History Of National Defense Day, Commemorating People's Struggle Against The Netherlands

YOGYAKARTA - State Defense Day is celebrated every December 19 as an important national day. This has been regulated in the Decree of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Number 28 of 2006. However, not many people know the history of State Defense Day.

In 2023, the commemoration of National Defense Day falls on Tuesday. This year's National Defense Day is the 75th anniversary. The determination of this national important day is related to historical events to commemorate the services of the heroes who died in fighting for the independence of the Republic of Indonesia.

National Defense Day is a historic day for the Indonesian people in commemoration of the Declaration of the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI), reported from the official website of the Ministry of Defense. The important declaration was made on December 19, 1948 in West Sumatra.

The incident refers to the Dutch military aggression Volume II in 1984. At that time the Dutch still did not recognize Indonesia's independence which was proclaimed by Soekarno-Hatta on August 17, 1945.

Although allied forces have succeeded in defeating Japan, which at that time occupied Indonesia, the Netherlands still acknowledged Indonesia's independence. At the second volume of military aggression, the Netherlands received assistance from the UK and its allies to take over and control the territory of Indonesia again.

At that time, the city of Yogyakarta became the capital of the state and the center of Indonesian government which was successfully taken over by the Dutch and their allies on December 19, 1948. At that time the Dutch also succeeded in kidnapping President Soekarno and his deputy Moh. Hatta, as well as arresting a number of ministers who were currently in office.

In the first decision, Soekarno and Hatta remained in Yogyakarta despite the risk of being arrested by the Dutch. The second decision, Soekarno gave a mandate to the Minister of Prosperity Syafruddin Prawiranegara to be able to form an Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI) in Sumatra.

After Soekarno and Moh.Hatta were arrested by the Dutch, Sjarifuddin immediately rushed to gather the remaining national figures and cabinet ranks to establish PDRI in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra.

After this historic event, all people from various regions rose to fight against the Dutch and their allies. The war that broke out in various cities also claimed many lives.

The people of the country who died in the battle to defend Indonesia's independence were later known and remembered as the nation's kusuma heroes.

The commemoration of defending the country is a determination, attitude, behavior and actions of citizens, both carried out by individuals and collectives. This warning is an effort to maintain state sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the safety of the nation and state whose love for the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and the 1945 Constitution from threats.

Efforts to defend the country are an obligation for every community with awareness, responsibility, and willingness to sacrifice in service to the nation and state according to the mandate of the 1945 Constitution. The following are a number of basic values of the implementation of defending the country as contained in the regulation:

National Defense Day in 2023 has the theme "Disband State Defense for Advanced Indonesia". With this theme, it is hoped that all levels of the homeland community can participate in commemorating National Defense Day on December 19, 2023.

There are various activities that the community can do in commemorating National Defense Day. One of the simple efforts is to campaign for 2023 State Defense Day on social media, by installing a national defense twibbon or with a caption saying State Defense Day.

Such is the review of the history of National Defense Day which the Indonesian people need to understand. Also read the cultural artifacts articles that the Dutch returned to Indonesia.

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