Bandung Lautan Api
Selamat Memperingati Bandung Lautan Api !
Pada tanggal 12 Oktober 1945, Pasukan Inggris bagian dari Brigade MacDonald tiba di Bandung. Sejak semula hubungan mereka dengan pemerintah RI sudah tegang. Mereka menuntut agar semua senjata api penduduk Bandung diserahkan kepada Tentara Sekutu.
Malam tanggal 21 November 1945, Tentara Keamanan Rakyat (TKR) melancarkan serangan terhadap Hotel Homann dan Hotel Preanger yang digunakan Inggris sebagai markas. Tiga hari kemudian, MacDonald menyampaikan Penegasan agar Bandung dikosongkan oleh penduduk Indonesia, termasuk pasukan bersenjata.
Penegasan Tentara Sekutu mendorong TKR untuk melakukan operasi "Bumi-Hangus". Para pejuang pihak Republik Indonesia tidak rela bila Kota Bandung dimanfaatkan oleh pihak Sekutu, karena itu mereka melakukan operasi “Bumi-Hangus”. Hari itu juga, rombongan besar penduduk Bandung mengalir panjang meninggalkan kota Bandung dan mulai membakar perumahan.
Bandung sengaja dibakar agar Sekutu tidak dapat menggunakannya sebagai markas strategis militer. Asap hitam mengepul membubung tinggi di udara dan semua listrik mati. Tentara Inggris mulai menyerang sehingga pertempuran sengit terjadi. Pertempuran terjadi secara sengit karena terdapat gudang amunisi besar milik Tentara Sekutu.
Staf pemerintahan kota Bandung pada mulanya akan tetap tinggal di dalam kota. Tetapi demi keselamatan mereka, maka pada pukul 21.00, mereka juga ikut dalam rombongan yang mengevakuasi dari Bandung. Kurang lebih pukul 24.00 Bandung telah kosong dari penduduk dan TKR. Tetapi api masih membakar kota, sehingga Bandung pun menjadi lautan api.
“Kita tidak pernah dapat berkorban begitu besar bagi mereka yang bersedia mengorbankan segalanya bagi kita” –Mohammad Hatta-
Bandung Sea of Fire
Happy Commemorating Bandung Ocean of Fire!
On 12 October 1945, British troops part of the MacDonald Brigade arrived in Bandung. Since the beginning, their relationship with the Indonesian government has been tense. They demanded that all firearms of the Bandung residents be handed over to the Allied Forces.
The night of November 21, 1945, the People's Security Army (TKR) launched an attack on the Homann Hotel and the Preanger Hotel which were used by the British as headquarters. Three days later, MacDonald conveyed an affirmation that Bandung was vacated by the Indonesian population, including the armed forces.
The Allied Army's assertion prompted TKR to conduct "Scorched-Earth" operations. The fighters from the Republic of Indonesia did not want Bandung to be used by the Allied Forces, so they carried out the "Scorched Earth" operation. That same day, a large group of Bandung residents flowed a long way leaving the city of Bandung and began burning houses.
Bandung was deliberately burned so that the Allies could not use it as a strategic military headquarters. Billowing black smoke rose high in the air and all the electricity went out. The British army began to attack so fierce fighting ensued. The battle was fierce because there was a large ammunition store belonging to the Allied Forces.
Bandung city government staff will initially remain in the city. But for their safety, at 21.00, they also joined the group that evacuated from Bandung. Approximately 24.00 Bandung was empty of residents and TKR. But the fire still burned the city, so Bandung became a sea of fire.
"We can never sacrifice so much for those who are willing to sacrifice everything for us" -Mohammad Hatta
