on august 17, 1945, after the news of allied victory over japan reached indonesia, sukarno proclaimed indonesian independence. this started the indonesian national revolution against the british and dutch. in this war, pramoedya joined a paramilitary group in karawang, kranji (west java). he was sent to jakarta. in jakarta, he wrote short stories and books, and propaganda for the nationalist cause. the dutch put him in bukit duri prison in jakarta from 1947 until 1949, the year the netherlands recognized indonesian independence. while in prison, he wrote his first major novel, "the fugitive".