LBJ National Security File: Indonesia, Communist Parties and Internal Politics (Sept 1964-Feb 1965)
LBJ Library National Security File, Indonesia (Sept 1964-Feb 1965): White House/State memoranda, Djakarta cables and CIA OCI reports on Sukarno's leftward drift, 'Sukarnoism' anti-PKI movement, succession, Malaysia and the USIS library crisis. Includes the CIA 'Sukarno and the Communists' report, listing Women's Front
Pravda, c. 27 Oct 1965: The Situation in Indonesia
Pravda, c. 27 October 1965 (No. 300), 'The Situation in Indonesia': two short TASS dispatches from Jakarta dated 26 October. They report Sukarno and Subandrio on the 30 September Movement and ongoing repression of the PKI. Gerwani is mentioned once, among organisations banned by military authorities in North Sulawesi a
Pravda, 1965: bans on the PKI and Gerwani in the regions (excerpt)
Pravda no. 300, 1965 (excerpt; TASS dispatch dated Jakarta, 26 Oct). Reports Sukarno ordering police and army to fire on those destroying Communist property, and military bans on the PKI, SOBSI and BTI in East Java and East Sulawesi; in North Sulawesi the ban also covers Gerwani. Rest is unrelated (OAU, Rhodesia, econo
Pravda, 23 Nov 1965: the situation in Indonesia, mass arrests
Pravda no. 327, 23 November 1965 (full issue). Page 1 TASS item 'The situation in Indonesia' (Jakarta, 22 Nov): arrests of 1,600 in South Kalimantan; in Central Java 1,630 (Wonogiri), 820 (Sragen), 711 (Boyolali), over 2,200 (Klaten), said by ANTARA to be members of PKI, Gerwani, Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, Partindo; Subandrio
Pravda, 23 Nov 1965: the situation in Indonesia, mass arrests (excerpt)
Pravda no. 327, 23 November 1965 (excerpt of the page). Page 1 TASS item 'The situation in Indonesia' (Jakarta, 22 Nov): arrests of 1,600 in South Kalimantan; in Central Java 1,630 (Wonogiri), 820 (Sragen), 711 (Boyolali), over 2,200 (Klaten), said by ANTARA to be members of PKI, Gerwani, Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, Partindo;
FO 371/180323: Attempted Coup against Sukarno [14] (Nov 1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180323 (c. 4-16 Nov 1965): Djakarta telegrams, Antara extracts and Foreign Office correspondence on the PKI's destruction, Subandrio, Nasution and Sukarno. Gerwani items: tel. 2480 (p. 39) reports a 8 Nov Jakarta rally of women's organisations demanding dissolution of the PKI and Gerwani;
FO 371/180337: Bilateral Relations with the US [3] (1965)
UK Foreign Office file FO 371/180337 (Mar-Nov 1965): telegrams and letters on US-Indonesian relations: Bunker mission, Peace Corps withdrawal, anti-American demonstrations, Ambassador Green, Palmer affair, then Anglo-American talks on aid to the generals after 1 October. No mention of Gerwani; 'women' appear only among
Mass arrests by Indonesian army: Communist offices burned (The Irish Times, 11 October 1965)
The Irish Times, 11 Oct 1965, p.66 (Reuter and AP): mass arrests of Communists in Jakarta (about 1,500 detained) after PKI headquarters were burned; Muslims and army organise processions demanding Aidit be hanged. Those arrested include Gerwani members, some alleged to have tortured the six generals, and a crowd of Mus
PKI Affiliates Including Gerwani Suspended (FBIS, 18-21 Oct 1965)
FBIS Daily Report pages (19 and 21 Oct 1965; HathiTrust scans) with the Jakarta war administrator's reporting order: from 19 to 24 October board members of PKI, Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani, BTI, CGMI, Perhimi, IPPI, Lekra and HSI must report to police or military posts or face action. Also the bans on PKI and affiliates, Ge
Communist Party Banned in Indonesia (Canberra Times, 19 October 1965)
