Military of Indonesia - History - Formation

Formation

Before the formation of the Indonesian Republic, the military authority in the Dutch East Indies was held by the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL). Although the KNIL is not directly responsible for the formation of the future Indonesian armed forces, and mainly took the role of foe during Indonesian National Revolution in 1945 to 1949, the KNIL had also provided military training and infrastructure for some of the future TNI officers. There were military training centers, military schools and academies in the Dutch East Indies. Next to Dutch volunteers and European mercenaries, the KNIL also recruited indigenous, especially Ambonese, Kai Islanders, Timorese, and Minahasan people. In 1940 with the Netherlands under German occupation and the Japanese pressing for access to Dutch East Indies oil supplies, the Dutch had opened up the KNIL to large intakes of previously excluded Javanese. Some of the indigenous soldiers that had enjoyed Dutch KNIL military academy education would later become important TNI officers. For example: Suharto and Nasution.

Indonesian nationalism and militanism start to gain its momentum and support in World War II during Japanese occupation of Indonesia. To gain support from Indonesian people in their war against Western Allied force, Japan started to encourage and back Indonesian nationalistic movements by providing Indonesian youth with military trainings and weapons. On 3 October 1943, the Japanese military formed the Indonesian volunteer army called PETA (Pembela Tanah Air – Defenders of the Homeland). The Japanese intended PETA to assist their forces oppose a possible invasion by the Allies. The Japanese military trainings for Indonesian youth originally was meant to rally the local's support for the collapsing power of Japanese Empire, but later it has become the significant resource for Republic of Indonesia during Indonesian National Revolution in 1945 to 1949, and also has leads to the formation of Indonesian national armed force in 1945.

The Indonesian armed forces have seen significant action since their establishment in 1945. Their first conflict was the 1945–1949 Indonesian National Revolution, in which the 1945 Battle of Surabaya was especially important.

At first, The Indonesian Army started out as BKR (Badan Keamanan Rakjat – People's Security Corps), which was formed in the 3rd PPKI meeting, 29 August 1945; this was an Organisation of People taking up arms in a united force to ensure security remained intact across the newly declared independent Indonesia, it was created more as a civil defense force than an army. The decision to create a "security corps and not an army, was taken to lessen the probability of the allied forces viewing it as an armed revolution and invading in full force. At surrender the Japanese had promised to return the Asian domains they had conquered to the allies, certainly not to liberate them independently.

When confrontations became sharp and hostile between Indonesia and the Allied forces, in December 1945 TKR (Tentara Keamanan Rakjat – People's Security Army) was formed; this was a move taken to formalize, unite, and organize the splintered pockets of independent troopers ('laskar') across Indonesia, ensuing a more professional military approach, to contend with the Netherlands and the Allied force invaders.

In 1947, TRI (Tentara Rakjat Indonesia – Indonesian People Army) was formed, in a further step to professionalize the army and increase its ability to engage systematically. 'Tentara Rakjat' stood for the "People's Army" meaning it was open to all levels of the community, whilst also thereby legalizing conscription drafts when necessary.(Mobilisasi Rakjat – People's Mobilization).

In 1949 then, TRI changed its name to TNI (Tentara Nasional Indonesia The Indonesian National Army). This has name has remained unchanged since.