General of the Army Raden Sudirman ( Old Spelling: Soedirman; 24 January 1916 – 29 January 1950) was a high-ranking Indonesian military officer during the

Indonesian National Revolution The Indonesian National Revolution, or the Indonesian War of Independence, was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during postwar and postcol ...

. The first

commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces The Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces ( id, Panglima Tentara Nasional Indonesia, known as Panglima TNI) is the professional head and highest-ranking officer of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Directly answerable to the pres ...

, he continues to be widely respected in the country. Born in

Purbalingga Purbalingga ( Javanese: ꦥꦸꦂꦧꦭꦶꦁꦒ) is a town and district in Central Java Province of Indonesia and the seat of Purbalingga Regency Villages The district includes 11 urban villages (''kelurahan'') and 2 rural villages (''desa'') ...

Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...

, Sudirman moved to

Cilacap Cilacap Regency ( jv, ꦏꦨꦸꦥꦠꦺꦤ꧀ꦕꦶꦭꦕꦥ꧀, also spelt: Chilachap, old spelling: Tjilatjap, Sundanese: ) is a regency () in the southwestern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is the town of Cilacap. ...

in 1916 and was raised by his uncle. A diligent student at a

Muhammadiyah Muhammadiyah ( ar, محمدية; 'followers of Muhammad'); also known as the Muhammadiyah Society ( id, Persyarikatan Muhammadiyah) is a major Islamic non-governmental organization in Indonesia.A. Jalil HamidTackle the rising cost of living longer ...

-run school, he became respected within the community for his devotion to Islam. After dropping out of teacher's college, in 1936 he began working as a teacher, and later headmaster, at a Muhammadiyah-run elementary school. After the Japanese occupied the Indies in 1942, Sudirman continued to teach, before joining the Japanese-sponsored

Defenders of the Homeland ''Pembela Tanah Air'' (abbreviated PETA; ) or was an Indonesian volunteer army established on 3 October 1943 in Indonesia by the occupying Japanese. The Japanese intended PETA to assist their forces in opposing a possible invasion by the Allies ...

as a battalion commander in Banyumas in 1944. In this position he put down a rebellion by his fellow soldiers, but was later interned in

Bogor Bogor ( su, , nl, Buitenzorg) is a city in the West Java province, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945, Sudirman led a break-out then went to Jakarta to meet President

Sukarno Sukarno). (; born Koesno Sosrodihardjo, ; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of ...

. Tasked with overseeing the surrender of Japanese soldiers in Banyumas, he established a division of the People's Safety Body there. On 12 November 1945, at an election to decide the military's commander-in-chief in

Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...

, Sudirman was chosen over Oerip Soemohardjo in a close vote. While waiting to be confirmed, Sudirman ordered an assault on British and Dutch forces in Ambarawa. The ensuing battle and British withdrawal strengthened Sudirman's popular support, and he was ultimately confirmed on 18 December. During the following three years Sudirman saw negotiations with the returning Dutch colonial forces fail, first after the

Linggadjati Agreement The Linggardjati Agreement (''Linggarjati'' in modern Indonesian spelling) was a political accord concluded on 15 November 1946 by the Dutch administration and the unilaterally declared Republic of Indonesia in the village of Linggarjati, Kuning ...

– which Sudirman participated in drafting – and then the

Renville Agreement The Renville Agreement was a United Nations Security Council-brokered political accord between the Netherlands, which was seeking to re-establish its colony in South East Asia, and Indonesian Republicans seeking for Indonesian independence dur ...

; he was also faced with internal dissent, including a 1948 ''coup d'état'' attempt. He later blamed these issues for his

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...

, which led to his right lung collapsing in November 1948. On 19 December 1948, several days after Sudirman's release from the hospital, the Dutch launched an assault on the capital. Sudirman and a small contingent escaped Dutch forces and left the city, making their headquarters at Sobo, near Mount Lawu. There Sudirman commanded military activities throughout Java, including a

show of force A show of force is a military operation intended to warn (such as a warning shot) or to intimidate an opponent by showcasing a capability or will to act if one is provoked. Shows of force may also be executed by police forces and other armed, non ...

in Yogyakarta on 1 March 1949. When the Dutch began withdrawing, in July 1949 Sudirman was recalled to Yogyakarta and forbidden to fight further. In late 1949 Sudirman's tuberculosis relapsed, and he retired to

Magelang Magelang () is one of six cities in Central Java that are administratively independent of the regencies in which they lie geographically. Each of these cities is governed by a mayor rather than a ''bupati''. Magelang city covers an area of 18. ...

, where he died slightly more than a month after the Dutch recognised Indonesia's independence. He is buried at Semaki Heroes' Cemetery in Yogyakarta. Sudirman's death was mourned throughout Indonesia, with flags flown at

half-mast Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a salut ...

and thousands gathering to see his funeral convoy and procession. He continues to be highly respected in Indonesia. His guerrilla campaign has been credited with developing the army's ''

esprit de corps Morale, also known as esprit de corps (), is the capacity of a group's members to maintain belief in an institution or goal, particularly in the face of opposition or hardship. Morale is often referenced by authority figures as a generic value ...

'', and the long route he took must be followed by Indonesian

cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

s before graduation. Sudirman featured prominently on the 1968 series of rupiah banknotes, and has numerous streets, museums, and monuments named after him. On 10 December 1964, he was declared a

National Hero of Indonesia National Hero of Indonesia ( id, Pahlawan Nasional Indonesia) is the highest-level title awarded in Indonesia. It is posthumously given by the Government of Indonesia for actions which are deemed to be heroic, defined as "actual deeds which can b ...

Early life

Sudirman was born to Karsid Kartawiraji (father) and Siyem while they lived with Siyem's sister Tarsem, one of three women married to the sub-district head Raden Cokrosunaryo, in Rembang, Bodas Karangjati,

. According to the family's records, Sudirman – named by his uncle – was born on a ''pon'' Sunday in the month of Maulud in the

Javanese calendar The Javanese calendar ( jv, ꦥꦤꦁꦒꦭ꧀ꦭꦤ꧀ꦗꦮ, Pananggalan Jawa) is the calendar of the Javanese people. It is used concurrently with two other calendars, the Gregorian calendar and the Islamic calendar. The Gregorian calendar ...

