Mohammad Hatta, the first Vice President and joint proclaimer of the Republic of Indonesia, was a man who devoted almost his entire life to an ideal. From his early years until his death in 1980, the issue of Indonesian freedom overshadowed all other aspects of his life. Hattas biography depicts the dogged determination, courage, and optimism, required by an Indonesian leader if he were to confront a colonial power and win his countrys independence. His life history also portrays the disillusionment and frustration a leader experiences when his life-long democratic ideal is shattered and the...