The Jakarta Method

Named one of the best books of 2020 by NPR, The Financial Times, and GQ, this book uncovers the hidden story of the wanton slaughter in Indonesia, Latin America, and around the world, backed by the United States. In 1965, the U.S. government assisted the Indonesian military in killing approximately one million innocent civilians. This event marked one of the most significant turning points of the twentieth century, eliminating the largest communist party outside China and the Soviet Union and inspiring similar terror programs in countries like Brazil and Chile. However, these events remain largely overlooked, primarily because the CIA’s secret interventions were so effective.

In this bold and comprehensive history, Vincent Bevins builds on his incisive reporting for The Washington Post, utilizing recently declassified documents, archival research, and eyewitness testimony collected across twelve countries to reveal a shocking legacy that spans the globe. For decades, it has been believed that parts of the developing world transitioned peacefully into the U.S.-led capitalist system. The Jakarta Method demonstrates that the brutal extermination of unarmed leftists was a fundamental aspect of Washington’s ultimate victory in the Cold War.