Indonesia 1927-1966

Synopsis

The Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) was formed in 1920. Because of its opposition to Dutch imperialism, the PKI suffered much hostility from the colonial government. The PKI fomented revolutions in Java in November 1926 and in Sumatra in January 1927. Soon after, the Indonesian government outlawed the PKI and exiled some of its leaders. The PKI was reestablished on 21 October 1945. In November 1946 the Sentral Organisasi Buruh Seluruh Indonesia or the All-Indonesia Organization of Trade Unions (SOBSI), which embraced communist ideology, was founded. On 11 August 1948 Sardjono-Alimin Musso, one of the exiled communist leaders, returned from the Soviet Union. He tried to enlarge the PKI by including other socialist parties under its umbrella. This led to the communist rebellion in Madiun in 1948. In this rebellion, Musso was killed. In July 1950 Dipa Nusantara Aidit, another exiled communist, returned to...