The India-Pakistan War of 1971 was the third round between the two South Asian neighbours, but this war was different in many ways from the earlier conflicts. It was not a long drawn slugfest as the three services operated together in perfect sync in what was a lightning campaign that ended with a clear victory for India and the liberation of Bangladesh. It was a victory made possible by the contributions of all arms and services. As the war started on 3 December with the pre-emptive strikes by the Pakistani Air Force, Air Defence Gunners were the first to fire. Throughout the fourteen day campaign, the Air Defence Artillery played a vital role, from ensuring the defence of strategic assets to defending the field formations from enemy air attacks. While many books have been written about the war, all of them have overlooked the role of Air Defence Artillery, relegating its contributions to the margins. For the first time, this book narrates the story of Air Defence Artillery in the 1971 war as it looks at the performance of Air Defence Artillery and highlights both its achievements and failings. This is the story of the unsung heroes of the Indian and Pakistani Air Defence Artillery, who performed valiantly during the war, fighting against all odds.
Les mer
The narrative is woven together, making use of official records and personal recollections, as it tells the captivating story of the Air Defence Artillery in the biggest military conflict fought between India and Pakistan to date.
Les mer
- List of Maps 9
- Acknowledgements 11
- Abbreviations 13
- Preface 17
- Introduction 25
- 1. Revisiting 1965 43
- 2. Taking Stock: The Opposing Forces 60
- 3. Setting the Stage 77
- 4. The Pre-emptive Strike that Wasn't 85
- 5. An Endless Wait: The War in the East 93
- 6. Case West: Defending the Air Forces 131
- 7. Case West: With the Field Army 168
- 8. Air Defence of Depth Areas 213
- 9. Looking Back 230
- Appendices
- A. Indian Air Defence Artillery: Order of Battle 253
- B. Pakistan Air Defence Artillery 255
- C. Indian Air Force Losses 256
- D. Pakistan Air Force Losses 259
- E. Gallantry Awards: Indian Air Defence Artillery 261
- F. Gallantry Awards: Pakistan Air Defence Artillery 263
- Bibliography 265
- Index
Les mer
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9789391928797
Publisert
2024-08-02
Utgiver
Vendor
Manohar Publishers and Distributors
Høyde
254 mm
Bredde
203 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
278
Forfatter