Indonesia

Here, published for the first time, is the story of Washington's role in one of the most significant turning points in Asian history - the turbulent transfer of power from President Sukarno to President Suharto in Indonesia, one of the world's largest and most important countries. After much speculation over covert U.S. action in the Indonesian drama, this book records with authority and candor precisely what the U.S. did and did not do. Beginning in 1965, as the Vietnam war intensified, a series of dramatic events occurred in Indonesia leading to the collapse of Indonesia's Communist Party (then the world's third largest), the removal of the flamboyant, pro-Communist President Sukarno, and his replacement by President Suharto who has provided over twenty-five years of sound leadership. The U.S. and its friends had an enormous stake in the outcome of the Indonesian crisis, but the U.S. wisely exercised restraint despite attacks on its Embassy and Consulates. This fast-paced, lucid account, written with humor and human concern by one of America's most talented and experienced diplomats and illustrated with photos of key moments, captures the drama and significance of these events. Former Assistant Secretary of State William Bundy's foreword testifies from the Washington perspective to the author's courage and wisdom in action.