; the Indonesian government later established 24 January 1916 as Sudirman's birthday. As Cokrosunaryo was in a better financial situation, he adopted Sudirman and gave him the title Raden, reserved for Javanese nobility; however, Sudirman was not told that Cokrosunaryo was not his birth father until he was eighteen. When Cokrosunaryo retired from his position as chief in late 1916, Sudirman went with the family to Manggisan,

, where he was raised. In Cilacap Karsid and Siyem had another son, Muhammad Samingan. Karsid died when Sudirman was six, at which time Siyem left the boys with her brother-in-law and went back to her village at Parakan Onje, Ajibarang. Sudirman was raised with stories of heroic deeds and taught the etiquette and ways of the ''

priyayi ''Priyayi'' (former spelling: ''Prijaji'') was the Dutch-era class of the nobles of the robe, as opposed to royal nobility or ''ningrat'' ( Javanese), in Java, Indonesia, the world's most populous island. ''Priyayi'' is a Javanese word origina ...

'', or noble caste, as well as the work ethic and simplicity of the ''

wong cilik ''Wong cilik'' literally means 'little people' in Javanese, the language of the Javanese people, Indonesia's largest ethnic group. It is a term that refers to a social class A social class is a grouping of people into a set of hierarchical ...

'', or commoners. For his religious education, he studied Islam under Kyai

Hajji Hajji ( ar, الحجّي; sometimes spelled Hadji, Haji, Alhaji, Al-Hadj, Al-Haj or El-Hajj) is an honorific title which is given to a Muslim who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca. It is also often used to refer to an elder, since i ...

Qahar with his brother; Sudirman was a religious child, and always prayed on time. He was soon entrusted with performing both the ''

adhan Adhan ( ar, أَذَان ; also variously transliterated as athan, adhane (in French), azan/azaan (in South Asia), adzan (in Southeast Asia), and ezan (in Turkish), among other languages) is the Islamic call to public prayer ( salah) in a mo ...

'' and '' iqama'', or calls to prayer. When he was seven years old, Sudirman was enrolled at a school for natives (), where he was an average student. The family, although it had enough to live by, was not rich. During his tenure as sub-district head, Cokrosunaryo had not accumulated much wealth, and in Cilacap he became a distributor of

Singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

sewing machines. In his fifth year of school, Sudirman asked to leave his studies, concerned with the ridicule he faced at the government-run school; this request was at first refused, but Sudirman was transferred to a junior high school run by Taman Siswa in his seventh year of school. In his eighth year, Sudirman transferred to Wirotomo Junior High School after the Taman Siswa School was found to be unregistered and closed under the Wild School Ordinance. Many of Sudirman's teachers at Wirotomo were Indonesian nationalists, which influenced his views of the Dutch colonists. Sudirman studied diligently at school; his teacher Suwarjo Tirtosupono later recalled that Sudirman would already be studying second-term lessons while the class was still in term one. Although he performed poorly in Javanese calligraphy, Sudirman was strong in mathematics, science, and writing in both Dutch and Indonesian. Sudirman also became more religious under the guidance of his teacher Raden Mohamad Kholil; his classmates named him "hajji" because of his devotion to his prayers, and Sudirman took up preaching to other students. Aside from his studies and religious activities, Sudirman also served in the school's musical troupe and on the

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

team, on which he was a defender. Although Cokrosunaryo's death in 1934 left the family poor, Sudirman was allowed to continue his studies without paying until he graduated later that year; after his step-father's death, Sudirman also devoted more time to studying the

Sunnah In Islam, , also spelled ( ar, سنة), are the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed ...

and prayer. By age 19, Sudirman had become a pupil teacher at Wirotomo.

Muhammadiyah

While at Wirotomo Sudirman was a member of the Wirotomo Student Union, drama club, and band. He helped establish a branch of the Hizboel Wathan, an organisation similar to the

Boy Scouts Boy Scouts may refer to: * Boy Scout, a participant in the Boy Scout Movement. * Scouting, also known as the Boy Scout Movement. * An organisation in the Scouting Movement, although many of these organizations also have female members. There are t ...

, which was run by the Islamic establishment

. Sudirman became the leader of the Cilacap division after graduating from Wirotomo; he was tasked with deciding and planning his groups' activities. He emphasised the need for religious studies, insisting that the contingents from Cilacap attend Muhammadiyah conferences throughout Java. He taught the younger members about the history of Islam and the importance of morality, while with older members he enforced near-military discipline.

Teaching

After graduating from Wirotomo, Sudirman spent a year at a Muhammadiyah-run teacher's college in

Surakarta Surakarta ( jv, ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ), known colloquially as Solo ( jv, ꦱꦭ; ), is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 44 km2 (16.2 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Su ...

, but later dropped out owing to a lack of funds. In 1936 he returned to Cilacap to teach at a Muhammadiyah-run elementary school, having been trained by his teachers at Wirotomo; that year he married Alfiah, a former schoolmate and the daughter of the rich ''

batik Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth. This technique originated from the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a ''ca ...

'' merchant Raden Sastroatmojo. After the marriage Sudirman lived at his father-in-law's house in Cilacap so he could save money for his own home. The couple went on to have three sons, Ahmad Tidarwono, Muhammad Teguh Bambang Tjahjadi, and Taufik Effendi, and four daughters, Didi Praptiastuti, Didi Sutjiati, Didi Pudjiati, and Titi Wahjuti Satyaningrum. As a teacher, Sudirman taught his students lessons on morality using examples from the lives of the

prophets In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings from the s ...

and traditional ''

wayang , also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Perfor ...

