Muhammad Mangundiprojo
Personal details
Born5 January 1905
Sragen, Dutch East Indies
Died13 December 1988(1988-12-13) (aged 83)
Bandar Lampung, Indonesia
OccupationCivil servant, Prosecutor
AwardsNational Hero of Indonesia
Military service
AllegianceIndonesia
Branch/servicePeople's Security Forces
Years of service1944–1949
RankMajor General
Battles/warsBattle of Surabaya (1945)
Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949)

Major General Muhammad Mangundiprojo was a 20th-century Indonesian soldier, revolutionary, and civil servant. Born in Sragen Regency on the island of Java, Mangundiprojo joined a nationalist group during the Second World War. He later fought against the return of Dutch colonial authority to Indonesia, and later went on to become a politician. He died in Bandar Lampung in 1988.

Early life

Muhammad Mangundiprojo was born on 5 January 1905 in the Javanese province (which are referred to as regencies) of Sragen. At the time, Java and many other provinces constituted the Dutch East Indies, a colonial possession ruled by the Netherlands. Mangoendiprodjo's family had a history of fighting against the Dutch; his great grandfather had served the Sultanate of Demak and had fought alongside Diponegoro, a 19th-century Javanese noble whom had opposed Dutch rule in the Java War.[1]

During his formative years, Mangundiprojo chose to pursue the career of becoming a civil servant in the Dutch colonial government. In 1926, he graduated from a Dutch-operated university on Java and planned to join the Municipal Police. However, he instead became a prosecutor in the Jombang Regency.[1]

Japanese occupation

During World War II, the Japanese army invaded and occupied Java in 1942. The Japanese dismantled much of the island's colonial infrastructure and chose to support nationalist movements which would oppose the return of Dutch authorities. On such effort was PETA, a volunteer army unit which Mangundiprojo joined in 1944.[2] Before being deployed, he received a military education Surabaya; he was then given command of a unit in the Sidoarjo Regency in East Java. When the war ended in 1945, many of the PETA units were disarmed. However, many soldiers and officers, including Mangundiprojo, maintained their military training and discipline.[3]

Indonesian National Revolution

Battle of Surabaya

With the world war II over, the Dutch government sought to regain control over its former colony in Indonesia, which had declared itself independent from the Netherlands on 17 August 1945.

On 26 October, British soldiers and men from the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration landed in Surabaya to occupy the city, which had recently been evacuated by the Japanese garrison. This act caused tensions to flair between the British and the local Indonesians, many of whom now considered themselves to be citizens of an independent Indonesia. Violence soon began, and soon former members of PETA, including Mangundiprojo, formed units to fight against the British forces.[2]

A ceasefire was called on 29 October, Chief of Staff Indonesian armed forces, Oerip Soemohardjo, and local military leader Moestopo, selected Mangundiprojo to work with the British to ensure the ceasefire was maintained. In 30 October, While touring the Surabaya city with British brigadier general Aubertin Walter Sothern Mallaby, the British officer attempted to secure the safe return of a group of Anglo-Indian soldiers whom had been surrounded by a crowd of independence supporters. However, the situation escalated when Mangundiprojo was captured by the Anglo-Indian soldiers, and in the confusion, Mallaby was killed by members of the crowd while the brigadier sheltered in his car. His death provoked a reprisal by the British, starting the battle of Battle of Surabaya.

Later, Mangundiprojo fought during the battle against the British. During the later Indonesian war of Independence, Mangundiprojo played a role in seizing a large sum of money that the Dutch colonial authorities were keeping in a bank.[4]

Post-Independence

After the war of Independence, Mangundiprojo joined the Indonesian civil service. He served as the Regent of Ponorogo from 1951 to 1955.[1]

Death

Mangundiprojo died in Bandar Lampung in 1988. In 2014, he was posthumously named as a National Hero of Indonesia.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hidayat, Rachmat, ed. (2014-11-07). "Profil HR Mohamad Mangoendiprodjo – Tribunnews.com". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  2. 1 2 Putra, Yudhistira Dwi. "HARI PAHLAWAN: Mangundiprojo, Darah Kepahlawanan dan Perjuangan di Surabaya". Okezone News (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  3. 1 2 "Presiden Jokowi Beri Gelar Pahlawan Nasional untuk 4 Orang". detiknews. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  4. Asril, Sabrina (2014-11-07). Permana, Fidel Ali (ed.). "Ini Profil Empat Tokoh yang Diberikan Gelar Pahlawan Nasional oleh Presiden Jokowi – Kompas.com". KOMPAS.com. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
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