Canberra Times, 19 Oct 1965, p. 1 (AAP-Reuter): Radio Jakarta reports the PKI and affiliates banned, including Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani (called the women's wing), Sobsi, BTI and the student movement; the ban is by the Jakarta military commander, not Sukarno. Notes Army-led anti-Communist drive and Chinese protests. Early
Communist Party Banned in Indonesia (Canberra Times, 19 October 1965), duplicate
Canberra Times, 19 Oct 1965, p. 1 (AAP-Reuter): Radio Jakarta reports the PKI and affiliates banned, including Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani (called the women's wing), Sobsi, BTI and the student movement; the ban is by the Jakarta military commander, not Sukarno. Notes Army-led anti-Communist drive and Chinese protests. Early
Abrupt change in Indonesia's political situation: Suharto takes control, mass arrests, PKI offices burned
Xinhua survey in Renmin Ribao (20 Oct 1965, p. 1) of Indonesia's first three weeks after 30 September, from Chinese-side sources: Suharto takes control, mass arrests (3,000 by 17 October), PKI headquarters burned, Harian Rakjat closed, universities shut, anti-Chinese incidents. Gerwani appears in the NU demand to disso
FBIS-monitored ANTARA report (21 Oct 1965): at Madjalengka Square, Bandung (West Java) region, before thousands and the local commandant, PKI sectional committee members and affiliates declared themselves out of the PKI and dissolved the branches, renewing allegiance to Sukarno. The statement lists nine signatories, in
FBIS summary of Manado radio (3 Nov 1965): the North Sulawesi Regional Council pledged to implement Sukarno's 21 October commands and asked him to dissolve the PKI and affiliates including Pemuda Rakjat, Gerwani, SOBSI, BTI, fishermen's front, HSI, Lekra, CGMI, IPPI, Perhimi and Baperki; it urged purges, and trial of d
FBIS-monitored Manado radio text (3 Nov 1965), released by the 13th Regional Military Command: PKI chapter and affiliates in Tolitoli, Central Sulawesi, condemned the 30 September Movement, severed ties with PKI leadership and resigned en masse from 15 October, pledging loyalty to Sukarno. Signatories include represent
Indonesian Army says wholesale slaughter of civilians in east Java (Straits Budget, 1965)
The Straits Budget (Singapore), 3 November 1965, p. 15, UPI/Antara: the army declares a state of war in Central Java and gives figures for civilians it says communists massacred (e.g. 62 bodies in three mass graves at Banyuwangi, 104 killed), while observers note the incidents all occurred after the coup. Nothing on Ge
Neue Berner Zeitung, 5 November 1965: How the Indonesian Communist Party wanted to seize power - mass murders planned
Neue Berner Zeitung, 5 Nov 1965, DPA report 'How the Communist Party of Indonesia wanted to seize power: mass murders were planned'. Citing army-held 'captured plans', it claims the PKI intended to kill 10,000+ officers and officials, and to arm one million peasants and workers as a militia built from Pemuda Rakyat, BT
Neue Zürcher Nachrichten, 5 November 1965: Was Sukarno himself involved in the coup?
Neue Zürcher Nachrichten, 5 Nov 1965, 'Was Sukarno himself involved in the coup?' (dpa). Same DPA account: army-held plans allegedly show the PKI intended to murder 10,000+ officers and arm one million peasants and workers as a people's militia from Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani cadres; the coup failed in 18 ho
Walliser Bote, 5 November 1965: The greatest riddle of the Indonesian coup - Sukarno's conduct
Walliser Bote (5 Nov 1965) running a DPA report on the coup, repeating army-sourced claims of a PKI plan to murder 10,000+ officials and build a people's militia from Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani cadres on the Peking model. Also puzzles over Sukarno's presence at Halim.
