Moestopo

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Major General Moestopo (13 July 1913 – 29 September 1986) was an Indonesian military officer, revolutionary and educator, and military figure in the Indonesian War of Independence. Born in Kediri, East Java, Moestopo moved to Surabaya to attend the School of Dentistry there. His work as a dentist was interrupted in 1942 when the Japanese occupied Indonesia and Moestopo was arrested by the Kempeitai for looking suspicious. Upon his release, he became a dentist for the Japanese but eventually decided to train as an army officer. After graduating with honours, Moestopo was given command of PETA (Pembela Tanah Air) troops in Sidoarjo; he was later promoted to commander of the troops in Gresik. While in Surabaya, during the Indonesian National Revolution, Moestopo conducted negotiations with British expeditionary forces led by Brigadier Aubertin Walter Sothern Mallaby. When relations broke down and President Sukarno was called to Surabaya to mend them, Moestopo was offered a job as an adviser but declined. During the war he held several other positions, including leading a squadron of regular soldiers, pickpockets, and prostitutes to spread confusion in the ranks of the enemy Dutch forces. After the war, Moestopo continued to work as a dentist, and in 1961 he founded Moestopo University. He died in Bandung in 1986 and was posthumously declared a National Hero of Indonesia on 10 November 2007.