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.
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