The National Heroes Day

At the end of World War II many Indonesians believed that independence was imminent.
Few realised that it would be another five years of fighting before the country became a fully
independent republic. The area around the east Javanese town of Surabaya became the scene of
some of the heaviest fighting, and the Battle of Surabaya, which cost the lives of many thousands
of Indonesians, became a symbol of resistance to the re-imposition of Dutch colonial rule.

The future President Sukarno declared independence on 17 August 1945, and on 19

September, Dutch internees, with Japanese support, occupied the Oranje Hotel in Surabaya, and
hoisted the Dutch flag. While this was taking place, young Indonesians were busily replacing
Japanese flags in all the offices with Indonesian ones.

When they heard what the Dutch had done, the Indonesians rushed to the hotel, and hand
to hand fighting began with the Dutch, who were determined to defend their flag. Very soon
shots were heard, and several people fell - both Dutch and Indonesian - as several Indonesian
youths climed the flagpole and ripped the blue stripe off the Dutch flag.

By the beginning of October, fierce fighting had broken out between the Indonesians and
the Japanese, who refused to hand over their arms. The Indonesians managed to take possession
of numerous buildings throughout Surabaya, and commandeered hundreds of cars and trucks to
facilitate their movement throughout the town.

Then, on 25 October, some 6,000 British troops of the 49th Brigade of the 23rd Division
under the command of Brigadier Mallaby, entered Surabaya. They had been ordered to organise
the recovery of Allied prisoners-of-war, and the Indonesians were happy to co-operate. However,
the British also sought to recapture Surabaya for the Dutch, and occupied key buildings and
railway stations, and dropped leaflets over the town informing the populace that anyone seen
bearing arms would be shot.

The British had underestimated the extent of Indonesian resistance, and indeed the
numbers involved. They found themselves up against a force of 20,000 troops of the newly-
formed People's Security Army (TentaraKeamanan Rakyat), and over 100,000 irregular fighters,
all dedicated to the cause of Indonesian independence. Fierce fighting broke out on 28 October,
and soon the Indonesians had surrounded the eight British command posts scattered throughout
the city.

Faced with certain defeat, the British asked Jakarta to intervene, and the following day
General Hawthorne, President Sukarno, and VP Hatta flew in to negotiate a truce. A truce was
reached on 30 October, and the party from Jakarta left. An evacuation of the British to the
harbour was arranged, but in the excitement and confusion, fighting erupted during which
Brigadier Mallaby was killed.

The British then decided to take Surabaya by force, and secretly landed 24,000 troops of
the 5th Division, along with 24 Sherman tanks and the same number of armed aircraft, backed by
a number of warships.

On 9 November, the British gave the Indonesians an ultimatum, ordering their leaders to
surrender. When they refused, bombs were dropped on Surabaya on 10 November, heralding a
battle that was to last three weeks, at the end of which 200,000 of the town's population had fled,
mainly old people, women and children. Over 16,000 Indonesian troops had been killed, and
2,000 British lives lost.

Although the Indonesian resistance had been defeated, the Battle of Surabaya represented
an important strategic victory for the Indonesians. It was also an important turning point for the
Dutch, who until then had believed that the resistance had no popular support. The Battle of
Surabaya shocked them into realising that they were no longer a colonial power.

