Gatot Soebroto

Gatot Soebroto was an Indonesian general who began his military career with the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL) and rose to be deputy Army chief-of-staff. He was also a National Hero of Indonesia for his role in the Indonesian National Revolution and the establishment of the Indonesian Military Academy (AKABRI). He was born in Purwokerto, a city in Central Java, to a Minangkabau family with royal ancestry. His father was a businessman and a leader of Muhammadiyah, an Islamic organization. His mother was a devout Muslim woman who taught him about Islam and nationalism. He attended a European elementary school, but was expelled for fighting with the Dutch children. He then moved to a Dutch-Indonesian school for natives. He did not continue his education after graduating from this elementary school, but instead found a job. However, he was dissatisfied, and decided on a military career. In 1923, he enrolled in a military school in Magelang. After graduating, he joined the KNIL and rose to the rank of sergeant. In 1942, the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies, and he joined the Defenders of the Homeland (PETA), an army set up by the Japanese in case of invasion by the allies. He received training in Bogor, and was appointed commander of a company in Banyumas, then a battalion commander. He was one of the group of ex-KNIL NCOs, which included future president Soeharto and future army chief-of-staff Ahmad Yani, who joined the People's Security Agency (BKR), the forerunner of the Indonesian Army, as soon as it was set up after the Indonesian Declaration of Independence on 17 August 1945. He was involved in the suppression of the 1948 Madiun Revolt, a communist uprising against the republican government. He also became the commander of the Military Police and the Military Governor of the Surakarta - Semarang - Pati - Madiun region. In 1949, he became the commander of the Central Java Division, which was merged from two previous divisions. He led the division in the defense of Yogyakarta, the capital of the republic, against the Dutch attack. He also participated in the negotiations for the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch to the Indonesians. After the recognition of Indonesia's independence, he continued his military service and held various positions, such as the commander of the Diponegoro Military Area, the deputy Army chief-of-staff, and the chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross. He was also involved in the establishment of the AKABRI, the joint military academy for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He was known for his loyalty, bravery, and professionalism. He was respected and admired by many people, both in Indonesia and abroad, for his dignity and grace. He died in 1962 in Jakarta, due to heart failure. He was buried in Ungaran, Semarang Regency, Central Java, next to his wife, Siti Chadijah. He was honored as a National Hero of Indonesia in 1975 by President Soeharto. His legacy lives on in his children and grandchildren, who have followed his footsteps in politics and public service.