Suharto’s reign began and ended with chaos

he softly spoken general seemed to be a calm centre in the chaos that enveloped Indonesia in 1965. His name was Suharto, and to many he was the only thing standing between order and total anarchy. On October 1, 1965, a group of soldiers calling themselves the September 30 Movement (also known as G30) attempted to take power, kidnapping and killing seven generals. Taking over Merdeka Square, as well as a radio station and an air base in Jakarta, the soldiers claimed they were acting to prevent a coup against

Indonesia’s President

Sukarno by right wing officers.

On October 2,

Suharto took command of the military and defeated the conspirators. But, although the rebel soldiers had been prevented from taking power, in the wake of the collapse of the coup events took a bloody turn. Rumours spread that it had been initiated by the Partai Komunis Indonesia (Indonesian Communist Party or PKI) and people began to take the law into their own hands to punish the perpetrators. Anyone suspected of having involvement with the PKI was hunted down; thousands were killed.

The country was sliding toward a total breakdown.

To restore order, people looked to the quiet strongman, Suharto, who had thwarted the coup. But they did not know that Suharto was already quietly going about the business of establishing himself in power.

Sukarno was placed under house arrest, for his connections to the PKI. The army rounded up alleged communist conspirators and order was finally restored. Suharto emerged as a popular new leader. While he was seen as the saviour of the country, he has long been suspected of having orchestrated the communist scare to gain power.