The UK maintains the Commonwealth with many former British colonies, and France still is quite connected it many of its former colonies too. Following decolonization, what role did the Dutch play in Indonesia? Was the relationship a good one, antagonistic, indifferent? Has there been similar, active military aid like we see with France in Africa?
A reply to /u/Goat_im_Himmel
In short, the situation at the end of WW2 led to enmity that was diffused mostly due to US interference and pressure on the Dutch to settle with the Indonesian revolutionary government. At the same time, the Dutch were weak economically and could not play a strong role as the compromise Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which were nominally under weak union with the Netherlands, collapsed and became the unitary Republic of Indonesia. Relationships were rocky under Sukarno, reading the bottom in 59-65, and improved dramatically as the regime changed to Suharto.
The end of WW2 saw the Dutch army attempt a "police action" to restore Dutch rule of the DEI. However, this saw significant rebuke especially on the major islands and population centers on Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. The rapid dissolution of Japanese military rule saw many militia and political groups rise in the power vacuum.
One of these, the PETA para-military group founded by the Japanese, kidnapped Sukarno and Hatta, who had collaborated with the Japanese to varying degrees, to declare independence.
Four years of armed conflict followed, during which Sukarno perhaps displayed his most brilliant accomplishments in diplomacy and charm, as he had to persuade many regional groups to not pursue their own negotiation with the Dutch. The end of this was RUSI, the Republic of the United States of Indonesia, in a form of union with the Dutch, of which a core "Indonesia" state centered on Java was a member. This was very much a compromise by both sides. The US pressured the Dutch to settle, fearing that communists may rise during the armed conflict.
Further, Dutch and western companies could resume their operations, as did many Dutch elites. And RUSI was to take on the incurred debts of the DEI. Not that all was clearly well. Various leaders could not agree the extent of "Indonesia", especially the questions of Papua, East Timor, and even Malaya and the Philippines. We started to see more and more leaders hew to the myth of Majapahit, including Sukarno.
So the relationship was initially very much a detente with some tension.
To be continued.