After the end of the occupation, as the nascent Indonesian republic—proclaimed on 17 August 1945—fought to retain its independence, Ismail entered the Indonesian military, ultimately reaching the rank of second lieutenant. After the Indonesian National Revolution concluded in 1949, he returned to cinema, serving as editor on such films as "Untuk Sang Merah Putih" and "Sedap Malam" (both 1950). He also became increasingly interested in film direction, serving as assistant director on PFN's "Inspektur Rachman" (1951) before making his directorial debut with "Akibat" (1951).