<![CDATA[Background: This research is a preliminary study in conflict archaeology focusing on motorized military vehicles from the World War II and Indonesian National Revolution periods (1942–1949) on the island of Java. Objective: This study aims to conduct a systematic inventory and examine the material and symbolic values of historic military vehicles as part of Indonesia’s cultural heritage. Methods: This study employs a mixed-methods approach that integrates historical archival analysis, limited field surveys, and direct artefactual analysis. Results: The theoretical framework rests on three pillars: Conflict Archaeology Miles C. Collier’s framework for the archaeology of motorized vehicles, and Material Culture Studies. These frameworks are used to trace the “object biographies” of combat vehicles that underwent transformations in meaning, from instruments of colonial power to symbols of resistance and, ultimately, cultural heritage. The inventory identified nine examples of historic military vehicles distributed across museums, private collections, and monument sites in Java. Artefactual analysis of selected vehicles, particularly the Willys MB and Ford GPW, successfully revealed layers of information embedded in field modifications, cross-manufacturer component cannibalization, and re-stamped serial numbers, providing material evidence of guerrilla warfare strategies and operational conditions. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the urgent need to preserve historic military vehicles in Indonesia while advocating for the adoption of a military heritage management paradigm grounded in a national digital inventory system and international archival collaboration.]]>
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