Early life and career of Suharto
Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was the second President of Indonesia, having held the office for 31 years from 1967 following Sukarno's removal until his resignation in 1998.
Suharto | |
|---|---|
Suharto, as commander of Kodam IV/Diponegoro, c. 1957 | |
| Born | 8 June 1921 Kemusuk, Dutch East Indies |
| Died | 27 January 2008 (aged 86) Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Allegiance | |
| Service/ | KNIL (1940–42) PETA (1942–45) Indonesian Army (1945–74) |
| Years of service | 1940—1974 |
| Rank | General of the Army |
| Unit | Kostrad |
| Commands held | Kodam IV/Diponegoro Kostrad Indonesian Army Indonesian National Armed Forces |
| Battles/wars |
Darul Islam Rebellion West New Guinea dispute Operation Trikora Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66 |
| Other work | President of Indonesia (1967–1998) |
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|---|---|---|
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2nd President of Indonesia Pre-Presidency
Rise to power
"New Order" Domestic policy
Foreign policy
Post-presidency
Family
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Suharto was born in a small village, Kemusuk, in the Godean area near Yogyakarta, during the Dutch colonial era. He grew up in humble circumstances. His Javanese Muslim parents divorced not long after his birth, and he was passed between foster parents for much of his childhood. During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, Suharto served in Japanese-organised Indonesian security forces. Indonesia's independence struggle saw him joining the newly formed Indonesian army. Suharto rose to the rank of major general following Indonesian independence.