13 Facts About Moestopo

Major General Moestopo was an Indonesian military officer, revolutionary and educator, and military figure in the Indonesian War of Independence.

At first becoming a practitioner, his work was interrupted in 1942 when the Japanese occupied Indonesia and Moestopo was arrested by the Kempeitai for looking suspicious.

When relations broke down and President Sukarno was called to Surabaya to mend them, Moestopo was offered a job as an adviser but declined.

Moestopo died in Bandung in 1986 and was posthumously declared a National Hero of Indonesia on 10 November 2007.

Moestopo was born in Ngadiluwih, Kediri, East Java, Dutch East Indies on 13 June 1913.

Moestopo was the sixth of eight children born to Raden Koesoemowinoto.

Soeryo proved amenable to the British declaration that they came in peace; he only refused to meet Mallaby on HMS Waveney after Moestopo rebuffed British requests that he come aboard to negotiate.

The British landed in Surabaya that afternoon, after which Moestopo met with Colonel Pugh; Pugh emphasized that the British were not intending to reinstate Dutch rule, and Moestopo agreed to meet with Mallaby the following morning.

At the meeting with Mallaby, Moestopo reluctantly agreed to disarm the Indonesian forces in the city.

In mid-1946 Moestopo was sent to Subang, where he led the Terate Troops.

Moestopo served as the political educator for military forces in Subang.

In 1952, Moestopo began training other dentists in his off time from his home, giving basic training in hygiene, nutrition, and anatomy.

Moestopo died on 29 September 1986 and was buried in Cikutra Cemetery, Bandung.