The Hotel Yamato incident was the tearing of the blue colour of the Dutch flag flying at Hotel Yamato (now Hotel Majapahit) on 19 September 1945, which was preceded by the failure of negotiations between Soedirman (Surabaya residency) and W. V. C. Ploegman [1] to lower the Dutch flag. [2]
After the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence and the issuance of the Sukarno government edict on 31 August 1945 which stipulated that from 1 September 1945 the national flag, Sang Merah Putih, would be flown throughout Indonesia, the flag-raising movement expanded to all corners of Surabaya.
In various strategic places and other places the Indonesian flag was raised. Among others, on the upper terrace of the Karesidenan Office Building (Syucokan office, the current Governor's building, Pahlawan Street) located in front of the Kempeitai building (now Heroes Monument), on top of the Internatio Building, followed by a line of youth from all over Surabaya carrying the Indonesian flag coming to Tambaksari (Gelora 10 November Stadium) arriving at a patriotic pro-Republic rally organised by Barisan Pemuda Surabaya.
During the rally, the Tambaksari field was full of waving red and white flags accompanied by chants of 'Merdeka' shouted by the masses. The Kempeitai, who had banned the meeting, was unable to stop and disperse the mass of Surabayan people.
The climax of the flag-raising movement in Surabaya then occurred in the flag-tearing incident at Yamato Hotel (now named Majapahit Hotel) on Tunjungan Street, no. 65, Surabaya in mid-September.
Initially the Japanese and Indo-Dutch who had come out of internment set up an organisation, the Social Contact Committee, which received full support from the Japanese. The formation of this committee was sponsored by the International Red Cross. However, under the cover of the Red Cross, they engaged in political activities. They tried to take over warehouses and some places they had occupied, such as the Yamato Hotel. On 18 September 1945, Allied and Dutch officers from AFNEI (Allied Forces Netherlands East Indies) arrived in Surabaya together with a Red Cross delegation from Jakarta. [3]
The Allied group was housed by the Japanese administration in Surabaya at the Yamato Hotel, Jl Tunjungan 65, while the Intercross group at the Setan Building, Jl Tunjungan 80 Surabaya, without the permission of the Surabaya Karesidenan Government. And since then Yamato Hotel was used as the headquarters of the Recovery of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees (RAPWI) operation. [4] [5]
A group of Dutch people under the leadership of W. V. C. Ploegman on the evening of 19 September 1945, at 21.00, raised the Dutch flag, without the consent of the Surabaya Regional Indonesian Government, on the top level of the Yamato Hotel, on the north side of it, to mark the birthday of Queen Wilhelmina. The next day, the 20th, many of the Surabayan Pemuda (Youth) saw the Dutch flag hoisted and became angry because they considered that the Dutch had insulted Indonesian sovereignty, wanted to restore power back in Indonesia, and harassed the Red and White flag-raising movement that was taking place in Surabaya. [6]
After the gathering of the masses, Soedirman, who was the Surabaya Regional Resident of the Indonesian Government who at that time served as Deputy Resident (Fuku Syuco Gunseikan) who was still recognised by the Dai Nippon Surabaya Syu government, came through the crowd and entered the Yamato hotel escorted by Sidik and Hariyono. As a representative of Indonesia, he conferred with Ploegman and his friends and requested that the Dutch flag be immediately lowered from the Yamato Hotel building. Ploegman refused to lower the Dutch flag and refused to recognise Indonesian sovereignty. The negotiations became heated, Ploegman pulled out a pistol, and a fight broke out in the negotiation room. Ploegman was strangled to death by Sidik, who was later killed by a Dutch soldier on guard who heard Ploegman's gun, while Sudirman and Hariyono fled outside Hotel Yamato. [5] [7] [8]
Outside the hotel, the youths who knew about the breakdown of the negotiations immediately broke into the Yamato Hotel and a fight broke out in the hotel lobby. Some of the youths scrambled up to the top of the hotel to take down the Dutch flag. Hariyono, who had been with Sudirman, returned to the hotel and became involved in climbing the flagpole and together with Kusno Wibowo managed to lower the Dutch flag, tear off the blue part, and hoist it to the top of the pole again. This was greeted by the crowd below the hotel with repeated chants of 'Merdeka'. [5]
After the incident at the Yamato Hotel, on 27 October 1945, the first battle between Indonesia and the AFNEI troops erupted. The small attacks turned into a generalised attack that claimed many casualties both in the Indonesian and British military as well as civilians on the Indonesian side. Eventually Major General D.C. Hawthorn (the commander of the 23rd British Indian Division) asked President Sukarno for help to defuse the situation and call a ceasefire. [6] The ceasefire failed and coupled with the death of Brigadier General Mallaby, resulted in the issuance of the 10 November ultimatum by the British, which sparked, in the history of the Indonesian National Revolution, a chain of events that led to the historic Republican resistance in the Battle of Surabaya. To commemorate it, the date of the event was designated as Heroes' Day.
Every year on September 19, the day of the incident, is marked as a working holiday in Surabaya and a city organized theatrical performance is held on that day on the grounds what is now today Hotel Majapahit, where a marker stands below the flagpole in remembrance of said event.
The Indonesian National Revolution, also known as 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 postcolonial Indonesia. It took place between Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945 and the Netherlands' transfer of sovereignty over the Dutch East Indies to the Republic of the United States of Indonesia at the end of 1949.
The national flag of Indonesia is a simple bicolor with two horizontal bands, red (top) and white (bottom) with an overall ratio of 2:3. It was introduced and hoisted in public during the proclamation of independence on 17 August 1945 at 56 Proklamasi Street in Jakarta, and again when the Dutch formally transferred sovereignty on 27 December 1949. The design of the flag has remained unchanged since.
