India & The 1971 War: A Contrary View

Fifty years ago, India outfoxed Pakistan and won a 13-day war that resulted in the formation of Bangladesh. That remains a glorious chapter in India’s military history; no doubt about that. Then army chief Gen. Sam Manekshaw’s role in preparing/strategising for the war is part of the military folklore. But a recent book by former diplomat Chandrashekhar Dasgupta titled ‘India and the Bangladesh Liberation War: The Definitive Story’ has divergent views about many aspects linked to the war. In this video chat with StratNews Global Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale, Dasgupta, who has been ambassador to China and the European Union, talks about why he went against the grain. This is the first of a three-part special series commemorating 50 years of the Bangladesh liberation war.

#1971 #Indo-PakWar #StratNewsGlobal

[VishnuSharma-iphr]

The auhor displays the typical bias of Indian diplomats against the military. He has deliberately made an effort to discredit the military genius of Sam Maneckshaw.
Second. He justifies not settling the Kashmir issue in terms of the Geneva convention which in no way take away a victor's privilege of negotiating a settlement in its favour including demanding reparations from the vanquished. That was a strategic political and diplomatic failure. No less.

[ON-tkbp]

Another piece of analysis of historical value. Learnings

[subratamallick]

Gifting back 93000 POWs, particularly 5000 notorious war criminals to Pakistan without trial was a great injustice to Bangladesh 🇧🇩 despite giving great help to Bengali Multi Bahini. Pakistan Army 🇵🇰 committed atrocities, genocide of three million and rapes over four hundred thousand women in Bangladesh.

[surendrabarsode]

As regards POWs, if 90k POWs were of no use in negotiations with Pak to settle POK issue, then why did we not allow Bangla Desh to take them as PoWs, as Pak surrendered to the joint command of India and Mukti Bahini? That would have sorted out our headache of spending on them and feeding them for 9 months or so. Perhaps, they would have dealt with the PoWs in a much deserving manner!

[surendrabarsode]

If Indira wanted to wage war in April 71, it is obvious that Indira cannot tell Army as late as in late March 71 or like that! No one can go on offensive at such a short notice unless there are specific limited objectives like surgical strike or Kargil or Balakot. So idea was to get an assessment from Manekshaw as to when it would be possible for the Army to launch the intended operation in East Pakistan.

But Manekshaw had his ways of telling stories and we should enjoy his narration, rather than nitpicking on other irrelevant issues.

[jovianjollity]

Ambassador Dasgupta’s account of the careful planning by Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, and her cabinet, before the 1971 war, is interesting, with all the key decision makers working cohesively, including the decision to delay the military action till December of 1971. .
In talking about his book, the ambassador also cited another great book by Srinath Raghavan on the Bangladesh war: “1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh.”

It is worth mentioning another great book that provides a gripping account of the civil war in former East Pakistan, as seen from the U.S. side. Written by Gary Bass ( Princeton University), the book, which was published in 2013, is titled, “The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger and a Forgotten Genocide, ” describing the policy adopted by the U.S. White House team of Nixon and Kissinger, and the significant tensions that existed between the diplomats in the U.S. State Department, particularly the staff at the U.S. Consulate in Dhaka, who were on the ground and could confirm first hand accounts of the atrocities of the Pakistan military. This book offers a contrasting picture on the U.S. side, against accounts of a cohesive planning on the Indian side, as described by the ambassador.

The telegrams of Archer Blood, the U.S. Consul in Dhaka, at the time, expressed alarm over the situation on the ground. But Nixon and Kissinger are described as essentially coddling the Pakistan military regime of Yahya Khan, with money and weapons, in return for its mediation in the secret efforts at opening U.S. diplomatic relations with China, which was still under Mao’s regime. The White House was executing a strategy of courting China in a plan to contain the U.S.S.R.

These books on the 1971 war from the Indian side and the U.S. side, seem to offer the reader a view in perspective. Bass’s account of General Jacob’s role in the negotiated surrender of the Pakistan military is described in more heroic terms than the accounts on the Indian side.

[Joy_IR]

🇮🇳👉 army motto 👉 always fight and die for nation

🇵🇰👉 army motto👉 always surrender and lose for nation 🤲🏼🤲🏼🤭🤭😅🤣🤣🤣

[Joy_IR]

50 years ago, the biggest surrender of coward nation 🇵🇰 in the history of humanity 🤣🤣😂🤣😅✌️✌️✌️👏👏👏👏👏

[surendrabarsode]

As regards POK, we need clarity as to how to take it back, if at all. If 1971 could not achieve it, how can it be achieved now? Nitin ought to have a detailed program on various options we have and what is the best way forward- give it up, take it by force, or have some other political arrangement or just continue as it?

[VishnuSharma-iphr]

A nation's grand strategy defines its long term visio and lays out a path for the next 50 years or more. The author is blinkered in using that term for a period of a few years and obviously lacks depth in strategic matters.

[badrulhussain]

They did not mentioned that the war lasted for 9 months March to December 1971 and the monsoon season on last for 3 months Jun to August and the Indian army only join the war when the Pakistani army were split up and sounded by the Mukti Bahini who did it with the support on USSR's weapons and training by the East Pakistani army and retired military personals.

Indian only join the war when the USSR submarines show up on the radars of the allied nations of Pakistan who told Pakistan it was to late for them to help and the Pakistani army were surrounding.

[ranj]

My questions is....Who and why killed Shekh mujibur reh maan??? CIA???

[gopalbhatia]

LONG LIVE PAKISTAN. INDIA WILL PAY PRICE FOR HELPING MUKTIBANI