5 minute read
Book Review
from Desh-Videsh May 2022
by Desh-Videsh
In 1972, Dr. Henry Kissinger, the National Security Adviser to then US President Richard Nixon, called Bangladesh a “basket with a hole.” Even more shocking was that President Nixon and Kissinger were silent when the Pakistani Army and their local collaborators killed three million people, raped thousands of Bengali women, and forced about ten million people to flee their homeland to take refuge in neighboring India. Neither President Nixon nor his administration or the US congress condemned the Pakistani military’s war crimes in Bangladesh; in fact, they didn’t take any initiative to stop it. The book The Role of NixonKissinger in the 1971 Pakistani War Crimes Against Bangladesh by Dr. Nuran Nabi details the role played by the USA, Soviet Union, China, India, and Pakistan during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The book reveals many previously unknown facts: the story of why Nixon and Kissinger opposed the independence of Bangladesh, why they did not condemn the war crimes of Pakistanis in Bangladesh, why they did not take any initiative to stop war crimes, why these two leaders got angry after receiving the famous “Blood Telegram” from American Consul General in Dhaka.
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Nixon and Kissinger have opposed Bangladesh’s independence since the beginning of the Liberation War. They have shamelessly supported the war crimes of Pakistanis such as genocide, rape, and arson, creating refugee problems in Bangladesh.
On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani army launched a vicious attack on the unarmed Bengalis, starting genocide. US State Department Consul General Archer Blood based in Dhaka was shocked to learn of the news of the massacre. He sent the details of the genocide to the US State Department in two confidential telegrams known as “Selective Genocide” and “Blood Telegraph.” Nixon and Kissinger took these telegrams personally and viewed them as a challenge to openly oppose the government policy. The two leaders were so angry with Mr. Blood that they decided to transfer him from Dhaka overnight.
However, on a positive note, the Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, personally worked for the independence of Bangladesh. In addition to the support of her government, she personally made whirlwind visits from one capital to another campaigning for the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, widely known as Bangabandhu, and the independence of Bangladesh.
Apart from training the freedom fighters, India also helped with arms and ammunition and sheltered ten million refugees. Without India’s help and sympathy, millions of refugees would have died of starvation and disease. India recognizes the Provisional Government of Bangladesh, spreads the news of the
Dr. Nuran Nabi
genocide of the Pakistani army in the Indian media, and informs the world about their misdeeds, rapes, and arsons. India actively strives to create world opinion in favor of Bangladesh’s independence.
Prime Minister Gandhi met several world leaders including those from the Soviet Union, France, and the United Kingdom. All of them strongly condemned the genocide, rape, and deportation of Pakistanis and supported Bangladesh’s War of Independence. Unfortunately, all of the leaders except the Soviet Union heads were too cowardly to speak against the US. Prime Minister Gandhi’s attempt was unsuccessful because the US leaders had a vested interest.
After the meeting with Prime Minister Gandhi, President Nixon denounced Gandhi to Kissinger in such vulgar language that it could not be published in print. The next day Kissinger told Nixon, “The Indians are bastards anyway.” Upon his return during a meeting of the National Security Council, Nixon continued his India bashing, noting, “The Indians are slippery, treacherous people.”
The support and cooperation of Prime Minister Gandhi, the Government of India, and the people of India for Bangladesh was unparalleled. Bangladesh will forever remember the help of Gandhi and India with gratitude.
On the other hand, the blind support of Nixon and Kissinger to General Yahya Khan, the Pakistani military ruler, served to establish a diplomatic relationship with China through secret mediation. These two leaders in power were more concerned with their desired ambitions. They had no sense of responsibility for the war crimes of the Pakistanis in Bangladesh. They turned their eyes away from this issue. They became supporters of the misdeeds of the Pakistanis for their personal gain.
With the support of Nixon and Kissinger, Khan committed war crimes in Bangladesh. Bengalis were being killed especially with American weapons. The Nixon administration was secretly supplying American weapons to the Pakistani military, despite sanctions by the United States Congress. That was illegal and unjust.
Just before the fall of Dhaka, Nixon and Kissinger made the last move to prevent Pakistan’s defeat. America sent the 7th Fleet to the Bay of Bengal. The US 7th Fleet consisted of the USS Enterprise, at 75,000 tons, the world’s largest nuclear powered aircraft carrier with more than 70 fighters and bombers, guided missile cruiser USS King, guided missile destroyers USS Decatur, Parsons and Tartar Sam, and amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli. Synchronizing with the US, UK naval group led by the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle with commando carrier HMS Albion, several destroyers and other ships were approaching India’s territorial waters from the west. Caught between the British and the American ships were the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet, led by the 20,000-ton aircraft carrier, Vikrant, with barely 20 light fighter aircrafts.
In this situation, India requested help from Moscow, under the security treaty. In response, on December 13th, Russia dispatched a nucleararmed flotilla, the 10th Operative Battle Group from Vladivostok, under the Command of Admiral Vladimir Kruglyakov. Russia deployed two task groups: in total, two cruisers, two destroyers, six submarines, and support vessels. A group of Il-38 ASW aircraft from Al Anad Air Base in Yemen provided support. The threat of World War III arose. The 7th Fleet of the United States changed its speed to avoid clashes. Dhaka occupied by Pakistanis was liberated. Bangladesh gained independence. The Indian Army brought the Pakistani army to its knees, took 93,000 Pakistani prisoners, and gave 75 million people of Bangladesh their independence. Nixon-Kissinger’s conspiracy to stop Bangladesh’s independence completely failed.
