28 January 1920

Birth of T.B. Simatupang

VIVAnews – 88 years ago today, on 28 January 1920, Tahi Bonar Simatupang, former commander in chief of the Indonesian armed forces, was born.

T.B. Simatupang, an Indonesian National Hero, was born in Sidikalang, North Sumatra, into a Batak family. His father, Simon Mangaraja Simatupang, was a local post office worker.

After graduating from AMS Jakarta in 1940, Simatupang was admitted to the Dutch military academy which he completed in two years.  When Indonesia proclaimed its independence in 1945, Simatupang joined the Indonesian army. Due to his superior education, in 1948 Simatupang was appointed Vice Chief of Staff of the Indonesian armed forces. Two year later, at a relatively young age, Simatupang became Commander in Chief of the Indonesian armed forces, a strategic position he held until 1954.

From 1954 to 1959, Simatupang, then a lieutenant general, was appointed military counselor of the Department of Defense. Not long after, due to his conflict with President Soekarno, Simatupang resigned both from the army and the government.

After quitting the army, Simatupang, devoted the rest of his life to religious and intellectual activities. Later, he became the head of Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), the head of Asian Church Council, and the head of World Council of Churches. During his lifetime, Simatupang wrote no less than 30 books on various topics, including politics, religion, and military.

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In 1969, for his intellectual achievement, Simatupang was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.

T.B. Simatupang died in Jakarta on 1 January 1990. To commemorate his struggle, a main street in South Jakarta was named after him.

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29 Maret 2024