Himalayan Blunder - Summary
The Himalayan Blunder reveals the shocking truth about India’s most painful military disaster, the Sino-Indian War of 1962. This gripping account, told by Brigadier J. P. Dalvi, one of the brave soldiers who fought in the war, shares firsthand insights into the events that unfolded from September 8, 1962, to October 20, 1962. Discover the stories of not just the conflict but also the mistakes and decisions that led to this military catastrophe.
Key Themes in Himalayan Blunder
The book covers several important topics related to the war, including:
- THE YEARS OF CREDULITY AND NEGLIGENCE
- I. Introduction
- II. The Annexation of Tibet and India’s China Policy
- III. The Uneasy Lull, 1950/55
- IV. The Twilight Years, 1955/59
- V. The Army Mans The Border, 1959/60
- VI. Half-Hearted Preparations, 1961.
- THE FATEFUL YEAR – 1962
- VII. The Defence of The McMahon Line – The Battle Zone; Strategy Unrelated to Means; Operation ONKAR; Wishful Thinking
- VIII. The Line-Up On The Eve of Battle-7th September 1962- China Prepares for the Coup de Grace; China’s Deception Plans; India Un- prepared for War
- “ON TO THE NAMKA CHU”
- IX. China Crosses The McMahon Line-8th September 1962
- X. The Trap is Baited
- XI. “Evict The Chinese”
- XII. The Final Appreciation, 23rd/29th September 1962
- THE END OF MAKE-BELIEVE
- XIII. Nehru Takes Over-2nd October 1962
- XIV. A Soldier Uninhibited
- XV. The Clash At Tseng Jong, 10th October 1962.
- THE BATTLE AT THE NAMKA CHU RIVER
- XVI. “Defend Your Present Positions”
- XVII. Feverish Activity
- XIII. Occupation and Build-Up of Tsangle
- XIX. The Blinkered Command
- XX. The Vain Fight For Decisions
- XXI. 7 Brigade Without Higher Leadership
- XXII. The Ethics of Resigning a Field Command
- XXIII. The Trap is Set.
- XXIV. The Day of Reckoning, 20th October 1962
- XXV. Captive of The Chinese Army
- THE REASON WHY
- XXVI. Faulty Higher Direction of War – The Ministry of Defence; The Chiefs of Staff Committee; The Cabinet Secretariat (Military Wing); The Chief of Army Staff; Army Headquarters; The Penalty for Hustling
- XXVII. India’s Defence Ministers from 1947 to 1962
- EPILOGUE
- XXVIII. The Political and Economic Aftermath
- Appendix I. Letter from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on the implications of the Chinese occupation of Tibet
- Appendix II. Author’s Career and Credentials
- SKETCHES
- Sketch I. Kameng Frontier Division of NEFA-the route from the Brahmaputra Valley to the McMahon Line.
- Sketch II. The Thagla Ridge-Namka Chu Valley Battle- zone and maintenance routes.
- Sketch III. The Massive Chinese Assaults on 20th October 1962 against 7 Brigade
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