Revolution in the City of Heroes

In October of 1945, newly liberated from almost four years under brutal Japanese control, the people of Indonesia faced great uncertainty. As the British Army attempted to take control of the city of Surabaya, trying to maintain order and deal with the surrender of Japanese personnel, the actions of the British were interpreted by young residents of the city as a plan to restore colonial rule. In response, the youth took up arms and tried to repel the British force. Holding off British reinforcements for two weeks, they battled tanks and heavy artillery with nothing more than light weapons and sheer audacity. Though eventually defeated, Surabaya’s defenders had set the stage for Indonesia’s national revolution.

Revolution in the City of Heroes?is an evocative first-hand account of this popular uprising told by Suhario Padmodiwiryo, who at the time was a twenty-four-year-old Indonesian medical student when his studies were cut short by the arrival of the Japanese. He, in turn, became the deputy commander of the local forces fighting in Surabaya, and he remained in the newly formed Indonesian National Army, rising eventually to the rank of general. Revolution in the City of Heroes?vividly portrays the chaotic swirl of events in 1945, which inspired many young people to be ready to sacrifice their lives for a great cause.?
Providing a unique, personal take on this significant moment in Indonesian history, Revolution in the City of Heroes will be of interest to anyone curious about the aftermath of World War II and the development of modern Asia.
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Suhario Padmodiwiryo (1921–2015) was born in Surabaya, Indonesia. Frank Palmos is a journalist, historian, and translator. His previous translations include Bai Ninh’s The Sorrow of War.
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