December in Dacca
The Indian Armed Forces and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
by K.S. Nair
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Pub Date Mar 21 2022 | Archive Date Feb 03 2026
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Description
The 1971 war between India and Pakistan, to help liberate the beleaguered people of Bangladesh, is considered one of the last ‘just wars’ of the twentieth century. Good triumphed decisively, unequivocally and indisputably. Yet, given the scale of atrocity that was halted in its tracks, it is shocking that the compelling circumstances as well as numerous poignant and heart-warming stories of the war have failed to become iconic representations of military intervention and success in the folklore and popular culture of India, Bangladesh and beyond.
December in Dacca seeks to right this wrong. From the dramatic dogfight over Boyra to the cornering of Pakistani naval vessels at Karachi to the Indian helicopter-riding infantry and paratroopers forcing the enemy to retreat, the book retells the many thrilling anecdotes, setting them within their diplomatic, strategic and tactical contexts.
It also provides a glimpse into the lives of some of these heroes once the dust had settled. Most importantly, it offers thoughts on why the events of 1971 are not better known, and how a better understanding of those could help India reaffirm her sense of self.
Advance Praise
‘December in Dacca is a refreshing and intriguing melting pot of known landscapes of a near-genocide; war and conflict as it panned out across two fronts and individual stories of valour and heroism. What makes it stand out is its examination of the 1971 war through an ethical lens and its argument that India let go of the moral high ground rather too easily and did not carry forward the gains it accrued from the stupendous victory in its own journey of nation-building.’
– Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam (Retd), President’s Chair of Excellence, National Defence College, New Delhi, and author of India’s Wars and Full Spectrum.
‘Nair has managed to find living tissue in the corpus of a war that has been written about to death. Superbly full of many missing treasures that make it worthy of our greatest victory's fiftieth year.’
– Shiv Aroor, Journalist, author of Operation Jinnah and co-author of India’s Most Fearless
Marketing Plan
The book memorializes a ‘just war’ that India won against all odds and despite pressure from all sides, but which remains inadequately celebrated
It also marks the completion of fifty years of the 1971 war
Targets readers of military history, military operations, history, retd. officers and professors at defence institutions like National Defence Academy; as well as defence/military correspondents and currently serving officers.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9789354894589 |
| PRICE | $25.00 (USD) |
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