Scan barcode
krishnu's review
5.0
I've been fascinated by the Bangladesh Liberation war for the longest time. One of the reasons for this is because it coincides with my Birthday; Yahya Khan initiated his genocide on the 25th of March.
The second reason is that I've felt that the Bangladesh genocide is never discussed in mainstream media as much as it ought to be. I understand why that is the case. It was a genocide- committed by a majority against a minority. It is a historical event that can be used by certain power groups to propagate their narrative.
Mr Raghavan's book isn't just a narrative of how the events unfolded - for that, I would recommend another book I am reading in parallel— the Blood Telegram. Instead, this book puts forth the idea that :
a) the sequence of events wasn't exactly inevitable.
b) It wasn't just a Liberation war/Indo-Pakistan war. It was a conflict in which players from across the globe were actively involved
Of course, the historical currents and power relationships that existed at that point in time in our world played a huge role, but there were always points where history could have taken a different course altogether- and there were people who were responsible for these course changes.
The book is extremely well researched and insightful. Surely a must-read for anybody interested in India's history.
The second reason is that I've felt that the Bangladesh genocide is never discussed in mainstream media as much as it ought to be. I understand why that is the case. It was a genocide- committed by a majority against a minority. It is a historical event that can be used by certain power groups to propagate their narrative.
Mr Raghavan's book isn't just a narrative of how the events unfolded - for that, I would recommend another book I am reading in parallel— the Blood Telegram. Instead, this book puts forth the idea that :
a) the sequence of events wasn't exactly inevitable.
b) It wasn't just a Liberation war/Indo-Pakistan war. It was a conflict in which players from across the globe were actively involved
Of course, the historical currents and power relationships that existed at that point in time in our world played a huge role, but there were always points where history could have taken a different course altogether- and there were people who were responsible for these course changes.
The book is extremely well researched and insightful. Surely a must-read for anybody interested in India's history.
maketeaa's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
a truly global examination of the emergence of bangladesh. starting with the status of south asian relations post-partition, such as following the tashkent agreement, raghavan details the various international parties and interactions that led to the eventual separation of east and west pakistan. raghavan dismisses the argument that this separation was inevitable, and instead posits the idea that the creation of bangladesh occurred as a result of a chain of events unforeseen from the beginning. he highlights the tension between international states following the cold war, and the way their conflicting interests over pakistan aggravated such tensions. with the united states determined to secure a communicative route to china via pakistan, india relied on soviet support to press pakistan for a political change that allowed the repatriation of the refugees inundating the nation. embroiled in the effects of globalisation, facilitating widespread publicity of the genocide of bengalis, this conflict triggered a series of treaties, UN decisions, and further international disputes that eventually resulted in pakistan's unconditional surrender on december 16th 1971.
while i enjoyed raghavan's analysis, i have to wonder if the emphasis given to india's influence overshadows the domestic actions within bangladesh that may have played a role in the emergence of the state. bangladesh is framed as a somewhat passive participant in its own independence, which is something i cannot comment on as i have not read much around this subject as of yet. notwithstanding my appreciation of the global outlook of the separation, i would have been interested to read more about particular movements native to bengalis.
while i enjoyed raghavan's analysis, i have to wonder if the emphasis given to india's influence overshadows the domestic actions within bangladesh that may have played a role in the emergence of the state. bangladesh is framed as a somewhat passive participant in its own independence, which is something i cannot comment on as i have not read much around this subject as of yet. notwithstanding my appreciation of the global outlook of the separation, i would have been interested to read more about particular movements native to bengalis.
adikulk93's review against another edition
4.0
One of the notions that most people have about the 1971 Bangaladesh Liberation War was localised to the Indian subcontinent and it involved a bitter conflict between the two arch-rivals India and Pakistan. Although it is known that India and Pakistan back then were allies of the two superpowers, the USSR and the USA, the involvement of other nations in what was most definitely a conflict of global importance, is relatively unknown.
Also, the manner in which Indian armed forces were able to obtain a quick victory and enforce the surrender of Pakistan has made us believe that the war was inevitable. However, through his meticulous research and outstanding narration, the author, Srinath Raghavan makes one understand the truly global context of the Bangladesh Liberation War and also questions the "inevitability" of the whole conflict.
The book doesn't divulge into the military details of the war as such, if that is what you are expecting. Rather, it provides a strategic overview of the global context and acts as a curtain raiser for the conflict and analyses the outcome of what was perhaps India's most significant military and diplomatic victory in post independent era. 1971 was strategically significant year in which India totally emerged as the dominant power in the subcontinent and Pakistan lost the race between the two nations which had become independent in 1947. This book acts as an excellent curtain raiser to the whole scenario.
Also, the manner in which Indian armed forces were able to obtain a quick victory and enforce the surrender of Pakistan has made us believe that the war was inevitable. However, through his meticulous research and outstanding narration, the author, Srinath Raghavan makes one understand the truly global context of the Bangladesh Liberation War and also questions the "inevitability" of the whole conflict.
The book doesn't divulge into the military details of the war as such, if that is what you are expecting. Rather, it provides a strategic overview of the global context and acts as a curtain raiser for the conflict and analyses the outcome of what was perhaps India's most significant military and diplomatic victory in post independent era. 1971 was strategically significant year in which India totally emerged as the dominant power in the subcontinent and Pakistan lost the race between the two nations which had become independent in 1947. This book acts as an excellent curtain raiser to the whole scenario.
alexabarca's review
As far as political science books go, highly recommend this one! It does a wonderful job of breaking down the various facets/causes of the Bangladeshi independence movement and the humanitarian crisis that resulted from it. The book takes a thematic approach that is roughly in chronological order, so each chapter feels isolated (read, digestible/manageable) while still being relevant to the overall message of the book.
If you have any interest in the subject, def a good read!
If you have any interest in the subject, def a good read!