast Asia in 1997–1998 and again in 2002. In the political sphere, ASEAN foreign ministers in 2002 establish the ASEAN Troika mechanism (endorsed earlier) on a case-by-case basis for conflict resolution, although it remains unused formally. ASEAN also begins drafting an ASEAN Tourism Agreement to boost intra-regional travel and promote Southeast Asia as a single tourist destination.

alt