'' stories. One of his students later recalled that Sudirman was an even-handed and patient teacher who would mix humour and nationalism in his lessons; this made him popular with the students. A hard-working teacher despite poor pay, within several years Sudirman had become headmaster despite not having a teacher's certificate. As a result, his monthly wages quadrupled from three gulden to twelve and a half. As headmaster, Sudirman worked on numerous administrative duties, including finding middle ground between feuding teachers. A coworker later recalled that Sudirman was a moderate, democratic leader. He was also active in fundraising, both for the needs of his school and the construction of others. During this time Sudirman also continued to serve as a member of the Muhammadiyah Youth Group. Within the group he was known as a keen negotiator and mediator, working to resolve issues between members; he also

preached A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. El ...

at the local mosque. He was elected as Chair of the Banyumas District of the Muhammadiyah Youth Group at the end of 1937. In this role he enacted policies facilitating members' studies and activities, both religious and secular. He was later put in charge of Youth Group activities throughout

Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakart ...

and spent much of his free time travelling and preaching Islam, putting an emphasis on self-awareness. Alfiah was also active in Muhammadiyah-sponsored activities through the group's branch for women, Nasyiatul Aisyiyah.

Japanese occupation

When World War II broke out in Europe, it was expected that the Japanese, who had already made aggressive moves against mainland China, would try to invade the Indies. In response, the Dutch colonial government – which had previously limited military training for

native Indonesians Native Indonesians, also known as ''Pribumi'' (), are Indonesians whose ancestral roots lie mainly in the archipelago, distinguished from Indonesians of known (partial) foreign descent, like Chinese Indonesians (Tionghoa), Arab Indonesians, Indi ...

– began teaching the populace how to deal with air raids. To co-ordinate the preparations, the Dutch formed Air Raid Preparation teams. Sudirman, respected in the community, was asked to lead the Cilacap chapter. Aside from teaching local citizens the safety procedures for dealing with an air raid, Sudirman established watchposts throughout the area. He and the Dutch would also have passing aircraft drop materials to simulate a bombing run; this was intended to improve response time. After the Japanese began occupying the Indies in early 1942, winning several battles against Dutch and Dutch-trained forces of the

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army ( nl, Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger; KNIL, ) was the military force maintained by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its colony of the Dutch East Indies, in areas that are now part of Indonesia. Th ...

(, or KNIL), on 9 March 1942 Governor-General Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer and head of the KNIL General Hein ter Poorten capitulated. This brought drastic changes in the governance of the archipelago and reduced the quality of life for non-Japanese in the Indies, many of whom suffered from widespread human rights violations at the hands of the Japanese. In Cilacap, Sudirman's school had been closed and turned into a military outpost; this was part of a widespread effort to close private schools. After Sudirman convinced the Japanese to reopen the school, he and the other teachers were forced to use substandard supplies. Sudirman was also involved in several social and humanitarian organisations during this period, including as chair of the Indonesian People's Cooperative. This brought him greater recognition among the people of Cilacap.

Pembela Tanah Air

In early 1944, after a year as a representative at the Japanese-run regency council board (''Syu Sangikai''), Sudirman was asked to join the

(, or PETA); the Japanese occupation government had established PETA in October 1943 to help repel any Allied invasion, and were focused on recruiting younger men, those who had "not yet been 'contaminated by Dutch rule. After a few days of hesitance, caused in part by a knee injury he had occurred as a youth, Sudirman agreed to begin training in

Bogor Bogor ( su, , nl, Buitenzorg) is a city in the West Java province, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.Banyumas, Central Java, not far from Cilacap. Sudirman's time as a PETA commander passed uneventfully until 21 April 1945, when PETA troops under the command of Kusaeri began to rebel against the Japanese. Ordered to stop the rebellion, Sudirman agreed to do so only if the PETA rebels would not be harmed, and places harbouring them not razed; this condition was accepted by the Japanese commander, and Sudirman and his troops began searching for the rebels. Although Kusaeri's men initially shot at the commander, after Sudirman used a loudspeaker to tell them they would not be harmed, they backed down. Kusaeri surrendered on 25 April. This garnered support for Sudirman within the occupation forces, although several high-ranking Japanese officers expressed concern over Sudirman's support for Indonesian independence. Sudirman and his men were soon sent to a camp in Bogor, ostensibly for training; however, they were tasked with hard labour as a way to prevent a further uprising, and rumours circulated that the PETA officers would be killed.

National revolution

Commander of the Armed Forces

After news of the

atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki The United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945, respectively. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the onl ...

reached the Indies in early August 1945, followed by the

proclamation of Indonesian independence The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...

on 17 August, it was evident that Japanese control was weakening. Sudirman led a break out from the camp in Bogor. Although his fellow internees wanted to attack the Japanese soldiers, Sudirman convinced them against it. After ordering the others to their hometowns, Sudirman made his way to

Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital city, capital and list of Indonesian cities by population, largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coa ...

and met with President

, who asked him to lead resistance against Japanese forces in the city. Unfamiliar with Jakarta, Sudirman refused, instead offering to lead forces in Kroya. He left for his former command on 19 August 1945. At the same time, Allied forces were in the process of retaking the Indonesian archipelago for the Netherlands. The first British forces arrived on 8 September 1945. In late August, Sukarno established the People's Safety Bureau (, or BKR), which united troops from the former PETA, ''

Heiho were native Indonesian units raised by the Imperial Japanese Army during its occupation of the Dutch East Indies in World War II. Alongside the ''Heiho'', the Japanese organized ''Giyūgun'' (義勇軍, "Volunteer army"), such as the Java-based ...

