"All right, now we begin the Bandung Sea of Fire plan," Soemarmo declared, naming the operation "Bandung Lautan Api."
Soemarmo began to outline his strategy. First, reinforcements would be added from the western direction in Cianjur, including the redeployment of the Second Field Army Group, "Siliwangi," under the command of Lieutenant General Albert Eicheberg. They would advance toward Padalarang before entering Cimahi.
Meanwhile, Batavia and Bogor would be reassigned to Central Command. In addition, Central Command under his leadership would serve as logistical support and a second defensive line for Albert's Field Army.
Next, the Third Field Army Group, "Gunung Jati," based in Cirebon and commanded by Lieutenant General Raden Rachmat Wirakoesoemah, would be relocated to Majalengka to launch an assault through Sumedang.
Then the Fourth Field Army Group, "Wastukencana," stationed in Tasikmalaya, would be moved to Garut and Balegede, advancing from the south through Ciwidey and Majalaya before ultimately halting at the outskirts of Bandung.
The total strength amounted to three hundred thousand soldiers, meaning each Field Army Group consisted of one hundred thousand troops.
As for air power, Soemarmo ordered Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig Hoffmann to bomb Bandung using Fokker D.VII biplanes and Fokker F.VIII logistics aircraft equipped with light bombs. Their mission was to neutralize KNIL defenses, particularly their field artillery.
This "Bandung Sea of Fire" plan would become a large-scale military operation against colonial forces, and it would serve as a turning point—from decadent colonial rule into the hands of the indigenous people who had long been oppressed.
As for the remaining matters, Soemarmo delegated several civilian and industrial affairs to members of the civilian groups within his faction.
Foremost among them was the reconstruction of cities destroyed after the war, in which these industrialist groups would later supply cement, steel, bricks, and sand. For now, they were required to produce on a massive scale.
Naturally, there were also educators among the civilian members of his faction. Soemarmo personally ordered them to establish temporary education posts at various locations. Clear evidence of this could be seen in Batavia—over the past three months, many educational posts had been built, where indigenous children and adults who could not read, write, or count had begun to learn.
As for logistics, the hidden factories belonging to the independence army in Cikarang were still capable of producing millions of rounds of ammunition of various calibers and types, as well as hundreds of thousands of firearms, cannons, machine guns, and mortars.
After finishing the planning session, Soemarmo returned to his office. He removed his officer's uniform, leaving only a white shirt beneath, and began sorting through various books, notes, and blueprint drawings he had made himself, placing them into a large suitcase. Now that the plan had been laid out, it would be implemented as swiftly as possible.
The Central Headquarters would now be relocated to Batavia, which had begun to stabilize.
However, before heading to Batavia, Soemarmo had to visit an acquaintance. Three months had passed, and he had not visited him since his friend had been detained in Bogor.
"It's time, isn't it?" he murmured, placing the last of his belongings into the large suitcase.
He looked at the room one last time. This place had been his workplace since he became a KNIL colonel; countless joys and sorrows had filled these walls. And it was here that his struggle against colonialism had silently unfolded.
…
Several hours later.
Buitenzorg.
This city—known in the future as Bogor—was perpetually drenched in rain, whether a light drizzle or a heavy downpour. Because its climate resembled the ideal temperatures of Europe, the city had a European population comprising nearly a quarter of Buitenzorg's total population, which currently stood at 252,450 people.
Besides Europeans, there were also Chinese residents, as evidenced by the many Chinese vernacular schools scattered around the city center. Although these two groups were relatively small in number, they lived comfortably and enjoyed the best facilities—unlike the indigenous people, who existed as a third-class underclass in local society.
However, since Buitenzorg had been occupied by the independence forces, such indigenous restrictions had been abolished, and the privileges once enjoyed by Europeans and Chinese had also been revoked.
On the main road, a black Buick Master Standard Sedan cruised calmly along streets still coated with wet soil after the rain.
Inside the car, Soemarmo sat quietly, leaning back in the rear seat. His dark brown eyes gazed out the window, observing the somewhat deserted main road, though he could see several patrols of independence soldiers carrying their weapons.
