During World War II, many European civilians remained in Southeast Asia and were captured by the Japanese army. To facilitate their control, the Japanese army soon began to restrict their freedom. The largest number of civilians imprisoned were on the island of Java, part of the Dutch East Indies colony. This thesis aims to present the internment camps for women and children in Java through the memories of the people who spent the war in them. The Japanese policy of dealing with enemy civilians, their gradual imprisonment and life in camps is presented. By presenting the living conditions and the experiences of everyday life in the camps, I will aim to ascertain whether the reputation of the internment camps in the Dutch East Indies, as the most notorious camps for civilians under the control of the Japanese, is true.
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