Suharto and His Generals: Indonesian Military Politics, 1975-1983

In this review of Suharto and His Generals: Indonesian Military Politics, 1975-1983 the reviewer finds a focused academic monograph best suited to readers who want a detailed narrative of internal military debate during a pivotal period. The single biggest reason to buy is the book's close, chronological treatment of the challenge to President Suharto inside ABRI and the sustained examination of debates over the military's role in society, which gives readers a clear historical-descriptive record rather than a polemic.

Key Features

• Chronological focus: The narrative traces events from 1975 through 1982, helping readers follow how specific incidents and debates evolved over time.
• Institutional analysis: The book concentrates on ABRI's internal discussions about its role in society, offering readers direct insight into military-political tensions.
• Debate on civilian relations: There is detailed attention to ABRI's relations with political parties and other social groups, clarifying the practical stakes of institutional claims.
• Concise monograph format: The focused length and style make it suitable for study or course reading without extraneous material.
• Authorial clarity: The account presents the arguments and contradictions in a straightforward, descriptive manner that aids comprehension for non-specialists.

Who It's For

This work is for students, historians, and policy scholars who need a compact, evidence-oriented account of Indonesian military politics in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is especially useful for courses on Southeast Asian history, civil-military relations, or Indonesian political development.

Readers seeking a broad survey of Indonesian history or a general political biography of Suharto should look elsewhere; this is not a sweeping narrative but a focused study of a particular institutional debate within ABRI.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides a clear historical-descriptive record of the internal challenge to Suharto within ABRI.
• Thoroughly discusses the debate over ABRI's relations with political parties and social groups.
• Well suited to academic use because of its focused monograph format and institutional perspective.

Cons

• Limited scope means readers wanting broad context on Indonesian society or Suharto's full career will need supplementary works.

Specifications

Title	Suharto and His Generals: Indonesian Military Politics, 1975-1983
Author	David Jenkins
Subject focus	ABRI internal politics and military-society relations
Chronological coverage	1975-1982 (primary period); discussion through 1983
Approach	Historical-descriptive monograph
Primary themes	Military debate, political parties, institutional role of ABRI

Our Verdict

For readers who need a concentrated, descriptive account of how ABRI grappled with its role under Suharto, this monograph delivers clear chronology and institutional analysis at good value. It is best for academic or specialist readers rather than casual general-interest readers, and it serves as a reliable reference on the specific debates that shaped military politics in late 1970s Indonesia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book cover Suharto's entire presidency?
The book focuses on the period 1975-1983 and treats events and debates within ABRI rather than a full presidential biography.

Is this suitable for undergraduate courses?
Yes; its concise monograph format and clear institutional focus make it appropriate for seminars on civil-military relations or Southeast Asian history.

Does the author take a partisan stance?
The work is presented as a historical-descriptive record and emphasizes documentation of debates rather than polemical advocacy.