Daily Quiz for May 22, 2008

Sukarno. Sukarno, the only son of a Javanese schoolteacher, was instrumental in creating the nation of Indonesia and was its first president (like many Javanese, Sukarno has only one name). An avid student, he quickly gained in interest in the independence movements that were growing under Dutch rule in the early part of the 20th century. With the occupation of the Dutch East Indies by the Japanese early in World War II, bureaucratic positions left empty by the Dutch were filled by the better educated members of the indigenous population. This segment of the population was also more inclined towards independence and a nationalist movement gained momentum across the disparate 13,000 island archipelago. After the surrender of Japan was confirmed, Sukarno declared the independent nation of Indonesia on August 17, 1945. Turmoil plagued the fledgling nation well into the ’50s until Sukarno discarded the country original parliamentary system with authoritarian rule he termed "Guided Democracy." Sukarno was deposed by General Suharto after an abortive coup in September 1965. He died in 1970.