Text 1

    The Bandung Sea of Fire happened on 24 March 1946, in which the people of Bandung deliberately burned their city. It was triggered by British troops who demanded the citizens to hand in their guns. Then, the British commander insisted local people leave Bandung. To avoid Bandung becoming a British base, people intentionally burned buildings while they moved to the southern part of the city. The action inspired Ismail Marzuki to compose a song, entitled "Halo, Halo, Bandung."

Text 2

Surabaya, City of Heroes

    Surabaya is renowned for the bravery of its people. Its history started when Raden Wijaya, of the Majapahit Kingdom, declared war against the Chinese invaders in 1293. Raden Wijaya's troops fought hard and succeeded in expelling the Chinese troops. The battlefield was then named Surabaya. In 1743, the Mataram Kingdom gave the city to the VOC. From then, Surabaya was controlled by the Dutch. Surabaya played an important role during the war of Independence, when local people hand in hand fought against the Allied forces who came to take control of Indonesia. Thousands of people died in the rebellion. That is the reason why it is called "The City of Heroes."

Why is Surabaya called "The City of Heroes"?