Point-point

1. Surabaya menjadi simbol dari penolakan pendudukan Belanda di Indonesia (Surabaya

became a symbol of the refusal of Dutch occupation in Indonesia).
2. Belanda kembali menyerang atau yang sering disebut Agresi Belanda 2 dan Belanda
menguasai Hotel Oranje dan mengibarkankan bendera disana (The Dutch again attacked
or often called Dutch Aggression 2 and the Netherlands controlled the Oranje Hotel and
raised the flag there).
 3. Terjadi pertengkaran antara pemuda indonesia dan Belanda, dan pada akhirnya para
pemuda indonesia berhasil merobek bendera biru Belanda dan menjadikan nya hanya
bendera merah putih (there was a fight between Indonesian and Dutch youth, and in the
end the Indonesian youth managed to tear the Dutch blue flag and make it only a red and
white flag).
4. Orang Indonesia berhasil mengambil alih/menguasai gedung-gedung di Surabaya
(Indonesians have succeeded in taking over / controlling buildings in Surabaya).
5. Dibawah pimpinan Brigadir Mallaby, Inggris berhasil memasuki Surabaya untuk merebut
kembali surabayadengan menduduki bangunan utama dan stasiun (Under the leadership
of Brigadier Mallaby, Britain successfully entered Surabay to reclaim Surabaya by
occupying the main building and station).
6. Orang Indonesia mengepung markas Inggris yang tersebar di seluruh kota (. Indonesians
surround British headquarters scattered throughout the city)
7. Jendral Mallaby tewas (General Mallaby was killed).
8. Karena tidak terima jika pimpinan mereka di bunuh, Inggris memutuskan mengambil
Surabaya secara Paksa (Because they did not accept their leader being killed, the British
decided to take Surabaya forcefully)
9. Inggris memerintahkan orang Indonesia untuk menyerah dan penduduk Indonesia
menolak dan terjadi peperangan yang mengakibatkan ribuan nyawa menghilang (The
British ordered the Indonesians to surrender and the Indonesian population refused and
there were wars which resulted in thousands of lives disappearing)

Surabaya became a symbol of the refusal of Dutch occupation in Indonesia. But it did not stop
there, the Dutch attacked again or often called Dutch Aggression 2 and the Dutch managed to
control the Oranje Hotel and raised the Dutch flag there. Indonesian youths do not accept if the
Dutch fly the flag in Indonesia. there was a war between Indonesian and Dutch youth. The
Indonesian youth managed to tear the Dutch Blue Flag, which remained only the red and white
flag. later, Indonesia succeeded in taking over and controlling the buildings in Surabaya.
The Indonesian People's Struggle did not end there, the British Forces with the leadership of
Brigadier Mallaby entered Indonesia and had the aim of recapturing Indonesia by occupying the
Main Buildings and Stations. The Indonesian youths were not silent when they heard that, they
immediately moved by surrounding the British headquarters that were scattered in the city area.
and there was a war between Indonesian youth and British forces which resulted in the killing of
Brigadier Mallaby. England did not accept the killing of Brigadier Mallaby and they decided to
take Surabaya by force. The British ordered Indonesian youth to surrender, but they did not want
to surrender and in the end there was a war which resulted in thousands of lives disappearing.
Surabaya menjadi simbol dari penolakan pendudukan Belanda di Indonesia. Tetapi tidak berhenti
sampai disitu saja, Belanda kembali menyerang atau yang sering disebut Agresi Belanda 2 dan
Belanda berhasil menguasai Hotel Oranje dan mengibarkan bendera Belanda disana. Pemuda
Indonesia tidak terima jika Belanda mengibarkan bendera di Indonesia. terjadilah peperangan
antara pemuda Indonesia dan Belanda. Pemuda Indonesia berhasil merobek Bendera Biru
Belanda yang tersisa hanya bendera merah putih saja. kemudian, Indonesia berhasil mengambil
alih dan menguasai gedung-gedung di Surabaya.
Perjuangan Rakyat Indonesia tidak sampai disitu saja, Pasukan Inggris dengan pimpinan Brigadir
Mallaby memasuki Indonesia dan memiliki tujuan merebut kembali Indonesia dengan
menduduki Bangunan Utama dan Stasiun. Para Pemuda Indonesia tidak diamsaja mendengar hal
itu, mereka langsung bergerak dengan mengepung markas Inggris yang tersebar di wilayah kota.
dan terjadilah peperangan antara pemuda indonesia dan pasukan inggris yang mengakibatkan
terbunuhnya Brigadir Mallaby. Inggris tidak terima atas terbunuhnya Brigadir Mallaby dan
mereka memutuskan untuk mengambil surabaya secara paksa. Inggris memerintahkan pemuda
Indonesia untuk menyerah, tetapi mereka tidak mau menyerah dan pada akhirnya terjadilah
peperangan yang mengakibatkan ribuan nyawa menghilang.