'', and KNIL. The BKR served mostly as a police organisation, partly because the political leadership were intent on using diplomacy to garner international recognition of the new country and partly to avoid appearing overly aggressive to the Japanese forces still in the archipelago. Sudirman and several of his fellow PETA soldiers formed a BKR branch in Banyumas in late August, after stopping at Kroya and discovering that his battalion had been disbanded. In a meeting with the Japanese commander for the region, Saburo Tamura, and the resident of Banyumas, Iwashige, Sudirman and Iskaq Tjokrohadisurjo forced the Japanese to surrender and hand over their weapons while a crowd of armed Indonesians encircled the Japanese camp. Many of these weapons were later used by Sudirman's BKR unit, making it one of the best equipped in the country; surplus weapons were distributed to other battalions. As the newly independent nation did not yet have a professional military, on 5 October 1945 Sukarno passed a decree establishing the People's Security Armed Forces ( or TKR, now known as the ). Most officers were former KNIL officers, while rank-and-file soldiers were mostly PETA and ''Heiho'' personnel. As the decreed Commander of the Armed Forces, Soeprijadi, failed to come forward, chief of staff Lieutenant General Oerip Soemohardjo served as an interim leader. That October British-led forces, tasked with disarming Japanese troops and repatriating Dutch

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

, arrived in

Semarang Semarang ( jv, ꦏꦸꦛꦯꦼꦩꦫꦁ , Pegon: سماراڠ) is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Dutch colonial era, and is still an important regional center and port today ...

, then made their way south to

. When the British began rearming repatriated Dutch prisoners and seemed to be preparing a military base in Magelang, Sudirman – now a colonel – sent some of his troops under Lieutenant Colonel Isdiman to drive them away; the mission was successful, and the European soldiers withdrew to Ambarawa, midway between Magelang and Semarang. On 20 October Sudirman was put in command of the Fifth Division, after Oerip began dividing Java into different military commands. On 12 November 1945, at the first general meeting of Army leadership, Sudirman was elected Commander of the Armed Forces (''Panglima Besar'') following two deadlocked votes. In the third round, Oerip had 21 votes to Sudirman's 22; the division commanders from

Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...

voted unanimously for Sudirman and swayed the ballot in his favour. Sudirman, aged 29 at the time, was surprised at his selection and offered to relinquish the leadership position to Oerip, but the meeting did not allow it. Oerip himself, who had lost control of the meeting prior to the vote, was glad to no longer be in charge of the entire Army. Sudirman kept Oerip to serve as chief of staff under him. In accordance with his new role, Sudirman was promoted to general. After the meeting, Sudirman returned to Banyumas to await confirmation as leader of the TKR and began developing strategies on how repel Allied advances. The Indonesians feared that the Dutch, through the

Netherlands Indies Civil Administration The Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (abbreviated NICA; nl, Nederlandsch-Indische Civiele Administratie) was a semi-military organisation, established April 1944, tasked with the restoration of civil administration and law of Dutch colonia ...

(, or NICA), would attempt to retake the archipelago; soldiers of the Dutch-British alliance had landed in Java in September, and a large battle had occurred in Surabaya during late October and early November. This instability, as well as Sukarno's uncertainty about Sudirman's qualifications, led to a delay in Sudirman's confirmation. While waiting for his appointment to be confirmed, in late November Sudirman ordered the Fifth Division to attack Allied forces stationed in Ambarawa, once again with Isdiman in charge; the city was considered strategically important owing to its military barracks and training facilities dating from the colonial period. This assault was countered by an air strike and the use of tanks, which forced the division to retreat; Isdiman died in the battle, killed by a

strafing Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. Less commonly, the term is used by extension to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft such ...

P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...

Sudirman then led the Division in another assault against Allied forces; the Indonesian troops were armed with a variety of weapons, ranging from bamboo spears and confiscated

katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...

s to rifles, while the British were armed with modern equipment. Sudirman led from the front, wielding a katana. The Allies, whose air support had been cut off when guerrilla soldiers attacked Kalibenteng Airfield in Semarang, were forced onto the defensive and holed up in Willem Fortress. On 12 December Sudirman led a four-day siege, which resulted in the Allied force withdrawing to Semarang. Sudirman saluting 27 May 1946 KR

The Battle of Ambarawa brought Sudirman greater attention at a national level, and generally silenced whispers that he was unfit for military command because of his lack of military experience and previous employment as a schoolteacher. Ultimately, Sudirman was chosen as his loyalty was undoubted, while Oerip's former pledge of loyalty to the Dutch led to him being viewed with suspicion. Sudirman was confirmed as commander of the Armed Forces on 18 December 1945. He was replaced as head of the Fifth Division by Colonel Sutiro, and began to focus on strategic problems. This was done partly by establishing a board of advisors, which gave the general advice on both political and military issues. Oerip handled many of the military matters. Together, Sudirman and Oerip were able to reduce the differences and mistrust between former KNIL and PETA troops, although some troops were reluctant to be subordinated to a central command, instead choosing to follow their popularly selected battalion commanders. The government renamed the Army twice in January 1946, first to the Peoples' Salvation Armed Forces (), then to the Republic of Indonesia Military Forces (, or TRI/RIMF). This was followed by the formal establishment of a

navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

and

air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...

in early 1946. In the meantime, the Indonesian government had moved from Jakarta – now under Dutch control – to Yogyakarta in January; delegates led by Prime Minister

Sutan Sjahrir Sutan Sjahrir (5 March 1909 – 9 April 1966) was an Indonesian politician, and revolutionary independence leader, who served as the first Prime Minister of Indonesia, from 1945 until 1947. Previously, he was a key Indonesian nationalist organiz ...

spent much of April and May unsuccessfully negotiating for Dutch recognition of Indonesian sovereignty. On 25 May Sudirman was reconfirmed as commander of the Armed Forces of the expanded military, after its reorganisation. At the ceremony, Sudirman swore to protect the republic "until he shed his last drop of blood." The leftist Minister of Defence

Amir Sjarifuddin Amir Sjarifuddin Harahap (EVO: Amir Sjarifoeddin Harahap; 27 April 1907 – 19 December 1948) was an Indonesian politician and journalist who served as the second prime minister of Indonesia from 1947 until 1948. A major leader of the lef ...

