1st Edition

Politico-Military Strategy of the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971

By Guru Saday Batabyal Copyright 2021
    346 Pages 21 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge India

    346 Pages 21 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge India

    346 Pages 21 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge India

    This book critically examines the politico-military strategy of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. What began as a power struggle and cultural conflict between West and East Pakistan, later compelled India to intervene—an intervention that decisively shaped and influenced the geo-politics of the region and the global order.

    This volume is a systematic study of the situation of events, operational art and tactics, cold war politics, international reactions, and their impact on the formulation of the national grand strategy of all three nations. The book discusses various key themes such as the creation of Pakistan and events leading to its secession, the military geography of East Pakistan, state of armed forces of India and Pakistan and India’s humanitarian intervention, the role of Mukti Bahini, and the ambiguous stance of the United Nations in the war. The book offers an appraisal of the performances of the opposing forces and reflects on the inevitability of war and its outcome. It also gives an overview of the state formation of the three nations, encompassing the defining moments of the modern history of these South Asian countries and highlighting the socio-economic progress they have made half a century after the liberation war.

    A compelling treatise in the history of politico-military strategy, this book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of politics and international relations, partition studies, modern history, military history, South Asian studies, international security, defence and strategic studies, language politics, Islamic history, and refugee and diaspora studies. It will also appeal to general readers interested in the histories of Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.

    1. Idea of Pakistan and Road to Bangladesh  2. Art of War: Nuances of Strategy, Operational Art and Tactics  3. Military Geography of East Pakistan: Its implications on Formulation of War Strategy and Conduct of Battles  4. Geopolitics in South Asia from 1947 to 1971 and the Role of External Powers During 1971 Indo-Pakistan War  5. Politico-Military Strategy of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh Government in Exile 6. Planning and Conduct of Operation  7. Mukti Bahini: Strategy, Modus Operandi and Contribution  8.Air and Naval Operations: Strategy and Execution  9. Role of United Nations during 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War  10. Appraisal on the War Strategy, and it’s Execution through the Prisms of Operational Art and the Principles of War  11. Reflection and War Highlights  12. Years Beyond the Liberation War

    Biography

    Guru Saday Batabyal is an alumnus of War College and a graduate of the prestigious Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, India. He earned his PhD from Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India. As a Colonel, he commanded the 2nd battalion of the 4th Gorkha Rifles with distinction and led the first Indian contingent in United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in 1998–99. In 2003, he was selected to represent India in a conflict resolution and peace building project held under the aegis of the United Nations. From 2006 to 2015, he served as the CEO and Executive Director of various companies under Birla and DCPL Group. In addition to authoring a book chapter on pandemics, he has published numerous articles on various aspects of the construction of Pakistan and the emergence of Bangladesh. A compelling speaker, he is regularly invited to deliver talks on topics covering modern history of South Asia, geo-politics, conflict, and development. Currently, he is visiting faculty at North Bengal University, India and is working on his second book.