Suharto takes full power in Indonesia
On February 22 1967 Indonesian President Sukarno surrenders all executive authority to military dictator General Haji Mohammad Suharto remaining president in title only.In 1965 Suharto a senior army officer narrowly saved Sukarno from a communist coup.In the aftermath he moved to replace Sukarno and launched a purge of Indonesian communists that resulted in thousands of deaths.In 1967 he assumed full power and in 1968 was elected president.
Reelected every five years until his forced resignation in 1998 Suharto stabilized his nation and oversaw significant economic progress.However he was criticized for his repressive rule and for Indonesias 1975 invasion of East Timor which left an estimated 100000 Timorese dead from famine disease and warfare.Today Suharto lives in virtual seclusion.