, who had received greater power in the reorganisation, began collecting socialist and communist troops under his direct control, as well as leftist paramilitary units () that were funded by and loyal to the various political parties. The minister instituted political education programmes in the army, which were meant to spread leftist ideology. This use of the military for political manoeverings disappointed both Sudirman and Oerip, who were at the time busy ensuring equal treatment for soldiers from different military backgrounds. However, rumours among the populace had spread that Sudirman was preparing for a ''coup d'état''; although an attempt did occur in early July 1946, Sudirman's role, if any, is not certain. In July Sudirman addressed these rumours through a speech broadcast on

Radio Republik Indonesia ''Radio Republik Indonesia'' (Radio of the Republic of Indonesia, abbreviated as RRI), legally ''Lembaga Penyiaran Publik (LPP) Radio Republik Indonesia'' ( Public Broadcasting Institution Radio of the Republic of Indonesia), is a public radio ...

(RRI), stating that he, like all Indonesians, was a servant of the State, and that, if he were offered the presidency, he would refuse it. In his later career he stated that the military had no place in politics, and vice versa.

Negotiations with the Dutch

Meanwhile, Sjahrir continued to work on negotiations with the Allied forces. On 7 October 1946, Sjahrir and the former Dutch Prime Minister,

Wim Schermerhorn Willem "Wim" Schermerhorn (17 December 1894 – 10 March 1977) was a Dutch politician who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 25 June 1945 until 3 July 1946. He was a member of the now-defunct Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) ...

, agreed to work towards a ceasefire. The discussions were to be moderated by the British diplomat Lord Killearn and involved Sudirman. He took a specially commissioned train to Jakarta, departing on 20 October. However, he ordered it to return to Yogyakarta when Dutch troops refused to allow him and his men to enter the city with their weapons, feeling that such an order violated his sense of honour; the Dutch apologised, construing the events as a misunderstanding. Sudirman took another train in late October, arriving at

Gambir Station Gambir Train Station ( id, Stasiun Gambir, station code: GMR) is a major railway station in Gambir, Gambir, Central Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. The station is located on the eastern side of Merdeka Square. It was built during the Dutch Eas ...

in Jakarta on 1 November, where he was greeted by large crowds. The discussions in Jakarta resulted in the drafting of the

on 15 November; the agreement was ratified on 25 March 1947, despite heavy opposition from Indonesian nationalists. Sudirman was vocally against the agreement, which he found to be detrimental to Indonesian interests, but considered himself obliged to follow his orders. In early 1947, with the Linggadjati Agreement granting relative peace, Sudirman began work on consolidating the TKR with various ''laskar''. As part of a committee, Sudirman began reorganising the military; they reached an agreement in May 1947, and on 3 June 1947 the Indonesian National Armed Forces (, or TNI) was formalised; it consisted of TKR forces and various ''laskar'' groups, which Sudirman had included only after realising the extent of their manipulation by the political parties. However, the ceasefire obtained through the Linggadjati Agreement was not long lasting. On 21 July 1947 the Dutch forces – which had occupied areas left by the British during their withdrawal – launched

Operation Product Operation Product was a Dutch military offensive against areas of Java and Sumatra controlled by the Republic of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution.Vickers (2005), p. 99 It took place between 21 July and 4 August 1947. Referr ...

, and quickly gained control of large swaths of Java and Sumatra; the national government in Yogyakarta remained untouched. Sudirman called the army to fight, using the code "Ibu Pertiwi is calling! Ibu Pertiwi is calling!", and later delivered several speeches over RRI in an unsuccessful attempt to encourage soldiers to fight against the Dutch. However, the Indonesian soldiers were unprepared and their lines crumbled quickly.

Pressured by the United Nations, which had looked at the situation in the former East Indies with disdain, on 29 August 1947 the Dutch established the

Van Mook Line The Renville Agreement was a United Nations Security Council-brokered political accord between the Netherlands, which was seeking to re-establish its colony in South East Asia, and Indonesian Republicans seeking for Indonesian independence durin ...

, which divided Dutch and Indonesian-controlled areas. Along this line a ceasefire was called. Sudirman recalled the Indonesian guerrillas hiding in Dutch-held lands, ordering them to return to Indonesian-held areas. To keep their spirits up, he referred to the withdrawal as a ''hijrah'', reminiscent of

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mon ...

migration Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

Medina Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...

in 622 AD, implying that they would return. Over 35,000 troops left western Java at this order, travelling to Yogyakarta by train and ship. This boundary was formalised by the

on 17 January 1948; among the signatories was Amir Sjarifuddin, by then also serving as prime minister. Meanwhile, Sjarifuddin began rationalising the army, cutting back on the number of troops. At the time the regular army consisted of 350,000 men, with a further 470,000 in the ''laskar''. In this programme, by presidential decree Sudirman was no longer commander-in-chief of the military starting on 2 January 1948. He was demoted to lieutenant general, while Chief of the Air Force Soerjadi Soerjadarma was intended to be commander-in-chief. Shortly afterwards, Sjarifuddin was ousted in a

vote of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...

for his involvement in the Renville Agreement, and the new prime minister,

Mohammad Hatta Mohammad Hatta (; 12 August 1902 – 14 March 1980) was an Indonesian statesman and nationalist who served as the country's first vice president. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indone ...

, worked to implement the rationalisation programme. This led to a several months-long debate between pro- and anti-rationalisation groups. Sudirman served as a rallying point and driving force for soldiers, including numerous older commanders, who were against the programme. Sudirman was formally reinstated on 1 June 1946, upon which he effectively rescinded the command to rationalise. He chose Colonel

Abdul Haris Nasution General of the Army Abdul Haris Nasution ( Old Spelling: Abdoel Haris Nasution; 3 December 1918 – 6 September 2000), was a high-ranking Indonesian general and politician. He served in the military during the Indonesian National Revolution a ...

as his deputy, but remained a lieutenant general. As the rationalisation programme was winding down, Sjarifuddin began gathering soldiers from the

Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of ...

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of '' The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel ...

, and members of the All Indonesia Centre of Labour Organizations for a would-be

proletarian revolution A proletarian revolution or proletariat revolution is a social revolution in which the working class attempts to overthrow the bourgeoisie and change the previous political system. Proletarian revolutions are generally advocated by socialists, ...

Madiun Madiun ( jv, ꦑꦸꦛꦩꦝꦶꦪꦸꦤ꧀, translit=Kutha Madhiun) is a landlocked city in the western part of East Java, Indonesia, known for its agricultural center. It was formerly (until 2010) the capital of the Madiun Regency, but is now ad ...

