Kahin married Margaret Baker in 1942 , but the marriage ended in divorce . During World War II , Kahin served in the United States Army between 1942 and 1945 , where " he was trained as one of a group of 60 GIs who were to be parachuted into Japanese-occupied Indonesia in advance of Allied forces " . However , the operation was canceled after it was determined that U.S. forces would bypass the Indies after the Potsdam Conference . As a result , his unit was sent to the European theater . He earned the rank of sergeant before leaving the Army . Kahin 's interest in Southeast Asia developed during this period , and he learned to speak Indonesian and Dutch
Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
George McTurnan Kahin