There have been many
publications on the India-Pakistan War of 1971, which has been called the
"War of the Century, but the book edited by Major General Ian Cardozo is
unique in the sense that it gives us an account of the war narrated by
individuals, both civil and military,
who participated in it.
Major General
Cardozo participated
in the war and was wounded at Sylhet in Bangladesh. He overcame the handicap of
an amputated
limb and became the
first disabled officer of the Indian Army to command an infantry battalion, a
brigade and a division. I had the opportunity of interacting with him when he
was posted at the army Headquarters.
The first few
chapters of the book vividly narrate the personal account of the people of
Bangladesh, villagers, who suffered tremendously during the crackdown by
Pakistani troops in East Pakistan. The Pakistan Army did not even spare its
Bengali soldiers. Among the accounts included is the role played by Sepoy
Asghar Baluch of the Baluch Regiment.
It also contains an
account of the murder and mayhem at the Gandhi Ashram in Noakhali and at Chawk
Haldi which left 350 women of the village widowed.
Lt. Col. Quazi Sajjad
Ali Zahir also provides an account of the murder of Imam Safiruddin Munshi and
his children in Mymensingh by Pakistani soldiers.
The second section of
the book gives us an account of the role played by units of the Indian Army in
the liberation of Bangladesh,
like the celebrated Battle of Hilli, the para-drop at Tangail, which was a
tough task. It contains accounts of unit commanders of the Indian Army who
managed to cross river obstacles and reach the outskirts of Dacca. The Pakistan
Army destroyed bridges, but they were reconstructed in a day of two by the
engineer units of the Indian Army.
The book has an
account of the non conventional role played by the 52 Engineer Regiment.Colonel K. S.
Mann narrates the
triumphant march of the Indian Army from Agartala to Dacca.
The book has a vivid
account of the surrender of Pakistani Army units at Comilla.
The third section of
the book gives a detailed account of the battles fought in the Western sector,
like the Battle of the Chicken Neck, which commenced on 5-6 December. It has
been narrated by Colonel S.V. Kotwal, ex Regimental Medical Officer of the 11
Guards Regiment. It is followed by a narration of the Battle of Khem Karan,
narrated by Colonel
Gurdep Singh Gill.
Officers who
participated in various battles like the Battle of Bur and the Battle of Ring
Contour have narrated their experiences, providing various details of the brave
resistance of the units which faced the Pakistan Army.
The fourth section
contains the role played by the Indian Air Force. It commences with a memoir of
Air Commodore Ashok Shinde, who was asked to proceed on a mission to help army
units resisting the Pakistan Army in the Chhamb Sector. The battle started on
December 3, which happened to be his birthday.
Air Commodore Manbir
Singh narrates the role of the Indian Air Force in neutralizing the Pakistan
Air Force in the eastern sector. Vivid accounts of the role of Canberra
bombers, both in the eastern and western fronts, are provided by Wing Commander
Raghunath. An interesting account of the role played by his unit on every day
of the war is provided by Wing Commander Kulbir Singh Harnal.
The fifth and final
section gives an account of the naval operations during the war. Rear Admiral
S. Ramsagar gives us an account of the role played by the aircraft carrier INS
Vikrant, which moved to the eastern sector once the crackdown by the Pakistan
Army commenced in East Pakistan. At the commencement of the war in December, the Seahawks and Alizes
based on Vikarnt were able to neutralise Pakistan air force units in Dacca and
Chittagong. They also attacked vessels at Chalna and nearby ports which made it
impossible for the Pakistan Army to escape from East Pakistan.
The Indian Navy also
achieved remarkable success by carrying out missile attacks on Karachi harbour.
Commodore Vijay
Jerath has provided an account of the operations which succeeded in tying up
the Pakistan Navy inside the harbour, which destroyed the will of the Pakistan
Navy to enter into battle.
Commodore K.
P. Mathew has given us
an account of the riddle of the sinking of Pakistan submarine PNS Ghazi.
While we have read
many publications giving us an account of the India-Pakistan War of 1971, In
Quest of Freedom, The War of 1971, provides
us with a closer look.
Book review; In Quest of
Freedom, The War of 1971,
edited by Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, published by Bloomsbury, pages 306, Rs 399
Mr. I. Ramamohan is a
former Principal Information Officer of the Government of India. He can be
reached at raoramamohan@hotmail.com.
Representative
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Source:
ANI by
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