East Java East Java ( id, Jawa Timur) is a province of Indonesia located in the easternmost hemisphere of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern and ...

, which occurred on 18 September 1948. Sudirman, ill at the time, sent Nasution to deal with the revolution; Sudirman also sent two other officers as peace feelers before the attacks. Although the revolutionary leader Muso was amenable to peace, Nasution and his soldiers had quashed the uprising by 30 September. Sudirman visited Madiun not long after the battle, later telling his wife that he had been unable to sleep there for all the bloodshed. This rebellion, and ongoing political instability, sapped Sudirman of much of his remaining strength. On 5 October 1948, after celebrations of the military's third anniversary, Sudirman collapsed. After being examined by numerous doctors, he was diagnosed with

. At the end of the month he was brought to Panti Rapih Hospital and had his right lung collapsed, in hope that it would stop the spread of the disease. During his time at the hospital, he delegated most of his duties to Nasution. However, the two continued to discuss plans for the war against the Dutch, and Sudirman continued to receive status reports. They agreed that guerrilla warfare, which had been applied on raids into Dutch-held territory since May, would be best suited for their needs; towards this goal, Sudirman issued a general order on 11 November, with Nasution handling most of the preparations. Sudirman was released from the hospital on 28 November 1948. Although he continued to issue orders, Sudirman only returned to active duty on 17 December; in light of the growing tension between the Dutch and Indonesian forces, he ordered the TNI soldiers to maintain an increased level of awareness; he also ordered large-scale military exercises as a in an unsuccessful attempt to convince the Dutch that the TNI was too strong to attack. Two days later, after a nighttime announcement that they were no longer bound by the Renville Agreement, on 19 December the Dutch launched

Operation Kraai Operation Kraai (Operation Crow) was a Dutch military offensive against the '' de facto'' Republic of Indonesia in December 1948 after negotiations failed. With the advantage of surprise the Dutch managed to capture the Indonesian Republic's ...

, an attempt to capture the capital at Yogyakarta. By 07:10 local time (UTC+7), the airfield at Maguwo had been taken by paratroopers under the command of Captain Eekhout. Sudirman, upon becoming aware of the attack, had an order read over RRI which stated that soldiers should fight as they had been trained – as guerrillas. He then went to the Presidential Palace in central Yogyakarta, where the government leaders were discussing an ultimatum which stated that the city would be stormed unless the leadership accepted colonial rule. Sudirman urged that the president and vice-president leave the city and fight as guerrillas, actions they had previously promised, but this suggestion was rejected. Although his doctors forbade it, Sudirman received permission from Sukarno to join his men. The central government evacuated to the

Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat The Royal Palace of Yogyakarta ( id, Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, jv, ꦏꦿꦠꦺꦴꦤ꧀ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠꦲꦢꦶꦤꦶꦔꦿꦠ꧀) is a palace complex in the city of Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. It is ...

at the urging of Sultan Hamengkubuwana IX, but were captured and exiled.

Guerrilla warfare

Sudirman first went to his official home and gathered sensitive documents, which he burned to prevent them falling into Dutch hands. His convoy, consisting of Sudirman, a small group of soldiers, and his personal doctor, then made their way south, towards Kretek, Parangtritis,

Bantul Bantul is a town and district, and the capital of Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The district (''kapanewon'') covers an area of and had a population of 64,360 at the 2020 Census. It is a bustling town about to the sout ...

. There they were received by the district head at 18:00. After several days in Kretek, during which time Sudirman sent undercover troops into the Dutch-occupied city for reconnaissance and to ask his wife for jewellery to sell and help fund the guerrilla movement, he and his group travelled east along the south coast to

Wonogiri Wonogiri Regency is a regency () in the southeastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. It covers an area of 1,822.36 km2, and its population was 928,904 at the 2010 Census and 1,096,138 at the 2020 Census. The capital and largest t ...

. Before the Dutch attack it had already been decided that Sudirman would be able to better control the guerrillas from eastern Java, where there were still several bases. Meanwhile, Alfiah and the children were ordered to stay in the Kraton. Aware that he was being pursued by the Dutch, on 23 December Sudirman ordered his troops to continue to Ponorogo, where they stopped at the home of Mahfuz, a kyai and Islamic religious leader; Mahfuz gave the general a cane to help him walk, although Sudirman was, and continued to be, carried on a

litter Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. Litter can also be used as a verb; to litter means to drop and leave objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups ...

. They then continued east. Outside of

Trenggalek Trenggalek Regency is a regency ''(kabupaten)'' in East Java, Indonesia. This regency has an area of 1,261.40 km2 and had a population of 674,411 residents at the 2010 Census and 731,125 at the 2020 Census. It is located on the southern sh ...

, Sudirman and his group were stopped by TNI soldiers belonging to 102 Battalion. These soldiers, who were told that Sudirman – who was in civilian clothes and unrecognised by the troops holding them – had been taken prisoner, refused to allow the group to pass; they were suspicious as Sudirman's convoy carried maps and notes on Indonesian military movements, things which may have belonged to spies. When the group's commander, Major Zainal Fanani, came to check the situation, he realised that Sudirman was with them and apologised. Told that his men were right to guard their areas diligently, Fanani called a post in Kediri and ordered that a car be sent to pick up the general and his troops. After a time in Kediri, they continued further east; as they left the city on 24 December, Dutch planes attacked Kediri. The constant Dutch attacks led Sudirman, perhaps at the suggestion of one of his men, to change his clothes and give his old outfit to one of his soldiers, Second Lieutenant Heru Kesser – who bore a resemblance to Sudirman. Kesser was ordered to head south with a large company of soldiers, remove the clothes, and furtively return north, while Sudirman waited in Karangnongko. The diversion was successful, and on 27 December Sudirman and his men made their way to Jambu Village. Arriving on 9 January 1949, Sudirman met with several government ministers who had not been present during the Dutch attack on Yogyakarta:

Supeno Supeno (June 12, 1916 – February 24, 1949) was the Minister of Development/Youth at First Hatta Cabinet. He died while still serving in the department as a result of the Dutch Military Aggression II. Supeno is now regarded as a National Hero of ...

