View source for Siege of Surakarta

{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = 4-Day Siege of Surakarta<br>{{lang|id|Serangan Umum 4 Hari}}
| partof            = the [[Indonesian National Revolution]], [[Yogyakarta and Surakarta Offensive]]
| image             = Monumen_Serangan_Umum_4_Hari_Surakarta.jpg
| image_size        = 300px
| caption           = Monument in Surakarta commemorating the siege
| date              = 7–10 August 1949
| place             = [[Surakarta]],  [[Indonesia]]
| result            = Further strengthening Indonesian bargaining position before the [[Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference|Round Table Conference]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Serangan Umum Surakarta: Perang 4 Hari 4 Malam Akibat Agresi Militer Belanda |url=https://regional.kompas.com/read/2023/01/26/223917378/serangan-umum-surakarta-perang-4-hari-4-malam-akibat-agresi-militer-belanda?page=all |newspaper=[[Kompas]] |date=26 January 2023 |trans-title=Surakarta General Attack, 4 Days 4 Nights War Due to Dutch Military Aggression II |access-date=29 November 2024 |first1=Puspasari |last1=Setyaningrum |quotation=Serangan yang dilakukan Tentara Pelajar ini pun berhasil memperkuat posisi tawar politik di Indonesia di Konferensi Meja Bundar (KMB), Den Haag yang menegakkan kedaulatan Republik Indonesia. [The attack carried out by the Student Army also succeeded in strengthening Indonesia's political bargaining position at the Round Table Conference (RTC), The Hague, which upheld the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.] }}</ref> 
|territory          = [[Surakarta]] is ceded to Indonesia after 12 November agreement signed
| combatant1        = {{flag|Indonesia}}
| combatant2        = {{flag|Netherlands}}
| commander1        = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Pakubuwono XII]]}}<br>{{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Mangkunegara VIII]]<br>{{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Colonel|Col.]] [[Gatot Subroto]]<br>{{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Lieutenant colonel|Lt. Col.]] [[Slamet Riyadi]]<br>{{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Major (rank)|Maj.]] [[Achmadi Hadisoemarto]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Major general|Maj. Gen.]] Mollinger<br>{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Major general|Maj. Gen.]] Van Ohl{{KIA}}
| units1            = [[Indonesian National Armed Forces]] (TNI)
| units2            = [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army]] (KNIL)<br>{{blist|[[Korps Speciale Troepen]] (KST)}}
| strength1         = 14,000–28,000
| strength2         = 3,000–4,000
| casualties1       = 400 killed or more<br>unknown number of non-combatants
| casualties2       = 32 soldiers killed<br>53 policemen<br>47 wounded
| casualties3       = 
| notes             = 
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Indonesian National Revolution}}
}}

The '''siege of Surakarta''' was a military campaign during the [[Indonesian National Revolution]]. The Indonesian Republican forces ([[Military of Indonesia|TNI]]) briefly infiltrated the city of [[Surakarta]] (also known as Solo) before being repulsed by Dutch special forces [[Korps Speciale Troepen|(RST)]]. Despite the defeat, the battle, together with [[General Offensive of 1 March 1949|an earlier attack on Yogyakarta]], provided a morale boost for the Indonesians.

==Background==
From 1945 to 1948, the Dutch re-occupied various regions in [[Java]], the territory of the Republic of Indonesia to [[Yogyakarta]], [[Surakarta]], and surrounding areas. In December 1948, the Dutch attacked and occupied the cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta and declared that the Republic was destroyed and "no longer existed".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/67(1949) |title=United Nations Official Document |publisher=Un.org |date= |accessdate=2018-03-19}}</ref> In response the Indonesian army led by General [[Soedirman]] started a guerrilla war from surrounding areas and conducted large-scale [[Yogyakarta and Surakarta Offensive|raids into the cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta]], called ''Serangan Oemoem''. The Indonesian troops managed to beat the Dutch troops and occupy both cities for several hours.

The leader of the raid on Yogyakarta was Lt. Col. [[Suharto]]. Suharto fled the area in a hurry after heavy fighting. [[United Nations]] observers stated that the uprising of the TNI in [[Yogyakarta]] had failed and the Dutch were in control again.<ref>{{cite web |title=Soeharto: dapper onafhankelijkheidsstrijder? {{!}} NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl |url=http://www.nu.nl/column/1411733/soeharto-dapper-onafhankelijkheidsstrijder.html |website=www.nu.nl |accessdate=18 August 2018|language=nl}}</ref>

The leader of a similar raid on Surakarta on 7 August 1949 was Lt. Col. [[Slamet Rijadi]], who was consolidating with [[Pakubuwono XII]].

==Surakarta insurgency==
The [[Military of Indonesia|TNI]] attempted to capture [[Surakarta]] in Central [[Java]] before the armistice, and succeeded in many places to infiltrate the city. 325 men of the [[Korps Speciale Troepen|Regiment Speciale Troepen (RST)]] were hastily flown in to expel the TNI from Surakarta. In a few days time the insurgency was carried out. Approximately 400 from the Indonesian side were killed, while the Dutch side lost approximately 100 killed.

==Aftermath==
This last battle of the RST showed again the qualitative superiority of the KST/RST over the Indonesian nationalist fighters.
The leader of the raid on Surakarta on 7 August 1949 was Lt. Col. Slamet Rijadi. To commemorate this event, the main street of the city of Surakarta was renamed "Brigadier General Slamet Rijadi Street".

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{coord missing|Indonesia}}

{{Indonesian National Revolution}}

[[Category:Indonesian National Revolution]]
[[Category:Battles of the Indonesian National Revolution]]
[[Category:1948 in Indonesia]]
[[Category:1949 in Indonesia]]
[[Category:August 1949 events in Asia]]