Cablegram 247 BATAVIA, 25 July 1947, 11.25 a.m.
IMMEDIATE MOST SECRET
The British Consul-General informs me confidentially that Van Mook spoke to him yesterday to the following effect:-
(1) Major military operations should be over in a week. Occupation of Djokjakarta no longer intended; possibly some moderate or co- operative government might be set up there in which case its authority would have to be limited to central Java as he contemplated facilitating the establishment of separate states in east and west Java and probably Sumatra.
(2) Dutch progress was two days ahead of schedule and had met practically no resistance so far except at Medan. Casualties up to Wednesday night were Dutch 40 dead and 70 wounded and Republicans 100 and 250. Most Dutch casualties due to mines and booby traps.
There seemed to be general muddle and little cohesion amongst Republican forces.
(3) Local population nearly every-where received the Dutch forces in friendly and co-operative manner, sometimes giving warning of mines. People in the countryside were following normal occupations.
(4) There was little to report concerning [destruction] [1] of property except some damage to roads and bridges and damage to Chinese shops. No signs of general fighting. [2]
(5) Operations in Sumatra were going according to plan and on a more limited scale than Java.
United Kingdom Consul-General got the impression that Van Mook was not at all concerned about unfavourable world attitude because he was sure that Military Operations would be virtually over before any international action could be taken and that he thought India would wait and see, and in any event would take a long time to consider the matter.
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1 Amended by hand on the cited copy. The text originally read:
‘distinction’.
2 A sign here indicates ‘as received’.
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[AA:A1838/283, 403/3/1/1, viii]