By: Prabowo Subianto [taken from the Book: Military Leadership Notes from Experience Chapter I]
When the People of Surabaya received an ultimatum from the British forces, Bung Tomo responded with a thunderous shout: ‘Allahuakbar’ (Allah is great) and ‘Merdeka atau mati’ (free or perish).
Bung Tomo’s leadership quality can be perceived in his speech broadcast by RRI Surabaya in November 1945. Reportedly, this speech was broadcast continuously and endlessly until the Surabaya youth achieved victory against the Allied Forces. Perhaps without this speech and Bung Tomo’s skills as an orator, Indonesia would not be the independent nation it is today.
On November 10, 1945, and for the following ten days, the people of Surabaya fought a fierce battle in and around Surabaya, which is now popularly dubbed the City of Heroes.
When one reads about the historical accounts of those days, one cannot help but be overwhelmed with awe and pride.
At the beginning of the Republic’s founding, when Indonesia was still underequipped, the people, especially the young arek-arek Suroboyo, chose not to bow to the threats and ultimatums issued by the victors of World War II.
At that time, the British Army issued an ultimatum to the people of Surabaya. If, within 24 hours, the youths of Surabaya did not lay down their weapons and leave the city, the British Army would level it with the overwhelming force of their tanks, warships and aircraft.
We can imagine the weight of such a statement. This ultimatum was given by an army that had just won World War II. Yet, our forefathers, at a very young age, refused to be intimidated. They did not even budge. They rejected the arrogant ultimatum.
Instead, they shouted ‘Allahuakbar’ and ‘Merdeka atau Mati’. They chose to fight the British forces rather than to surrender and kneel before them.
Arek-arek Suroboyo, the youths of Surabaya, truly deserve our reverence and respect. Countries that ridiculed us as weak, backward and lazy witnessed how Indonesians were not cowed into submission through threats, intimidations, and foreign armed forces.
On November 10th and the days that followed, the British Army pounded Surabaya from every direction. As a result, tens of thousands of Indonesians lost their lives. One estimate put the losses at more than 40.000. But arek-arek Suroboyo, our fighters, refused to surrender, even though they suffered heavy casualties. Even though bodies littered the streets and ditches and rivers turned crimson with blood. In Surabaya, our fighters, our youth, supported by all the people of Surabaya, kept on fighting courageously amid the rain of bullets and barrage of heavy artillery.
In this battle, aside from Governor Suryo, whose story I have told before, and Hario Kecik, which I am about to tell, Bung Tomo became a central and influential figure who led from the battlefront.
Soetomo, or Bung Tomo as many affectionately called him, was born in Surabaya in 1920. In his youth, he was a freelance journalist with the Soeara Oemoem daily, Ekspres daily, Pembela Rakyat weekly, and Poestaka Timoer magazine.
In 1944, he was chosen as a New People’s Movement member and the Republic of Indonesia Youth administrator in Surabaya. Furthermore, in October 1945, Bung Tomo also led the Indonesian People’s Rebel Front (BPRI) in Surabaya. This was the origin of his involvement in the November 10th Battle. With his position, he could access the radio station that played a vital role in broadcasting his strongly-worded oration that fired up people’s spirit to fight for and defend Surabaya.
Bung Tomo’s leadership quality can be perceived in his speech broadcast by RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia) Surabaya in November 1945. Reportedly, this speech was even broadcast continuously, and it did not stop until the Surabaya youths accomplished the victory against the Allied Forces:
Bismillahirrohmanirrohim… Merdeka!!!
Brothers and sisters, commoners throughout Indonesia, especially people of Surabaya. We all know, today the British Armed Forces have distributed pamphlets with threats to us all.
Before the deadline they set, we are told to hand over the weapons we have seized from the Japanese Army. They have instructed us to come to them with our hands raised.
They have commanded us to approach them with a white flag; to show that we have surrendered to them.
Brothers and sisters, in past battles, we have shown that the Indonesians of Surabaya, youths of Maluku, youths of Sulawesi, youths of Bali, youths of Kalimantan, youths of Sumatra, Acehnese youths, Tapanuli youths, and the youths of Surabaya themselves, in their respective troops, with the people’s army formed in villages, they have built impenetrable defences. They have demonstrated strength capable of repelling enemies from everywhere.
Brothers and sisters, our enemies have employed cunning tactics. They invited our President and other leaders to Surabaya, expecting us to be submissive and abandon our fight. But in the meantime, they have built up their strength. And now that they are strong, this is what happened.
My brothers and sisters. All of us, Indonesians of Surabaya, will accept the British Army’s challenge. And if the leader of the British Forces in Surabaya wants to hear the answer of the Indonesian people, the answer of the youths of Surabaya, listen carefully.
This is our answer. This is the answer of the people of Surabaya. This is the answer of the Indonesian youths to you all!
Hey, British Forces! You instructed us to bring a white flag and surrender to you. You told us to form a single line and raise our hands before you. You told us to lay down the arms that we seized from the Japanese Army and hand them over to you.
You tell us you will pummel us with all your military might if your ultimatum is not met. Here is our answer:
As long as we Indonesian bulls still have red blood in us that we can use to craft a piece of red and white cloth, we will not surrender. We refuse to surrender to anyone. People of Surabaya, be prepared for this precarious situation! But I warn you once again: Do not fire the first bullet. Only when we are shot will we shoot them back. We will show them that we are truly free people.
And for us all, my brothers and sisters, we would be better off being destroyed than colonised. Our motto remains: Merdeka atau Mati! To be free or to perish!
And we have the faith that, ultimately, victory will be ours, for Allah is on our side. Trust me, my brothers and sisters. God will protect us all. Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Merdeka!!!