History of Bandung Sea of Fire Events (Bandung Lautan Api)
History of Bandung Sea of Fire Events (Bandung Lautan Api)
History of the Bandung Sea of Fire - In March 24, 1946, within seven hours, about 200,000 residents made history by burning their homes and property, leaving the city of Bandung for the mountains in the south. Several years later, the song "Halo-Halo Bandung" was written to symbolize their emotions, along with the promise of returning to their beloved city, which had become a sea of fire.
Flag Ripping Incident
After the Proclamation of Indonesia Independence on August 17, 1945, Indonesia was not yet fully independent. Independence must be achieved little by little through the struggle of the people who are willing to sacrifice everything. After the Japanese lost, British soldiers came to disarm the Japanese army. They conspired with the Dutch (NICA soldiers) and used Japan to re-colonize Indonesia.
News of the reading of the text of the Proclamation of Independence from Jakarta was received in Bandung through the DOMEI News Agency on Friday morning, August 17, 1945. The next day, August 18, 1945, the printed text was distributed. Printed in red ink by Siliwangi Printing. At the DENIS Building, Jalan Braga (now the Bank Jabar Building), there was an incident where the blue color of the Dutch flag was torn, so that only red and white became the Indonesian flag. The bayonet tear was carried out by an Indonesian youth named Mohammad Endang Karmas, assisted by Moeljono.
On August 27, 1945, the People's Security Agency (BKR) was formed, followed by the formation of Laskar Wanita Indonesia (LASWI) on October 12, 1945. The number of members was 300 people, consisting of the combat troops, the Red Cross, investigations and supplies.
An event that made things worse occurred on November 25, 1945. Apart from facing enemy attacks, the people faced a huge flood that overflowed the Cikapundung River. Hundreds of victims were swept away and thousands of residents were left homeless. This situation is used by the enemy to attack the people who are facing disaster.
Various pressures and attacks continued to be carried out by the British and Dutch. On December 5, 1945, several British aircraft bombed the Great Lengkong area. On December 21, 1945, the British dropped bombs and a barrage of indiscriminate gunfire on Cicadas. More and more victims fell.
Called Bandung Sea of Fire
An ultimatum for the Indonesian Army (TRI) to leave the city and the people, gave birth to the "bumi hangus" or be called scorched earth policy. The people are not willing to use Bandung City by the enemy. They fled to the south with the fighters. The decision to burn Bandung was taken through a meeting of the Priangan Struggle Assembly (MP3) in the presence of all the forces of the struggle, on March 24, 1946.
Colonel Abdul Haris Nasution as Commander of Division III, announced the results of the deliberation and ordered the people to leave the city of Bandung. That same day, a large group of Bandung residents left the city for a long time.
Bandung was deliberately burned by TRI and the people with the intention that the Allies could no longer use it. Here and there black smoke billowed high in the air. All electricity is off. The British began to attack so a fierce battle ensued. The most intense battle took place in the village of Dayeuhkolot, south of Bandung, where there was a large Allied gunpowder factory. TRI intends to destroy the gunpowder warehouse. For that, the youths Muhammad Toha and Ramdan were sent.
The two youths managed to blow up the warehouse with hand grenades. The huge warehouse exploded and burst into flames, but the two young men also caught fire in it. The Bandung city government staff would initially stay in the city, but for safety's sake they also left the city at 21.00. Since then, at approximately 24.00 South Bandung has been empty of residents and TRI. However, the fire is still burning the city. And Bandung turned into a sea of fire.
The scorched earth of Bandung is the right action, because the power of TRI and the people will not be able to fight against the enemy who has great power. Furthermore, TRI together with the people carried out a guerilla resistance from outside Bandung. This incident gave birth to the song "Halo-Halo Bandung" which is passionate about burning the fighting power of the Indonesian people.
Bandung Lautan Api then became a famous term after the burning incident. Many have wondered where this term came from. The late General A.H. Nasution remembered holding a meeting in Regentsweg (now Jalan Dewi Sartika), after returning from his meeting with Sutan Sjahrir in Jakarta, to decide what action to take against the City of Bandung after receiving the British ultimatum.
So I came back from Jakarta, after talking to Sjahrir. Indeed, in that talk at Regentsweg, at that meeting, everyone spoke. Well, that's where the opinion of Rukana, Commander of the Military Police in Bandung emerged. He argued, "Let's make South Bandung into a sea of fire." What he calls a sea of fire, but is actually a sea of water."
A.H Nasution, May 1, 1997
The term Bandung Lautan Api also appeared in Suara Merdeka daily on March 26, 1946. A young journalist at that time, namely Atje Bastaman, witnessed the view of the burning Bandung from the Mount Leutik hill around Pameungpeuk, Garut. From that peak Atje Bastaman saw a reddened Bandung from Cicadas to Cimindi.
After arriving in Tasikmalaya, Atje Bastaman eagerly wrote a news report and titled it Bandoeng Djadi Laoetan Api. However, due to the lack of space for the title, the news title was shortened to Bandoeng Laoetan Api.