Ilustration. (Photo Source: ChatGPT. Com).
Bandung is a city in
Indonesia and the capital of West Java Province. In Indonesian history, Bandung
also bears the scars of a dark period during the colonial era until
independence. So, what exactly happened in Bandung?.
After independence in 1945, Indonesia did not
immediately escape struggle. This was evident when, shortly after proclaiming
independence, allied forces (British) arrived in the country. Before the events
in Bandung, allied forces had reportedly occupied the city since October 1945.
Youth leaders and the People's Security Army (TKR) in Bandung were shaken by
the allies' order to surrender all confiscated weapons and to immediately leave
the northern sector of Bandung by October 29, 1945, at the latest. However,
this order was ignored by the youth and the TKR, led by Aruji Kartawinata. On
the contrary, the “TKR” attacked the allied army headquarters. Then, the allied
army issued a second proclamation, changing the name ‘TKR’ to “TRI” Tentara
Republik Indonesia (Indonesian Republic Army), and ordered them a second time
to immediately leave the southern part of Bandung. In the end, thanks to the
TRI, whose headquarters were in Yogyakarta, the TRI left the city while
carrying out sabotage or attacks that were destructive and planned against the
allied army headquarters in Bandung. This battle caused fires, and this event
became known as Bandung Sea of Fire (Aman, 2015: 24).
However, long before the incident, according to
museumpendidikannasional. Upi. edu, it is said that prior to the TRI attack on
allied forces, the TRI in Bandung had prepared an unexpected plan. Residents
who wanted to leave their homes were instructed to burn them first. However,
the TRI forces had an even more devastating strategy: a total burn, carried out
on March 24, 1945. At midnight. However, the plan failed because the first
dynamite exploded prematurely at the Indische Restaurant building at 8:00 PM.
Despite this, the “TRI” forces continued with their plan by burning the homes
of residents in northern Bandung and blowing up buildings.
At the time of the Bandung fire, there was a young journalist, Atje Bastaman, who saw the city engulfed in flames from the hill he was climbing. According to him, Bandung looked red from Cicadas to Cimindi. The sight he witnessed was similar to that seen by A.H. Nasution, who was with Rukana, who was in the Ciparay area at the time. A.H. Nasution said on May 1, 1997, “So with the explosion, Rukana and I climbed up to the power station. And we saw clearly that from Cimahi to Ujungberung (Bandung City) everything was on fire” (Adistia. G. N, 2015: 11).
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