, Susanto Tirtoprojo, and Susilowati. With the politicians, Sudirman made his way to Banyutuwo, ordering some of his soldiers to linger back and hold off Dutch ground troops. In Banyutuwo, they held for over a week. However, on 21 January, when Dutch forces approached the village, Sudirman and his entourage were forced to leave, fighting their way out in heavy rain. Sudirman and his troops continued to make their way through the jungles and forests, eventually arriving at Sobo, near Mount Lawu, on 18 February. During the journey, Sudirman used a radio set to convey orders to local TNI troops if he believed that the region was secure. Feeling weaker because of the physical hardships he had faced, including travelling through the forests and a lack of food, and believing the area to be safe, Sudirman decided that Sobo would serve as his guerrilla headquarters. The local commander, Lieutenant Colonel Wiliater Hutagalung, served as his go-between with the other TNI leaders. Aware that international opinion, which was beginning to condemn Dutch actions in Indonesia, could bring Indonesia greater recognition, Sudirman and Hutagalung discussed possible terms of action, before agreeing on a large-scale assault. Meanwhile, the Dutch began to spread propaganda claiming that they had captured Sudirman; this claim was intended to break the morale of the guerrillas. Sudirman ordered Hutagalung to begin planning a full-scale assault, in which TNI soldiers – in uniform – would attack the Dutch and show their strength in front of foreign reporters and United Nations investigative teams. Hutagalung, together with officers under his commander Colonel

Bambang Sugeng Lieutenant General (Ret.) Bambang Soegeng (EYD: Bambang Sugeng; 31 October 1913 – 22 June 1977) was an Indonesian military officer and diplomat. He was the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army between 1952 and 1955, and was later ambassador to ...

and government officials under Governor

Wongsonegoro Kanjeng Raden Mas Tumenggung Wongsonegoro (20 April 1895 – 4 March 1974), more commonly known simply as Wongsonegoro, was an Indonesian politician, who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Indonesia, alongside Zainul Arifin under Prime Minis ...

, spent several days discussing ways to ensure the attack could be successful. The discussion may have resulted in the General Offensive of 1 March 1949, which saw TNI soldiers attack Dutch outposts throughout central Java. Troops under Lieutenant Colonel

Suharto Suharto (; ; 8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian army officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving president of Indonesia. Widely regarded as a military dictator by international observers, Suharto l ...

retook Yogyakarta for six hours before withdrawing, a successful

which caused the Dutch to lose face internationally; they had previously declared the TNI eradicated. However, who truly ordered the offensive remains uncertain: Suharto and Hamengkubuwana IX claimed responsibility, while Bambang Sugeng's brother reportedly overheard him ordering the assault. Under increased pressure from the United Nations, on 7 May 1949 Dutch–Indonesian negotiations resulted in the Roem–Van Roijen Agreement, a controversial measure which guaranteed Dutch withdrawal from Yogyakarta, among other points; The Dutch withdrawal commenced in late June, and the Indonesian leadership began returning to Yogyakarta from exile in early July. Sukarno ordered Sudirman to return to Yogyakarta as well, but Sudirman refused to let the Dutch withdraw without a fight; he considered the TNI to now be strong enough to defeat the dispirited Dutch. Although he was promised medicine and support in Yogyakarta, Sudirman refused to return to the political leadership, whom he considered acquiescent to the Dutch. He only agreed to return after receiving a letter, although sources disagree on its sender. On 10 July, Sudirman and his group returned to Yogyakarta, where they were greeted by thousands of civilians and warmly received by the political elite there. The reporter Rosihan Anwar, who was present when the letter was delivered, wrote in 1973 that "Sudirman had to return to Yogyakarta to avoid any perceptions of a rift among the republic's top leaders".

Post-war and death

In early August Sudirman approached Sukarno and asked him to continue the guerrilla war; Sudirman did not expect the Dutch to abide by the Roem-Royen Agreement, based on the failings of the previous agreements. Sukarno disagreed, which was a blow to Sudirman. When Sudirman threatened to resign his post, blaming the government's inconsistency for his tuberculosis and Oerip's death in November 1948, Sukarno threatened to do so as well. As he thought that such a resignation would have a destabilising effect, Sudirman stayed his hand, and a Java-wide cease fire came into effect on 11 August 1949. Continuing to suffer from tuberculosis, Sudirman was checked into Panti Rapih hospital, where he stayed until October, when he was transferred to a sanatorium in nearby Pakem. As a result of his illness, Sudirman made few public appearances. Sudirman was transferred to a home in Magelang in December. In the meantime, the Indonesian and Dutch governments held a several-month-long conference which resulted in Dutch recognition of Indonesian sovereignty on 27 December 1949. Sudirman, despite his illness, was reconfirmed that day as commander-in-chief of the TNI, now serving the newly established Republic of the United States of Indonesia. On 28 December, Jakarta once again became the nation's capital. Sudirman's casket carried, Kenang-Kenangan Pada Panglima Besar Letnan Djenderal Soedirman, p13

Sudirman's casket carried, Kenang-Kenangan Pada Panglima Besar Letnan Djenderal Soedirman, p13

Sudirman died in Magelang at 18:30 on 29 January 1950; this was reported in a special broadcast over RRI. Upon receiving news of his death, the Sudirman family home received numerous visitors, including the entirety of the 9th Brigade, which was stationed nearby. The following morning Sudirman's body was brought to Yogyakarta. As the funeral convoy passed, led by four

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful ...

s and consisting of eighty motor vehicles, thousands of mourners stood at the sides of the streets. The convoy was organised by members of the 9th Brigade. The viewing, held at the Great Mosque of Yogyakarta in the afternoon, was attended by numerous political and military elite from both Indonesia and foreign countries; this included Prime Minister

Abdul Halim ʻAbd al-Ḥalīm (ALA-LC romanization of ar, عبد الحليم) is a male Muslim given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Ḥalīm'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which gives rise ...