In several alley corners, Soemarmo noticed pairs of eyes watching the marching soldiers. These people were filled with vigilance and fear—it was clear they were afraid of these troops, especially soldiers who had defeated the KNIL, a force they once believed to be immensely powerful.
…
Ten minutes later.
The Buick carrying Soemarmo had just passed the Groote Postweg, or Great Post Road, on the western side of the Buitenzorg Palace—known in Soemarmo's past as Jalan Ir. H. Juanda.
The car entered the western gate, where a Protestant church named "Königin Wilhelmina Kerk" stood. This church was connected to a building designated as the vacation residence of the Dutch Governor-General. Unfortunately, the Governor-General was now under house arrest there.
As the car passed through the guard post manned by independence soldiers, every soldier who saw the vehicle—armed or not—saluted.
This was because the car bearing license plate 001 belonged to their Supreme Commander.
The Buick continued forward until it stopped at a carport in front of the Governor-General's residence. Albert and a formation of soldiers were already waiting calmly for Soemarmo's arrival.
Ckiit
The car stopped. Soemarmo's aide, Paul Gildemeister, stepped out and opened the rear door where Soemarmo sat.
As the door opened and Soemarmo emerged, the company commander issued a command.
"Attention! Entire Regiment!"
Brk
Upon hearing this, the entire welcoming regiment stiffened, standing at perfect attention.
The welcoming regiment commander raised his sword to lip level and shouted,
"To the Supreme Commander! Salute—haup!"
He then lowered his sword.
Bruk
The regiment under his command presented arms, raising their Gewehr 98 rifles vertically in front of them.
Observing the reception, Soemarmo returned the salute and walked toward Albert, who was waiting for him.
"Your Excellency, Supreme Commander!" Albert saluted first, using a standard German officer's salute. He spoke Indonesian fluently, though his thick German accent was unmistakable.
Soemarmo returned the salute, then lowered his hand to shake Albert's.
"Albert, I thought you would have already moved to Cianjur."
He asked in surprise, wondering why his lieutenant general was still here instead of overseeing the troop movements eastward.
"Of course, I was waiting for your arrival, Your Excellency. Besides, this will be your second meeting with that man," Albert replied with a friendly smile, returning the handshake.
"Hm. Let's go inside." Soemarmo nodded, inviting Albert in.
…
In the corridor, they discussed several matters—primarily Albert's personal report, in which he had discovered disturbances caused by groups of Dutch East Indies Communists who frequently looted, vandalized shops, and even murdered Europeans and Chinese.
"Are you certain they're communists?" Soemarmo asked skeptically.
He remembered the party—known as the PKI—which had been frozen since the anti-colonial uprising three years earlier.
"Yes. We managed to search the body of one of the perpetrators. There was a communist manifesto—typical Marxist-Leninist material," Albert replied with disgust. Of all political parties in the world, communism was perhaps the one Albert despised most.
Just look at what had happened in Russia—even those communists had dared to murder the Emperor and his family. Granted, that uprising had been aided by the dirty hands of the German Empire at the time.
And as a conservative European, Albert believed that killing nobility without solid legal grounds was taboo—even if those nobles stood on the enemy's side. That was the prevailing European mindset of the era, when nations were still ruled by kings.
What happened in Russia was common knowledge throughout Europe. And because of it, Albert—disillusioned with his empire—chose to leave, bringing his family to the Dutch East Indies to follow Soemarmo.
It was also for this reason that Governor-General Andries and his family, while detained here, were treated humanely by the independence forces.
"I see… I'll warn everyone to stay alert. Communists could become an obstacle," Soemarmo said seriously, nodding at Albert's explanation. He would inform all commanders to be wary of sudden civilian uprisings—especially if they raised red flags bearing the yellow hammer and sickle emblem of communism.
"By the way, how is that man doing? He's eating, right?" Soemarmo asked jokingly.
Normally, a political prisoner like Andries would resort to extreme measures—most notably hunger strikes.
"Ha! Yes, he is—though he looks like a ghost now," Albert chuckled. Then he added, "And he seems more relaxed these past three months. Perhaps if you grant him special residency rights, he'll agree."
Hearing his German colleague joke, Soemarmo could not help but laugh.
Among all the Germans Soemarmo knew, Albert was perhaps the easiest to joke with.