Ready to Fight

This poster shows a young fighter, with long hair, gripping a rifle and wearing a woven bamboo jungle hat that marks his readiness for guerrilla warfare. Behind him sits a sheet of paper labelled "Nota Belanda" (Dutch note), and text "Dibalik nota belanda pemoeda siap-sedia!". The "Dutch note" was a proposal handed to the Indonesian Republic by Dutch representative P.J.A. Idenburg on 27 May 1947, which Indonesian Prime Minister Sjahrir took as an ultimatum offering only surrender or all-out war. The Republic chose war, and the poster calls on the armed youth to stand behind that rejection of Dutch demands.