The Post-Revolutionary Transformation of the Indonesian Army

The rebellion of 1958 marked a turning point in the development of the Indonesian army, for it provided the central military leader ship with the means to establish its ascendancy over the officer corps. Had there been a compromise in the settlement of the insurrection, General Nasution might have continued for some time to inch his way toward control, in the manner in which we saw him progress during 1955-1956,* 1 and the relations between the army center and the power ful territorial commanders would have continued for some time to be roughtly equal. But the central military command moved with great success against the rebel forces, whose failure was apparent within six months of their revolt. This victory both eliminated Nasution’s principal rivals for army leadership and gave him great military prestige,with which he consolidated his personal position and re shaped the army's structure.