Sukarno

Sukarno
Onbekend/Anonymous · Public domain · source
Name	Sukarno
Caption	Sukarno, first President of Indonesia, c. 1960.
Office	1st President of Indonesia
Term start	18 August 1945
Term end	12 March 1967
Predecessor	Office established
Successor	Suharto
Birth name	Koesno Sosrodihardjo
Birth date	6 June 1901
Birth place	Surabaya, Dutch East Indies
Death date	21 June 1970
Death place	Jakarta, Indonesia
Party	Indonesian National Party (PNI)
Spouse	(multiple, including Fatmawati)
Children	(including Megawati Sukarnoputri)
Alma mater	Bandung Institute of Technology
Profession	Civil engineer, Politician

Sukarno. Sukarno was the founding father and first President of Indonesia, serving from the nation's declaration of independence in 1945 until 1967. His political career was fundamentally shaped by the struggle against Dutch colonial rule, and he became the paramount symbol of Indonesian nationalism. His leadership navigated the complex transition from a colony to a sovereign state, directly confronting the legacy of Dutch colonization in Southeast Asia through his ideology and policies.

Early Life and Education under Dutch Rule

Sukarno was born Koesno Sosrodihardjo in Surabaya in 1901, during the height of the Dutch colonial era. His father was a Javanese schoolteacher and his mother was of Balinese descent, giving him an early connection to the archipelago's diverse cultures. He was educated in the colonial school system, first at a Europeesche Lagere School for native elites in Mojokerto and later at the Hogere Burgerschool in Surabaya. It was in Surabaya that he boarded with the prominent nationalist figure Tjokroaminoto, leader of the Sarekat Islam, who became his political mentor. Sukarno later studied civil engineering at the Technische Hoogeschool te Bandoeng, graduating in 1926. This education under the Dutch system exposed him to Western political thought, including nationalism, Marxism, and Islam, which he would later synthesize into his own political philosophy.

Rise of Nationalism and Anti-Colonial Activism

In Bandung, Sukarno immersed himself in the burgeoning independence movement. In 1927, he co-founded the Indonesian National Party (PNI), which rejected cooperation with the Dutch and demanded full independence. He became renowned as a charismatic orator, articulating a vision of a unified Indonesia, or Indonesia Raya, encompassing the entire former Dutch territory. His ideology, later termed Marhaenism, emphasized the struggle of the common people against imperialism and capitalism. The colonial authorities viewed him as a major threat. In 1929, he was arrested by the Dutch colonial army and tried in Bandung; his defiant courtroom speech, "Indonesia Menggugat" (Indonesia Accuses), became a foundational nationalist text. He was imprisoned in Sukamiskin prison and later exiled, first to Ende on Flores and then to Bengkulu on Sumatra, where he remained until the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies in 1942.

Japanese Occupation and Path to Independence

The Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies in 1942 shattered Dutch colonial authority. The Japanese, seeking support for their war effort, released Sukarno and other nationalist leaders. He chose a policy of strategic cooperation with the occupation forces, heading organizations like the Putera and the Java Hokokai to mobilize the population. This controversial collaboration provided him with a platform to promote nationalism and prepare institutions for self-rule. In 1945, as Japan faced defeat, Sukarno was appointed to the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence. On 17 August 1945, shortly after the Japanese surrender, Sukarno, with Mohammad Hatta, proclaimed the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence. He was swiftly elected president of the new republic, immediately facing the challenge of the Dutch attempt to re-establish control through military force in the ensuing Indonesian National Revolution.

Presidency and Post-Colonial Nation Building

As president during the revolution (1945–1949), Sukarno was the symbolic leader of the republican cause, while military strategy was largely directed by others like Sudirman. The struggle culminated in the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference and the formal transfer of sovereignty in December 1949. In the early 1950s, he presided over a liberal democracy period, but grew frustrated with political instability and the lingering economic influence of the former colonizers. His vision for the post-colonial state was crystallized at the Bandung Conference of 1955, where he emerged as a leading figure of the Non-Aligned Movement, opposing both Western and communist blocs. He championed the recovery of West New Guinea (Irian Barat), which remained under Dutch administration, making its return a central national mission.

● Guided Democracy and

a key]