Surabaya is the capital city of East Java province and the second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strait, it is one of the earliest port cities in Southeast Asia. According to the National Development Planning Agency, Surabaya is one of the four main central cities of Indonesia, alongside Jakarta, Medan, and Makassar. The city had a population of 2,874,314 within its city limits at the 2020 census. With 3,009,286 people living in the city as of mid 2023 and over 10 million in the extended Surabaya metropolitan area, according to the latest official estimate, Surabaya was the second-largest metropolitan area in Indonesia. Surabaya metropolitan is also ASEAN's 6th largest economy ahead of Hanoi. In 2023, the city's GRP PPP was estimated at US$150.294 billion.
East Java is a province of Indonesia located in the easternmost third 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 southern coasts, respectively, while the narrow Bali Strait to the east separates Java from Bali by around 2.29 kilometres (1.42 mi). Located in eastern Java, the province also includes the island of Madura, as well as the Kangean islands and other smaller island groups located further east and the Masalembu archipelago to the north. Its capital is Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, a major industrial center and also a major business center. Banyuwangi is the largest regency in East Java and the largest on the island of Java.
Wage Rudolf Soepratman was an Indonesian journalist and songwriter who wrote both the lyrics and melody of the national anthem of Indonesia, "Indonesia Raya". He is an Indonesian national hero.
The Sultanate of Mataram was the last major independent Javanese kingdom on the island of Java before it was colonised by the Dutch. It was the dominant political force radiating from the interior of Central Java from the late 16th century until the beginning of the 18th century.
Malang, historically known as Tumapel, is an inland city in the Indonesian province of East Java. It has a history dating back to the age of the Singhasari Kingdom. It is the second most populous city in the province, with a population of 820,043 at the 2010 Census and 843,810 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as of mid-2023 was 847,182. The Malang Metropolitan area was home to 3,663,691 inhabitants in 2010, spread across two cities and 22 districts. Malang is the third largest city by economy in East Java, after Surabaya and Kediri, with an estimated 2016 GDP at Rp. 44.30 trillion.
A regency, sometimes incorrectly referred to as a district, is an administrative division of Indonesia, directly under a province and on the same level with city (kota). Regencies are divided into districts. The average area of Indonesian regencies is about 4,578.29 km2 (1,767.69 sq mi), with an average population of 670,958 people.
The Battle of Surabaya was a major battle in the Indonesian National Revolution fought between regular infantry and militia of the Indonesian nationalist movement and British and British Indian troops against the re-imposition of Dutch colonial rule. The peak of the battle was in November 1945. The battle was the largest single battle of the revolution and became a national symbol of Indonesian resistance. Considered a heroic effort by Indonesians, the battle helped galvanise Indonesian and international support for Indonesian independence. 10 November is celebrated annually as Heroes' Day.
Sutomo, also known as Bung Tomo, was an Indonesian revolutionary and military leader best known for his role in the Indonesian National Revolution against Dutch colonial rule. He played a central role in Battle of Surabaya, which was fought between British and Indonesian forces from October to November 1945.
The Hotel Majapahit is a historic hotel in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, opened in 1911. The hotel is currently managed by Accor through its MGallery chain.
In Dutch historiography, Bersiap refers to the violent and chaotic beginning of the Indonesian National Revolution following the end of World War II in Asia. In Indonesia, the term Berdaulat ("Sovereign") is also used for this transitional period. It began after Sukarno's proclamation of Indonesian Independence on 17 August 1945 and culminated during the power vacuum between the withdrawal of Japanese occupational forces and the gradual buildup of a British military presence, before the official handover to a Dutch military presence in March 1946.
The Bendera Pusaka Sang Saka Merah Putih was the first Indonesian flag. Sewn by Sukarno's wife Fatmawati, it was raised for the first time when Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945. Although required by law to be housed in the National Monument, the flag is still kept at the Presidential Palace.
Bagindo Azizchan, was an Indonesian independence fighter and second Mayor of Padang after independence. Inaugurated on 15 August 1946, replacing Abubakar Jaar. He died at the age of 36 after being involved in a battle against Dutch forces. His body was buried at the Bahagia Heroes Cemetery, Bukittinggi. On 9 November 2005, Bagindo Azizchan was declared a National Hero of Indonesia.
The Semarang offensive is composite of the Battle of Ambarawa, Magelang offensive, Battle of Ungaran or Ungaran offensive, and Semarang offensive proper. This major battle took place between the recently created Indonesian Army and the British Army with the Dutch forces that occurred between 20 October 1945 and 2 March 1946 in Semarang city, Semarang Regency, and Magelang Regency in Central Java, Indonesia. Perhaps the most successful Indonesian offensive of the Indonesian Revolution, this offensive burned up all British and Dutch forces in the Semarang Metropolitan area, turning them into ashes. In modern times, 15 December is celebrated as the Indonesian National Infantry Day.
Tunjungan is an Central Bussiness District area of Surabaya, Indonesia. It is home to the Tunjungan Plaza shopping area.
Said Rasjad served as acting mayor of Padang, bupati of Agam, and regent of Padang Pariaman.
The People's Security Agency, commonly abbreviated as BKR, was an Indonesian government agency established to undertake the task of maintaining security together with the people and the state offices. The BKR was formed by the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) in its session on 22 August 1945 and announced by President Sukarno on the next day.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Surabaya, Indonesia.
Gedung Joang '45 is a historical museum in Jakarta, which tells the history of the Indonesian struggle for independence from Dutch colonial rule and the formation of the state of Indonesia.
 | This article needs additional or more specific categories .(May 2023) |