Suharto was born in Godean, in the Dutch colony of Java. He joined the colonial army in 1940, but fought against the Dutch after World War II. He became an officer in the national military following independence and rose to the rank of major general in 1962.

In 1967, Suharto became president. Through the Cold War, Suharto remained a close ally of the United States. However, with the end of the superpower conflict, the administration of George H. W. Bush became increasingly critical of Suharto's human rights policies and pressed for democratic reforms, as well as more autonomy for East Timor (which Indonesia had annexed in 1975). In 1992, Congress enacted limitations on U.S. military aid to Indonesia. The following year, Washington supported a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Indonesia's brutal suppression in East Timor.

In 1997, the East Asian Financial Crisis led to a significant economic downturn. Suharto was granted a relief package, including debt forgiveness, from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, the IMF insisted on an austerity program that was domestically unpopular. Indonesians were also tired of the corruption and graft common in the regime. Suharto personally embezzled more than $12 billion during his tenure. In 1998, protests and the loss of military support led Suharto to resign. Repeated efforts by successive governments to prosecute him for corruption were unsuccessful.

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