By the early 1960s Notosusanto had abandoned his literary career, focusing instead on history.
In 1960 he received a scholarship from the Rockefeller Foundation to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, England.
He dropped out in 1961, and returned to Indonesia in 1962.
Around this time he was recruited by General Abdul Haris Nasution to provide a version of the revolution amenable to the Indonesian Army and counter a Communist Party of Indonesia-backed history which ignored the Madiun Affair of 1948.
In 1964 he was chosen as head of the Department of Military History.
He also worked as a lecturer at UI.

During the mid-to-late 1960s Notosusanto wrote extensively on the military history of Indonesia, including a book on Supriyadi's anti-Japanese rebellion in 1945 and the Battle of Surabaya.
His 1968 book on the 30 September Movement coup in 1965, written in collaboration with Ismail Saleh and entitled The Coup Attempt of the 30 September Movement in Indonesia, was the first on the subject to be published.
It was later used as the basis for the pro-Suharto film Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI (Treachery of G30S/PKI; 1984), for which Notosusanto received a writing credit.

Sometime after 1968 Notosusanto conceived of Satria Mandala Museum in Jakarta as a modern museum showcasing the military's role in the country's history.
The museum, modeled after the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the Museo Nacional de Historia in Mexico City, Mexico, opened in 1972 and contained numerous dioramas.
In a later pamphlet Notosusanto wrote that dioramas were necessary as "the habit of reading is still developing ... [thus] historical visualisation remains an effective way to express the identity of ABRI".
In existing museums he revised the dioramas to better suit the needs of the New Order government.

During this period Notosusanto continued to teach, although he also became involved with administrative work at UI.
He served as assistant dean at the university's faculty of literature between 1963 and 1964, later serving as assistant rector from 1964 to 1967.
After writing his thesis on "The Peta Army During the Japanese Occupation in Indonesia", Notosusanto received his doctorate in 1977 from UI; the thesis was translated into Indonesian and published in 1979 by Gramedia.
Two years later he was made a full professor.

Notosusanto was made a member of the Fourth Development Cabinet when it was formed on 16 March 1983, replacing outgoing minister Daud Jusuf and taking office three days later.
During his two years as minister he worked on several programmes, including compulsory education and student selection systems.
He also instituted a new curriculum, replacing the one which had been in use since 1975 and promoting the humanities.
Concurrently with his work as Minister of Education and Culture, Notosusanto served as rector of UI; students were disapproving of his selection, considering him a military official sent to limit their freedom.
He died at his Jakarta home on 3 June 1985 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried at Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery.
At the time he was a brigadier general, the highest rank then available for civilians in military service.
By the early 1960s Notosusanto had abandoned his literary career, focusing instead on history. In 1960 he received a scholarship from the Rockefeller Foundation to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, England. He dropped out in 1961, and returned to Indonesia in 1962. Around this time he was recruited by General Abdul Haris Nasution to provide a version of the revolution amenable to the Indonesian Army and counter a Communist Party of Indonesia-backed history which ignored the Madiun Affair of 1948. In 1964 he was chosen as head of the Department of Military History. He also worked as a lecturer at UI.
During the mid-to-late 1960s Notosusanto wrote extensively on the military history of Indonesia, including a book on Supriyadi's anti-Japanese rebellion in 1945 and the Battle of Surabaya. His 1968 book on the 30 September Movement coup in 1965, written in collaboration with Ismail Saleh and entitled The Coup Attempt of the 30 September Movement in Indonesia, was the first on the subject to be published. It was later used as the basis for the pro-Suharto film Pengkhianatan G30S/PKI (Treachery of G30S/PKI; 1984), for which Notosusanto received a writing credit.
Sometime after 1968 Notosusanto conceived of Satria Mandala Museum in Jakarta as a modern museum showcasing the military's role in the country's history. The museum, modeled after the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the Museo Nacional de Historia in Mexico City, Mexico, opened in 1972 and contained numerous dioramas. In a later pamphlet Notosusanto wrote that dioramas were necessary as "the habit of reading is still developing ... [thus] historical visualisation remains an effective way to express the identity of ABRI". In existing museums he revised the dioramas to better suit the needs of the New Order government.
During this period Notosusanto continued to teach, although he also became involved with administrative work at UI. He served as assistant dean at the university's faculty of literature between 1963 and 1964, later serving as assistant rector from 1964 to 1967. After writing his thesis on "The Peta Army During the Japanese Occupation in Indonesia", Notosusanto received his doctorate in 1977 from UI; the thesis was translated into Indonesian and published in 1979 by Gramedia. Two years later he was made a full professor.
Notosusanto was made a member of the Fourth Development Cabinet when it was formed on 16 March 1983, replacing outgoing minister Daud Jusuf and taking office three days later. During his two years as minister he worked on several programmes, including compulsory education and student selection systems. He also instituted a new curriculum, replacing the one which had been in use since 1975 and promoting the humanities. Concurrently with his work as Minister of Education and Culture, Notosusanto served as rector of UI; students were disapproving of his selection, considering him a military official sent to limit their freedom. He died at his Jakarta home on 3 June 1985 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried at Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery. At the time he was a brigadier general, the highest rank then available for civilians in military service.
Nugroho Notosusanto