CHINESE AGGRESSION –1962

WHY CHINA WENT BACK FROM NEFA

SARASIJ MAJUMDER

China reached up to BOMDILLA, crossing SE-LA, and then went back, leaving the acquired territory for re-occupation by INDIA. WHY??

Mao was not soft on anybody - including his own army, and citizens, let alone INDIA. THEN??

Requires some in depth analysis, and understanding.

In the 1962 war, China had the element of surprise. Nobody in the world thought China would attack India. However, on October 16, 1962, something crazy happened that made the world forget India and China, for the time being.

The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of total destruction as the US and USSR began the world’s biggest staring match. A single mistake could have brought 1000s of nuclear weapons raining around the globe. The citizens of the world were nervously watching that.

4 days later, China crossed into the Indian borders using that distraction. Mao had known of the crisis brewing in Cuba through his RUSSIAN connections. Through that he was able to bring the element of surprise.

The Indians were unprepared for this sudden attack and thus had initial losses. Days/weeks before the war, Indian leaders - Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Chief of Army Staff were all leisurely traveling the world, and having a GALA TIME.

However, once they realized what was happening, Indians were able to organize, and resist strong; and in Razang La and Walong CHINA suffered very high casualties. And the Indians were also mobilizing the use of Airforce where INDIA had a superiority. As the initial surprise ended, things started evening out.

Also, after the end of the Cuban missile crisis, US started getting involved and prepared to send USS Kitty Hawk and also started flying in supplies through USAF. The longer the war went, more disadvantage for China as it was fighting a war too far from its core, while India could mobilize faster as the border is not far from its major cities. And China’s relationship with all the major powers in 1962 was terrible. India had the benefit of getting arms from a variety of sources.

5 years later when a similar clash happened [albeit at a lower scale], China tasted defeat: REFER Nathu La and Cho La clashes.  Last two were DOKLAM, and GALWAN.  In DOKLAM, CHINA retreated. In Galwan—got thrashed.

Mao was smart enough to pull back when he was still winning. Had he continued, that victory would have turned into a defeat through a stalemate. A smart man knows when to exit. Mao can be accused of all sorts of things, but one thing for sure-- he was not soft, and much smarter than his counterpart—Mr. Jawahar Lal Nehru.

On hind sight--- China didn’t retreat from AKSAI CHIN. Could China also have kept part of A.P. up to SE-LA??

Might be possible—considering the then INDIA’s P.M., and dis-organized Indian Armed Forces—and considering both, weak political and military leadership in India during that time—it could may be just possible----.

Now, this gimmick of showing Arunachal Pradesh/ Twang as part of TIBET/ CHINA will not serve any purpose, except, making China look laughable.

China Shall forget carrying out any mis-adventure in Arunachal Pradesh NOW.

 

NOTE: -- AUTHOR HAS VISITED THE SUBJECT PLACES MANY TIMES.

REFERENCES:--

1.0  De-classified CIA REPORT—92 page.

2.0 Other books on SINO-INDIAN WAR.

3.0 India’s Defense Magazine.

To readers: I will be out for 10 days, and will not be able to post any BLOG, till I return.