Defenders of the Homeland

PETA (Indonesian: Pembela Tanah Air – Defenders of the Homeland) or Kyōdo Bōei Giyūgun (郷土防衛義勇軍) was an Indonesian volunteer army established on 3 October 1943 in Indonesia by the occupying Japanese. The Japanese intended PETA to assist their forces in opposing a possible invasion by the Allies. By the end of the war, there were a total of 69 battalions (daidan) in Java (around 37,000 men) and Sumatra (approximately 20,000 men). On 17 August 1945, the day after the Indonesian Declaration of Independence, the Japanese ordered the PETA daidan to surrender and hand over their weapons, which most of them did. The Indonesian Republic's newly declared President, Sukarno, supported the dissolution rather than turn the organisation into a national army as he feared allegations of collaboration had he allowed a Japanese-created militia to continue to exist.[2][3][4]

Pembela Tanah Air
Colour used by PETA battalions
Active	3 October 1943 – 15 August 1945
Country	Indonesia with a Malayan branch[1]
Allegiance	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Defending Indonesia from Allied Invasion
Size	66 Battalions in Java, 3 Battalions in Bali, and approx. 20,000 men in Sumatra
Nickname(s)	PETA
Colors	Purple, Green, Red & White

During the Indonesian National Revolution, former PETA officers and troops, such as Suharto and Sudirman, formed the core of the fledgling Indonesia armed forces.

