Genre: Memoirs
Publisher: Penguin eBury Press
Price: Paperback Rs 339/-, Kindle Rs 188.33 (Available on Amazon)
My rating: ****
This book by Ian Cardozo has real-life stories from the 1971 Indo-Pak war. These are first-person accounts of the author and many other defence services officers – the preparations that went into it, the strategies that our forces employed, the courage that they displayed, the sacrifices made by our soldiers; it was a combination of all these and many other factors which resulted in victory. The author was a participant in the war as an army officer, and lost a leg during the operation.
As one reads through the book, one understands the reasons why India had to enter the war, why Sam Manekshaw insisted on the war to be deferred till December, how a perfect understanding between the politicians, the bureaucrats, and the three wings of the defence forces – army, air force, and navy – helped in the final outcome. Each member of the defence forces showed extraordinary courage.
It is a fast paced insightful read, written in a narrative style. The author has avoided using many defence terms, or going into details of bureaucratic process. The focus is to narrate events and stories of people who participated in those incidents. This is what makes the book relatable.
I am glad that the book belongs to my library.
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