, Minister of Defence Hamengkubuwana IX, Minister of Health Johannes Leimena, Minister of Justice

Abdoel Gaffar Pringgodigdo Prof. Mr. Abdoel Gaffar Pringgodigdo (24 August 1904 – 1988) was the Minister of Justice of Indonesia from 21 January to 6 September 1950. Biography Pringgodigdo was born in Bojonegoro, East Java, Dutch East Indies on 24 August 1904. He was the ...

, Minister of Information

Arnold Mononutu Arnoldus Isaac Zacharias Mononutu (4 December 1896 – 5 September 1983) was an Indonesian nationalist, politician, and National Hero of Indonesia, national hero of Indonesia from North Sulawesi, who served as Ministry of Information (Indonesia), ...

, Chief of the Air Force Soerjadi Soerjadarma, Colonel Paku Alam VIII, and Suharto. The viewing was closed with a 24-gun salute. Sudirman's body was brought to Semaki Heroes' Cemetery on foot, with a crowd of mourners long trailing behind. He was interred next to Oerip, after another gun salute. His wife filled in the first scoop of dirt, followed by the government ministers. The national government ordered flags to be flown at

throughout the country, and Sudirman was promoted to full general. Major-General Tahi Bonar Simatupang was selected as the new leader of the armed forces. Sudirman's memoirs were published later that year; a series of his speeches were also published in 1970.

Legacy

An obituary in the Yogyakarta-based daily '' Kedaulatan Rakjat'' wrote that Indonesia had lost a "brave and true hero". Colonel Paku Alam VIII, in charge of the Yogyakarta area, told the national news agency

Antara Antara is an Indonesian news agency organized as a statutory corporation. It is the country's national news agency, supplying news reports to many domestic media organizations. It is the only organization authorized to distribute news materials ...

that all Indonesians, especially the armed forces, had "lost a father figure who did uncountable deeds for his country". The Indonesian Muslim leader

Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, better known by his pen name Hamka (17 February 1908 – 24 July 1981) was an Indonesian ʿālim, philosopher, writer, lecturer, politician and journalist. First affiliated with the Masyumi Party, until it was d ...

, writing soon after Sudirman's death, described the general as a "symbol of the strength of spirit shown by Indonesian heroes," while the Muslim politician Muhammad Isa Anshary described Sudirman as a "son of the revolution, as he was born in the revolution, and raised by the revolution." In a radio speech, Hatta described Sudirman as impossible to control and hard-headed, but ultimately intent on doing what was right for the country; Hatta noted that, although Sudirman often did not like the government's position, he would generally obey his orders. However, Hamengkubuwana IX noted that KNIL trained soldiers such as Abdul Haris Nasution and Tahi Bonar Simatupang were disappointed in Sudirman because of his background and poor knowledge of military techniques. Modern opinions in Indonesia tend to be laudatory. Sardiman, a professor of history at

Yogyakarta State University State University of Yogyakarta ( id, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, abbreviated as UNY) is a state university established in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 1964. History State University of Yogyakarta (formerly IKIP Yogyakart ...

, writes that Sudirman was as lively a speaker as Sukarno, who was known for his fiery speeches, and a devoted, incorruptible leader. The Indonesian historian and former Minister of Education and Culture Nugroho Notosusanto described Sudirman as "his only idol", citing the general's guerrilla period as the origin of the army's ''

''. The general's guerrilla campaign is emphasised in biographies of him because, during that period, the army had a greater role than the exiled political leadership; beginning in the 1970s, all military cadets had to retrace the long route prior to graduation, a "pilgrimage" meant to instill a sense of struggle. Sudirman's grave is also a

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

destination, both for the military and general public. According to Katharine McGregor of the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb ...

, the Indonesian military has elevated Sudirman to a saint-like status. Sudirman received numerous awards from the national government posthumously, including the Bintang Sakti, Bintang Gerilya, Bintang Mahaputera Adipurna, Bintang Mahaputera Pratama, Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipurna, and Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipradana. On 10 December 1964 Sudirman was declared a

by Presidential Decree 314 of 1964. Oerip was declared a National Hero by the same decree. He was posthumously promoted to General of the Army in 1997. Indonesia 1968 5r o

According to McGregor, the military increasingly used Sudirman's image as a symbol of leadership as it gained more political power. An image of Sudirman was featured on every denomination of the 1968 series of rupiah. He featured as a major character in several war films, including '' Janur Kuning'' (''Yellow Coconut Leaf''; 1979) and '' Serangan Fajar'' (''Dawn Attack''; 1982). Sudirman Road 01

Numerous museums have been dedicated to Sudirman. His childhood home in

is now the Sudirman Museum, while his official home in Yogyakarta is now the Sasmitaloka Museum to General Sudirman. The house in Magelang where he died is also now the Sudirman Museum, established on 18 May 1967 and containing artefacts belonging to the general. Other museums, including the Monument Yogya Kembali in Yogyakarta and the

Satriamandala Museum The Satriamandala Museum (also spelled Satria Mandala Museum) is the main museum for the Indonesian Armed Forces. Opened on 5 October 1972, it is located on of land in South Jakarta and holds numerous artefacts, weapons, and vehicles. Descri ...

in Jakarta have rooms dedicated to him. Numerous streets are named after Sudirman, including a major street in Jakarta; McGregor states that nearly every city in the country has a General Sudirman Street. Statues and monuments to him are spread throughout the archipelago, most of which were built after 1970. Jenderal Sudirman University in Banyumas, established in 1963, is named after him.

Notes

References

Footnotes Bibliography * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sudirman 1916 births 1950 deaths 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Banyumasan people Commanders of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Indonesian collaborators with Imperial Japan Indonesian generals Indonesian Muslims Indonesian revolutionaries Javanese people Members of Pembela Tanah Air National Heroes of Indonesia People from Central Java People of the Indonesian National Revolution Tuberculosis deaths in Indonesia