Structure of PETA

Battalion	Battalion Commander (Daidancho)	Note	Officers of other ranks
I Labuan, Banten	Tubagus Achmad Chatib	Muslim cleric	Suhadisastra
II Malingping, Banten	E. Ojong Temaja	Muslim cleric	M.B. Sutman
III Serang, Banten	Syam'un	Muslim cleric	Zainul Falah
IV Pandeglang, Banten	Uding Sujatmadja		Mustaram
I Harmoni, Djakarta	Kasman Singodimedjo	Graduate of RHS Former leader of JIB and MIAI	Mufraeni Mukmin Latief Hendraningrat
II Purwakarta, Djakarta	Surjodipuro		Mursid
I Djampang Kulon, Bogor	R. Abdullah bin Nuh	Muslim cleric	Husen Aleksah
II Pelabuan Ratu, Bogor	M. Basuni	Muslim cleric	Mulja
III Sukabumi, Bogor	Kafrawi		Machmud
IV Tjibeber, Tjiandjur, Bogor	R. Gunawan Resmiputro		M. Ishak Djuarsa
I Tasikmalaja, Priangan	K.H. Sutalaksana	Muslim cleric	Abdullah Saleh
II Pangandaran, Priangan	K.H. Pardjaman	Muslim cleric	K. Hamid
III Bandung, Priangan	Iljas Sasmita		Permana Umar Wirahadikusumah
IV Tjimahi, Priangan	Arudji Kartawinata	Graduate of MULO Former executive of PSII	Soeparjadi Poniman
V Garut, Priangan	R. Sofjan Iskandar		Katamsi Sutisna
I Tjirebon	Abdulgani Surjokusumo		Rukman
II Madjalengka, Tjirebon	R. Zaenal Asikin Judibrata		Suarman
I Pekalongan	Iskandar Idris	Muslim cleric	Ajub
II Tegal, Pekalongan	K.H. Durjatman	Muslim cleric	Sumardjono
I Tjilatjap, Banjumas	R. Sutirto		R. Hartojo
II Sumpiuh, Banjumas	R. Soesalit Djojoadhiningrat		Zaelan Asikin
III Kroja, Banjumas	Sudirman	Graduate of Muhammadiyah teachers' training school Muhammadiyah school-teacher	Supardjo Rustam
IV Banjumas	Isdiman Gatot Subroto		Sarengat
I Gombong, Kedu	R. Abdul Kadir Bambang Sugeng		R. Sutrisno
II Magelang, Kedu	Muhammad Susman		Sugiardjo Supangkat
III Gombong, Kedu	Djoko Kusumo		Slamet Achmad Yani Sarwo Edhie Wibowo
IV Purworedjo, Kedu	Mukahar Ronohadikusumo		Tjiptoroso
I Mrican, Semarang	R. Usman Sutrisno Sudomo		Sujadi
II Weleri, Kendal, Semarang	R. Sudijono Taruno Kusumo		Suparman Sumahamidjaja
I Pati	Kusmoro Hadidewo
II Rembang, Pati	Holan Iskandar		Sukardi
III Djepara, Pati	Prawiro Atmodjo		Sukardji
I Wates, Jogjakarta	D. Martojomeno		Sudjiono
II Bantul, Jogjakarta	Mohammed Saleh	Graduate of higher teachers' training school Muhammadiyah school-teacher	Sugiono
III Pingit, Jogjakarta	Sundjojo Purbokusumo		Darjatmo Suharto
IV Wonosari, Jogjakarta	Muridan Noto		Nudi
I Manahan, Surakarta	R.M. Muljadi Djojomartono	Muslim cleric	Suprapto Sukawati Djatikusumo
II Wonogiri, Surakarta	K.H. Idris	Muslim cleric	Budiman
I Babat, Bodjonegoro	K.H. Masjkur Sudirman	Muslim cleric	Utojo Utomo
II Bodjonegoro	Masri		R. Rachmat
III Tuban-Bodjonegoro	Sumadi Sastroatmodjo		Sumardjo
I Madiun	Agus Tojib		Mumardjo
II Patjitan, Madiun	Akub Gulangge		R. Subagijo
III Ponorogo, Madiun	M. Sudjono		Sudijat
I Tulungagung, Kediri	Sudiro		Tulus
II Blitar, Kediri	Surachmad		Sukandar Suprijadi
III Kediri	A. Judodiprodjo Sujoto Djojopurnomo		Mashudi Sudjono
I Gunung Sari, Surabaja	Mustopo	Graduate of STOVIT Dentist	Masduki Abudardja
II Sidoardjo, Surabaja	R. Muhammad Mangundiprodjo		Bambang Juwono
III Modjokerto, Surabaja	Katamhadi		Usman
IV Gresik, Surabaja	K.H. Cholik Hasjim	Muslim cleric	Jondat Modjo
I Gondanglegi, Malang	K. Iskandar Sulaeman	Muslim cleric	Sumarto
II Lumadjang, Malang	M. Sujo Adikusumo		S. Hardjo Hudojo
III Pasuruan, Malang	Arsjid Kromodihardjo		Slamet
IV Malang	Imam Sudja'i		Sukardani
V Probolinggo, Malang	Sudarsono		Sumitro
I Kentjong, Djember, Besuki	Suwito Sudiro		Sukarto
II Bondowoso, Besuki	K.H. Tahirruddin Tjokro Atmodjo	Muslim cleric	Rosadi
III Bentjuluk, Banjuwangi, Besuki	Sukotjo		Imam Sukarto
IV Rambipundji, Djember-Besuki	Surodjo Astiklah		Subandi
V Sukowidi, Banjuwangi, Besuki	R. Usman Sumodinoto		Sudarmin
I Pamekasan, Madura	K.H. R. Amin Dja'far	Muslim cleric	R. Mohammad Saleh
II Bangkalan, Madura	Ruslan Tjakraningrat		Hafiludin
III Batang-batang, Madura	Abdul Madjid		Achmad Basuni
IV Ambunten, Sumenep, Madura	Abdul Hamid Mudhari	Muslim cleric	Suroso
V Ketapang, Madura	Trunodjojo		Mochamad Sabirin
I Negara, Bali	I Made Putu		I Wayan Mudana
II Tabanan, Bali	I Gusti Ngurah Gede Pugeng	Ida Bagus Tongka
III Klungkung, Bali	Anak Agung Made Agung	I Made Geria

Notable members of PETA

• Suharto
• Supriyadi
• Sudirman
• Soewirjo
• Gatot Soebroto
• Ibrahim Yaacob

See also

• Pembela Tanah Air Museum
• 1945 PETA Revolt in Blitar

References

• Bachtiar, Harsja W. (1988), Siapa Dia?: Perwira Tinggi Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (Who is S/He?: Senior Officers of the Indonesian Army), Penerbit Djambatan, Jakarta, ISBN 979-428-100-X
• Sunhaussen, Ulf (1982) The Road to Power: Indonesian Military Politics 1945-1967 Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-582521-7
• Ricklefs, M.C. (1981) A History of Modern Indonesia, c. 1300 to the present. MacMillan, ISBN 0-333-24380-3

Notes

1. Sani, Rustam (2008). Social Roots of the Malay Left. SIRD. p. 26. ISBN 9833782442.
2. Ricklefs (1981), p. 194
3. Sunhaussen (1982), pp. 2–4
4. Bachtiar(1988), p. 12