Jo van Heutsz

Joannes Benedictus "Jo" van Heutsz (; 3 February 185111 July 1924) was a Dutch military officer who was appointed governor general of the Dutch East Indies in 1904, years after he had become famous for bringing to an end the long Aceh War.

Early life and education Joannes Benedictus van Heutsz was born on 3 February 1851, in Coevorden in the Netherlands. He was the second son of Joannes Franciscus van Heutsz and Maria Lucilla Kocken. Both his father and his grandfather were artillery officers.

Van Heutsz, who was a difficult and talkative student, went to school in Breda. His family could not afford to send him to the Royal Military Academy, in Breda, and so he later went to the Instruction Battalion in Kampen from 1867 to 1872. In consort with the Islamic scholar Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, van Heutsz succeeded in weakening the Acehnese resistance by exploiting tensions between the Acehnese aristocracy and the religious ulama. He also solicited the support of the Acehnese ruling classes and isolated the rebels from their rural bases. On the advice of an Acehnese noble, he also altered the tactics of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army by introducing small mobile forces, which were successful against the Acehnese guerrilla tactics.

Van Heutsz commissioned Colonel Gotfried Coenraad Ernst van Daalen with the challenge of breaking any remaining resistance. Van Daalen destroyed several villages, killing at least 2,900 Acehnese, among whom were 1,150 women and children. Dutch losses numbered just 26, and van Daalen was promoted.

By 1903, van Heutsz's tactics had succeeded in convincing several secular Acehnese resistance leaders, including Sultan Muhammad Daud, Tuanku Raja Keumala, Tuanku Mahmud and Teuku Panglima Polem Muda Perkasa, to surrender to the colonial authorities. In 1935, the leader of the Dutch fascist NSB, Anton Mussert, visited Jakarta and laid a wreath in van Heutsz honour. After the Second World War, the monument was covered in slogans demanding independence and was demolished in 1953.

In Coevorden, his birthplace, the main city park and main street are (still) called the Van Heutsz Park and Van Heutszsingel, respectively.

Regiment van Heutsz After the departure of the Dutch from independent Indonesia in 1949, the Regiment van Heutsz of the Dutch Army was created with the specific aim of being "the bearer of the traditions of KNIL", the former Dutch Indies colonial army that had carried out the Aceh War.

Awards and decorations Kraton Medal Knight First Class of the Military Order of William (1876) Honorary Sabre participants for their bravery (26 June 1890) Commander of the Military Order of William (1899) Knight of the Order of the Dutch Lion (1899) Grand Officer of the Military Order of William (1901) Grand Cross of the Military Order of William (1903) Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau Grand Cross of the Order of the Dutch Lion (4 December 1919) Expedition Cross with two clasps Long Service Medal for Officers Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle