1965: Stories from the Second Indo-Pak War By Rachna Bisht Rawat

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As a reader of the book, i had a third hand experience of what transpired in the Indo-Pak wars of 1965. Nevertheless my understanding of the wars fought is no less rich. The military strategy, the dedication and commitment of the soldiers, their patriotic fervour is indeed unmatched. So much goes into emerging victorious in a war, firstly the acceptance that death is around the corner and acceptance of it with grace; in the battlefield display of utmost discipline, skill, understanding of the geography, knowing the enemy and so many other things. This is my first attempt at reading a war account and i feel really thankful to the friend who suggested (well actually lent me his book and let me keep it for more than a year) me this. Reading the book was an enriching as well as heart-wrenching experience.
Finally, reading about the heroes only made me wonder about their emotional/mental states and the trauma of war that probably has stayed on after the war was over. Kindle Edition Got goosebumps at least 20 times. Naam namak nishaan, an Indian army soldier is a very different soul moulded from a different metal altogether. This book made me wiser, if not immensely proud.

Dogarai Dogarai !! Kindle Edition 'For the men in olive-green. Writing their story taught me what valor is.'

I have always been interested in the war genre. I simply love to read war memoirs, novels based on wars and books like '1965: Stories from the Second Indo-Pakistan War.' When I was in the bookstore looking at new arrivals, this book instantly caught my eye. I am glad it did! There is something about the stories of these soldiers that makes me appreciate history and all those sacrifices these people made in order to make what the world is today. It is a sad reality that soldiers are never given their due. They are, oftentimes ignored or not given the full credit and respect for all that they do to make a country safe and sustainable. Rachna Bisht Rawat's book '1965: Stories of the Second Indo-Pakistan War' makes a meaningful attempt to honor all those brave soldiers that India lost during the second Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. It offers deep insight into the workings of the war, the five significant battles, personal and touching interviews from the survivors and a lot of facts which I was pretty unaware of. It gives an example of how courage and will power are sometimes game-changing when it comes to wars. The book gives harrowing details about the five fierce battles that Indian soldiers fought during the war, despite being at a technological disadvantage. It somehow proves that willpower and courage are greater than manpower and technology.

The book has it own flaws, but the kind of inspiration it offers cannot be ignored. The author mentions how she only had four months to research, type and edit a 50,000 page book and how the publisher had just one month to edit and publish it. I really applaud her for her effort. This book is definitely a must read for all those looking for inspiration and are typical history buffs like me and like reading books based on wars. This book is one of those page-turners that will surely keep you hooked to the last page. Kindle Edition Fifty years ago, in April 1965, skirmishes between border police broke out along the Indo-Pak frontier. Despite attempts at peace, by August, the two countries were involved in a conflict that saw thousands killed and wounded.

The Indo-Pak War of 1965 has gone down as a landmark in Indian military history. It saw Indian soldiers going up against a technologically better-equipped Pakistani Army, and still pulling off astounding victories. It saw near-unbelievable displays of courage, and it made heroes out of men as diverse as an ex-tailor and an Anglo-Indian born in the UK.

In 1965: Stories From the Second Indo-Pak War, Rachna Bisht Rawat chronicles some of the stories of the Indian soldiers of 1965. The narrative centres round five battles that marked the war. Stretching from Kashmir to Punjab, these battlefields were as diverse as jungles, mountains and sugarcane fields. In all, Indian soldiers proved themselves equal both to the enemy and the terrain.

The five battles—Haji Pir Pass, Asal Uttar, Phillora, Barki, and Dograi—are covered in a long chapter each, which explains the background before going into the details of the military units deployed, the strategy, and the action itself. The entire course of the battle is covered, with significant events being highlighted—a particular victory, a loss, a surprise twist, an amusing anecdote. Each chapter, too, includes descriptions of particularly noteworthy acts of valour that earned men recognition (or, in some cases, not: at the Battle of Asal Uttar, three grenadiers, Shafiq, Naushad and Suleiman, shot dead a Pakistani GOC—probably the only foot soldiers ever to have killed a General in battle).

While the detailed descriptions of the battles may not appeal to readers uninterested in military history, what makes this book memorable are the stories of these men. Each chapter ends with a long section on one man who exemplified courage in that battle: CQMH Abdul Hamid, for example, who destroyed seven Patton tanks at Asal Uttar before being killed. Or Lt Col Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore, whose courage and hands-on attitude won him the undying respect of his men.

Dotted with reminiscences of veterans, of relatives and widows who lost their men in these battles, this book brings alive the men who fought the battles of 1965. They, and the anecdotes that appear here and there, are what make this book not just a commemoration of 1965, but more: an affectionate, warm tribute to these men. There is pathos here, of course, and bravery, even humour. There is a glimpse of the other side of battle: the days of trudging through rain and mud, the lack of sleep and water. Of surviving on sugarcane for six days because there was no other food. Of villagers helping out with food and friendship (or, in one ironic incident, Pakistani villagers not realizing that the tanks rolling down their village lanes were Indian, the soldiers in them the enemy).

General Patton once said, ‘Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men’. 1965: Stories From the Second Indo-Pak War is a worthy tribute to those men who may not have won us the war (ceasefire was declared late in September 1965), but who showed us what soldiering is about.

(From my review for The New Indian Express: http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifes...) Kindle Edition When the odds are all stacked against, and when the going gets tough, that is the point where true heroes emerge. Facing difficulties both internally and externally, geographically and militarily, the men in the battles described in the book came out with a manual on bravery in adversity. The book, an account of India's glorious battles, does justice to the purpose for which it was written. A quick and a good read. Kindle Edition

On 1 September 1965, Pakistan invaded Chamb district in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering a series of tank battles, operations and counter-operations. It was only the bravery and well-executed strategic decisions of the soldiers of the Indian Army that countered the very real threat of losing Kashmir to Pakistan. Recounting the battles fought by five different regiments, the narrative reconstructs the events of the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war, outlining details never revealed before, and remembers its unsung heroes. 1965: Stories from the Second Indo-Pak War

Stark realization of the hurdles faced by soldiers during war in those times when technology was not there! Also loved this line by author Rachna Bisht-
For the men in olive green. Writing their stories taught me what valour is Kindle Edition A book that takes you back 50 years to the heroic deeds of valor of our armed forces. A truly authentic and unbiased account of 1965 Indo-pak war as narrated by the war veterans.
You feel the goosebumps and hair raising on your arms, reading stories of gallantry awardwees and sacrifices made for mother India. A must read for all Indians to truly understand our glorious piece of history. Kindle Edition The book details some of the most important missions from the Indo-Pak war of 1965. The detailing includes the commanders and men, their plan and how the events unfolded.
My most favourite part in the book is the personality profiling section of the men at the end of every chapter. This is the part which almost all books on this subject lack.

If you are looking for the reasons of this war and geo-polity surrounding it, this is not the right book. Kindle Edition comprehensive review of the story and good account of the mental taughness of our Armies. serious book but refreshing! Kindle Edition A war that gave birth to heroes we are not grateful to. Some of the stories we heard millions of times. But some are lost in the history. Rachna's 1965 war cherishes the memories of those who laid their lives for the motherland. Kindle Edition