Supriyadi
Encyclopedia
Supriyadi , older spelling Soeprijadi (April 13, 1923 - 1945?), was an Indonesia
n national hero who rebelled against the occupying Japanese
in 1945.
, Dutch East Indies
, on April 13, 1923. He attended junior high school, then a school to prepare him for government bureaucracy in Magelang
. However, the Japanese invaded Indonesia
before he graduated. He then switched to high school and underwent youth training (Seimendoyo) in Tangerang
, West Java
.
(Defenders of the Fatherland) to assist Japanese forces against the Allies. Supriyadi joined PETA, and after training was posted to Blitar
, East Java
. He was tasked with overseeing the work of the Romusha
forced laborers. The plight of these workers inspired him to rebel against the Japanese.
visited his parents in Blitar, PETA officers told him that they had begun to plan a rebellion and asked for Sukarno's opinion. He told them to consider the consequences, but Supriyadi, leader of the rebels, was convinced the uprising would succeed.
In the early hours of 14 February 1945, rebels attacked Japanese troops, causing heavy casualties. However, the Japanese defeated the rebellion and put the ringleaders on trial. Six (or eight) people were sentenced to death and the rest were given jail sentences ranging from three years to life. However, Supriyadi was not executed, and may have been killed without trial to avoid public anger.
He was officially declared a National Hero on 9 August 1975 in Presidential Decision No. 063/TK/1975.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n national hero who rebelled against the occupying Japanese
Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
The Japanese Empire occupied Indonesia, known then as the Dutch East Indies, during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of War in 1945...
in 1945.
Early life
Supriyadi was born in East JavaEast Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
, Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, on April 13, 1923. He attended junior high school, then a school to prepare him for government bureaucracy in Magelang
Magelang
Magelang is one of the largest cities of the 1,130 km² Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. It is also the largest town in the Kedu Plain between Mount Merbabu and Mount Sumbing in Central Java, Indonesia...
. However, the Japanese invaded Indonesia
Dutch East Indies campaign
The Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–1942 was the conquest of the Dutch East Indies by forces from the Empire of Japan in the early days of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Forces from the Allies attempted unsuccessfully to defend the islands. Indonesia was targeted by the Japanese for its...
before he graduated. He then switched to high school and underwent youth training (Seimendoyo) in Tangerang
Tangerang
Tangerang is a city in the Province of Banten, Indonesia. It is located about 25 km west of Jakarta. It is the third largest urban center in the Jabotabek region after Jakarta and Bekasi. It has an area of 164.54 km² and an official intercensal estimated population of 1,537,244 for 2005...
, West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
.
Involvement with PETA
In October 1943, the Japanese established a militia, PETAPETA (Indonesia)
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 oppose a possible invasion by the Allies...
(Defenders of the Fatherland) to assist Japanese forces against the Allies. Supriyadi joined PETA, and after training was posted to Blitar
Blitar
Blitar is a city which is the capital of a regency with the same name in East Java, Indonesia, about 73 kilometers from Malang and 167 kilometers from Surabaya. The area lies within longitude 111° 40' - 112° 09' East and its latitude is 8° 06' South...
, East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
. He was tasked with overseeing the work of the Romusha
Romusha
were forced laborers during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia in World War II. The U.S. Library of Congress estimates that in Java, between four and 10 million romusha were forced to work by the Japanese military. About 270,000 of these Javanese laborers were sent to other Japanese-held areas...
forced laborers. The plight of these workers inspired him to rebel against the Japanese.
The Blitar rebellion
When nationalist leader SukarnoSukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
visited his parents in Blitar, PETA officers told him that they had begun to plan a rebellion and asked for Sukarno's opinion. He told them to consider the consequences, but Supriyadi, leader of the rebels, was convinced the uprising would succeed.
In the early hours of 14 February 1945, rebels attacked Japanese troops, causing heavy casualties. However, the Japanese defeated the rebellion and put the ringleaders on trial. Six (or eight) people were sentenced to death and the rest were given jail sentences ranging from three years to life. However, Supriyadi was not executed, and may have been killed without trial to avoid public anger.
Disappearance
On 6 October 1945 in a government decree issued by the newly independent Indonesia, Supriyadi was named minister for public security in the first cabinet. However he failed to appear, and was replaced on 20 October by ad interim minister Muhammad Soeljoadikusuma. To this day his fate remains unknown.He was officially declared a National Hero on 9 August 1975 in Presidential Decision No. 063/TK/1975.