Amirmachmud

Amirmachmud (Cimahi, West Java, 21 February 1923 – Bandung, West Java, 21 April 1995) was an Indonesian Military General who was an eyewitness to the signing of the Supersemar document transferring power from President Sukarno to General Suharto.

Early life

Amirmachmud was born on 21 February 1923 at Cimahi, West Java. He was the second of five siblings and his father worked for a public company under the Dutch Colonial Government.

After completing his education in 1940, Amirmachmud began thinking of a career which he would undertake. In 1941 he took a topography course, although nothing ever came out of it.

Military career

The Japanese Occupation

In 1942, the Dutch Colonial Government was defeated by the Japanese Imperial Army and Indonesia came under the occupation of the Japanese Empire. By 1943, with the tide of the war beginning to turn against them, the Japanese established the Defenders of the Motherland Army (PETA). PETA was an auxiliary force which contained of Indonesians and was designed to bolster the amount of troops for the Japanese and assist them in fighting the United States should they decide to invade Java. Amirmachmud joined PETA and rose to become a platoon Commander.