In August 1945, Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers, and Indonesia declared its independence on August 17, 1945. However, the Dutch, who had been the colonial rulers of Indonesia, attempted to reassert their control over the archipelago. The British, who were responsible for occupying Indonesia after Japan's surrender, initially supported the Dutch efforts. This led to a period of conflict between the Indonesian nationalists, led by Sukarno and Hatta, and the Dutch-British forces.