Jenderal Besar

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Jenderal Besar, translated literally as "Great General", is the highest rank of the Army of Indonesia. It is the equivalent of a General of the Army, and is used to translate that rank into Indonesian (e.g., this Indonesian page about Jenderal Besar Douglas MacArthur).

The rank has been held by three people:

• Sudirman, also styled Panglima Besar Jenderal ("Great Commander General");
• Abdul Haris Nasution;
• Suharto (self-appointed).

A Jenderal Besar could technically be appointed if ever Indonesia became engaged in a major war or suffered from a massive invasion. A Jenderal Besar would then, most likely, become supreme commander of all Indonesian military forces. Due to the sometimes violent political climate of Indonesia, it is also possible that a potential military dictator could appoint themselves a Jenderal Besar.

The insignia for Jenderal Besar is five golden stars arranged in a pentagon formation. Thus, the insignia is very similar to the United States Army rank of General of the Army.