How Indonesia's Founding Father Was Slowly Destroyed by the CIA

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]The leader who united 17,000 islands was destroyed by refusing to pick a side.

[00:00:04]It's 1945, Jakarta, Indonesia. [music] A young revolutionary declares independence from 300 years of Dutch rule. Sukarno welds together thousands [music] of ethnic groups speaking hundreds of languages into one nation.

[00:00:17]He leads the Non-Aligned Movement giving smaller countries a voice between the superpowers. World leaders respect his vision of independence without choosing Moscow or Washington. For a time, he stands as the conscience of the developing world. But his neutrality makes him dangerous to both sides during the Cold War. The CIA begins planning his removal working with Indonesian military officers who resent his power.

[00:00:40]>> [music] >> In 1965, a mysterious coup attempt gives the military the excuse they need. They blame communists and launch [music] mass killings across the islands. Sukarno watches helplessly as hundreds of thousands die. The generals strip away his authority piece by piece until he becomes a prisoner in his own [music] palace. The man who created Indonesia from scattered islands was Sukarno.