[4] The conflict began on September 18, 1948, in Madiun, East Java, and ended three months later when most FDR leaders and members were detained and executed by TNI forces.
The latter group grew as Sjarifudin put a strong emphasis on its alignment with the Soviet Union and class struggle.
"[11] Hatta's program of government was based on two priorities: the implementation of the Renville Agreement and the rationalization of the Indonesian army.
At a mass meeting at Surakarta on February 26, the Sajap Kiri underwent reorganization and emerged as the Front Demokrasi Rakjat (FDR; People's Democratic Front); led by Amir Sjarifuddin, it comprised the Partai Sosialis, PKI, PBI, Pesindo, and the trade union federation SOBSI.
[11] Some weeks after the meeting, the FDR program was radically changed to include (1) opposition to the Renville Agreement, (2) discontinuation of negotiations with the Dutch, and (3) nationalization of all foreign enterprises.
In his capacity of Minister of Defense from July 3, 1947, to January 28, 1948, Sjarifuddin had "managed to build up a strong personal opposition within the army.
[18] It was obvious that during his premiership, Sjarifuddin had managed to build strong national and local military organizations, which were prepared to confront the Dutch.
To anticipate the critical problems (economic, military, and political) emerging from that situation, Hatta and his cabinet immediately decided to embark upon a rationalization program.
Among the military units that began to oppose the Hatta government was Division IV, better known as Divisi Senopati, which was stationed in Solo and placed under the command of Colonel Sutarto.
They transformed Division IV into a "battle-ready military unit" which gained support from the majority of Solo's population and FDR followers.
[32] The strike came to an end on 18 July 1948, when the government was willing to accept the workers' demand for two-meter-long textiles and rice to be given every month in addition to their salary.
Suripno was a young communist who became the representative of the Republic of Indonesia at the Congress of the World Federation of Democratic Youth in Prague in 1947.
[37] When asked to give an official report to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Haji Agus Salim, Suripno praised the Soviets for their political stance, which had always acknowledged Indonesia as a sovereign state.
On September 17, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that communist expansion in Indonesia was the main obstacle to the Western powers acquiring resources.
The US, however, decided to "include Hatta and his association in one international anti-communist front to be established in East and Southeast Asia" to challenge the Soviets.
Members of this new political bureau were the FDR leaders (Maruto Darusman, Tan Ling Djie, Harjono, Setiadjit, Djoko Sujono, Aidit, Wikana, Suripno, Amir Sjarifuddin, and Alimin), with Musso serving as the chairman.
[45] Six days later, on September 7, almost all officers and several lower-ranking soldiers of Commander Yadau's Tentara Laut Republik Indonesia (TLRI, Republican Navy) were kidnapped and brought to a base of Siliwangi Division, a pro-government military unit.
[45] Solo, the second city of the Republic after Jogjakarta, became the scene of a complex conflict between the government and leftist groups during the first two weeks of September.
At 3 am on September 18, 1948, FDR began to seize the local government officers, telephone exchange, and army headquarters, with Sumarsono and Djoko Sujono as the leaders of the operation.
In his speech, he asked people to help Sukarno and Hatta, and TP gave them a full mandate to crush the communist movement.
"[52] He was followed by Sumarsono, the original leader of the revolt, who made a similar public announcement that the Madiun event was not a coup but an attempt to correct the political aims of Hatta's government.
On September 30, the government sent Lieutenant Colonel Sadikin, of the Siliwangi Division brigade, to mobilize his troops and to control Madiun.
[2] Three days later, on December 7, 1948, "TNI headquarters announced the final extermination of the rebellion and stated that approximately 35,000 people, mostly troops, had been arrested.
The report describes the event as the culmination of a broader anti-imperialist conflict rather than a planned coup by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
It asserts that the Madiun incident was provoked by the policies of the Sukarno-Hatta government, which sought to dismantle leftist opposition, leading to clashes between two official armed forces.
According to the report, on September 18, 1948, a regional head of government was temporarily appointed in Madiun with the approval of military and civil authorities.
Armed resistance ensued following President Sukarno’s September 19, 1948, speech, which called for general mobilization, property seizures, and extrajudicial killings.
It further notes that PKI leaders, including Musso and Amir Sjarifuddin, were engaged in preparations for a party congress and broader political initiatives rather than military actions.
Additionally, key PKI structures, including the party headquarters and affiliated labor organizations, continued their activities in Yogyakarta until 19 September 1948, further indicating that no coordinated rebellion had been planned.
The report also noted the consequences of the Sukarno-Hatta government's suppression of leftist movements, stating that it led to the fragmentation of an anti-imperialist national coalition, the deaths of approximately 36,000 revolutionaries, and ultimately, the Dutch launching their second military offensive in Indonesia.