Berner Tagwacht, 6 November 1965: The greatest riddle of the Indonesian coup - Sukarno's conduct
Berner Tagwacht (Bern), 6 Nov 1965, DPA-based report on the Indonesian coup. Citing army-compiled 'captured plans', it claims the PKI planned to murder 10,000+ officers in five days and arm one million peasants and workers via Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and Gerwani cadres as a militia on the Peking model. It calls Sukar
Geschäftsblatt für den obern Teil des Kantons Bern, 6 November 1965: The greatest riddle of the coup - Sukarno's conduct
Geschäftsblatt für den obern Teil des Kantons Bern, 6 Nov 1965: the same DPA report on the Indonesian coup as in Berner Tagwacht, with other subheadings. It alleges PKI plans (from captured documents) to murder 10,000+ officers and to arm one million peasants and workers as a militia using Pemuda Rakyat, BTI, SOBSI and
Words and deeds of the Indonesian army: Nasution and Suharto statements reprinted
Renmin Ribao (7 Nov 1965, p. 5) reprints Indonesian army statements from radio and Antara: Nasution's 25 October speech on 'slander' and purges, Suharto's 30 October Bandung speech calling the PKI the 'protagonist' and Pemuda Rakyat and Gerwani members 'supporting roles' of the movement, an army information chief's int
The Hindustan Times, 8 Nov 1965: the Bali war administrator has suspended the PKI and affiliates, including Gerwani (Women's Movement), Pemuda Rakjat, students' association, peasants' union and SOBSI, with daily reporting to the military, removal of signboards in five days and a curfew from 3 Nov. It notes Sukarno was
The Times of India, 8 Nov 1965, p.1 (Jakarta, 7 Nov): the PKI and affiliated mass organisations in Bali, including Gerwani (Women's Movement), Pemuda Rakjat, Lekra, BTI, student, teachers' (PGRI) and SOBSI unions, have been suspended; leaders must report daily and a curfew applies. Sukarno says he is considering bannin
Burgdorfer Tagblatt, 8 November 1965: Was Sukarno involved in the coup? Revelations from Indonesia
Burgdorfer Tagblatt (Burgdorf), 8 Nov 1965, 'Was Sukarno involved in the coup?', the same DPA report as in Berner Tagwacht with subheadings. It claims captured plans show the PKI intended to kill 10,000+ officers and officials, and to arm one million peasants and workers as a 'people's militia' using cadres of Pemuda R
Izvestiia, 22 Nov 1965: Sukarno meets commanders; anti-communist campaign continues
Izvestiia, 22 Nov 1965, p. 1, TASS: Sukarno at Bogor condemns journalists spreading 'fables' about 'atrocities' of the 30 September movement, orders a civil-service purge under Subandrio; a second item gives arrests (1,600 in South Kalimantan), citing Antara that all those arrested are members of PKI, Gerwani, Pemuda R
Njono: PKI coup hastened by Sukarno's illness
Leeuwarder Courant, 1 December 1965, p. 11: relays armed-forces newspaper reports of SOBSI chief Njono's interrogation statements: planning began in July, Aidit's claim that Sukarno was gravely ill was decisive, and Njono was to raise a 2,000-man reserve from PKI, Pemuda Rakjat, Sobsi, BTI and Gerwani members, learning
Indonesia, a new Vietnam (Drammens Tidende og Buskeruds Blad, 13 December 1965)
Drammens Tidende og Buskeruds Blad (Norway), 13 Dec 1965, p. 4 (page image): Albert Henrik Mohn's Jakarta report 'Indonesia - a new Vietnam', surveying the PKI's history from 1920 and Aidit's leadership. It lists PKI mass organisations, including SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakyat and the women's organisation 'Gerwani' with rou
Indonesia, a new Vietnam (Drammens Tidende og Buskeruds Blad, 13 December 1965), OCR text
Drammens Tidende og Buskeruds Blad (Norway), 13 Dec 1965, p. 4 (OCR text): Albert Henrik Mohn's Jakarta report 'Indonesia - a new Vietnam', surveying the PKI's history from 1920 and Aidit's leadership. It lists PKI mass organisations, including SOBSI, BTI, Pemuda Rakyat and the women's organisation 'Gerwani' with rough
Indonesia, a new Vietnam? (Haugesunds Avis, 17 December 1965)
Haugesunds Avis (Norway), 17 Dec 1965, p. 8 (page image): Albert Henrik Mohn's Jakarta article 'Indonesia, a new Vietnam?' on PKI history, Aidit's rise and party growth to 3 million. It names PKI mass organisations (SOBSI, peasant front, Pemuda Rakyat, and the women's organisation Gerwani with about 1.5 million members