Assignment 5

The Daendels Road

Nama   : Yoel Abraham Martua

NPM   : 28210636

Kelas   : 3eb17

The Great Post Road is the road stretched from west to east at northern part of Java from Anyer to Panarukan along 1,000 km. Initiated by Governor-General Herman Willem Daendels, this road is passing through Serang, Tangerang, Jakarta, Bogor, Sukabumi, Cianjur, Bandung, Sumedang, Cirebon, Brebes, Tegal, Pemalang, Pekalongan, Kendal, Semarang, Denak, Kudus, Rembang, Tuban, Gresik, Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Pasuruan, Probolinggo and Situbondo.

Daendels was a marshal appointed as governor general of East Indies by Lodewijk Napoleon who ruling Holland at that time. The ultimate aim was handling military preparation in anticipating British navy attack that had blockaded Java Island. Daendels's most important military project in defending Java from British attack was constructing a highway connecting west and east corner of this island. The road was built by means of obliging indigenous rulers to mobilize people along the route to work it by force. This road had sacrificed thousands life in nearly a year of its building process. Later, the road was renowned as the Great Post Road (De Goote Postweg) since Daendels also set off post and telegraph services at the moment of the making.