To day the politicians are celebrating(remembering) the sacrifices of 4000 Indians soldiers and officers perished in the ice coffins of Himalayas...For 50 years they constantly refused to acknowledged the wanton life lost and Heroic sacrifices made by our brave soldiers.
“I remember many a time when our senior generals came to us, and wrote to the defence ministry saying that they wanted certain things… If we had had foresight, known exactly what would happen, we would have done something else… what India has learnt from the Chinese invasion is that in the world of today there is no place for weak nations… We have been living in an unreal world of our own creation.”-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in Rajya Sabha, in 1963,
The defeat in the 1962 border war made him realise that there is indeed no place for weak nations in the world politics.
“In the political and diplomatic fields too, significant changes came through the 1962 episode, bringing more realism,” notes the official Indian history of the border war between India and China.
The India-China war was an eye-opener for India. But even after 50 years, the people of India are not aware of the circumstances and reasons that led to India’s defeat.
It is not China’s betrayal that led to India’s defeat..From 1960 itself various military inputs suggest unusual Chinese military in the northern NEFA border. It is Nehru’s belief, and Menon’s arrogance, coupled with his crony general’s tactical mistake,and Indian political leadership decision not to use Indian Air force led to these bloodshed.
4000 officers and solders perished and for 50 years we constantly refused to acknowledge their sacrifices,
Let us revisit the one tragic battlefield
Last moments of 4th Rajput
Lagyala Gompa, the last monastery is located on a high feature overlooking the
Morshing Valley as well as the route Lt Col Bramhanand Avasthywas taking. There was a plateau just
before it made its steep climb to the monastery. It was an ideal killing field.
Unfortunately a 500 strong Chinese unit had already moved in behind and one
group was waiting in ambush at Lagyala Gompa. As Avasthy and his approached
the Gompa they came under heavy fire from the Chinese. Avasthy and his men
hit back. They could have probably chosen to fall back and look for another way
around but decided to fight the Chinese. Although lacking heavy firepower
Avasthy launched a 2 pronged counter attack. The battle was fierce and the
Chinese annoyed by the casualties they were taking tried to isolate Avasthy and
cut him off. But Avasthy’s men surrounded their gallant leader and fought to the
bitter end. Finally it came down to hand to hand combat and after a few hours the
Chinese prevailed. The battlefield was a ghastly sight. Over 200 Chinese bodies
and 126 Indian bodies littered the area. Every Indian was killed or wounded ie
100 percent casualties. Among them were Avasthy and his fellow officers. A
shepherd boy who later became the Head Lama of the monastery is the only
witness to this heroic episode. The Chinese dug a mass grave for the Indians and
left a flattened ration tin with the names of the officers. After the ceasefire the
bodies were retrieved. Avasthy’s body was found with a blood soaked letter to his
wife.
A company led by Major KPP Nair some how find this mass grave and identifies the corpes.
It is an irony that the war started and ended with Rajput battalions bearing the
brunt of Chinese attacks. In Lt Col Bramhanand Avasthy the Regiment and the
Indian Army lost one of its finest officers.
courtesy:*www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/History/196…
“I remember many a time when our senior generals came to us, and wrote to the defence ministry saying that they wanted certain things… If we had had foresight, known exactly what would happen, we would have done something else… what India has learnt from the Chinese invasion is that in the world of today there is no place for weak nations… We have been living in an unreal world of our own creation.”-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in Rajya Sabha, in 1963,
The defeat in the 1962 border war made him realise that there is indeed no place for weak nations in the world politics.
“In the political and diplomatic fields too, significant changes came through the 1962 episode, bringing more realism,” notes the official Indian history of the border war between India and China.
The India-China war was an eye-opener for India. But even after 50 years, the people of India are not aware of the circumstances and reasons that led to India’s defeat.
It is not China’s betrayal that led to India’s defeat..From 1960 itself various military inputs suggest unusual Chinese military in the northern NEFA border. It is Nehru’s belief, and Menon’s arrogance, coupled with his crony general’s tactical mistake,and Indian political leadership decision not to use Indian Air force led to these bloodshed.
4000 officers and solders perished and for 50 years we constantly refused to acknowledge their sacrifices,
Let us revisit the one tragic battlefield
Last moments of 4th Rajput
Lagyala Gompa, the last monastery is located on a high feature overlooking the
Morshing Valley as well as the route Lt Col Bramhanand Avasthywas taking. There was a plateau just
before it made its steep climb to the monastery. It was an ideal killing field.
Unfortunately a 500 strong Chinese unit had already moved in behind and one
group was waiting in ambush at Lagyala Gompa. As Avasthy and his approached
the Gompa they came under heavy fire from the Chinese. Avasthy and his men
hit back. They could have probably chosen to fall back and look for another way
around but decided to fight the Chinese. Although lacking heavy firepower
Avasthy launched a 2 pronged counter attack. The battle was fierce and the
Chinese annoyed by the casualties they were taking tried to isolate Avasthy and
cut him off. But Avasthy’s men surrounded their gallant leader and fought to the
bitter end. Finally it came down to hand to hand combat and after a few hours the
Chinese prevailed. The battlefield was a ghastly sight. Over 200 Chinese bodies
and 126 Indian bodies littered the area. Every Indian was killed or wounded ie
100 percent casualties. Among them were Avasthy and his fellow officers. A
shepherd boy who later became the Head Lama of the monastery is the only
witness to this heroic episode. The Chinese dug a mass grave for the Indians and
left a flattened ration tin with the names of the officers. After the ceasefire the
bodies were retrieved. Avasthy’s body was found with a blood soaked letter to his
wife.
A company led by Major KPP Nair some how find this mass grave and identifies the corpes.
It is an irony that the war started and ended with Rajput battalions bearing the
brunt of Chinese attacks. In Lt Col Bramhanand Avasthy the Regiment and the
Indian Army lost one of its finest officers.
courtesy:*www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/History/196…