Book Review: 1962 Border Wars

Book review published by

The Book Review Literary Trust

 

BOOK NAME: 1962 Border Wars – Sino-Indian territorial disputes and beyond

AUTHOR NAME: Ismail Vengasseri

REVIEWER NAME: Anil Khosla

Abridged Review:

Fifty years ago, on October 20, 1962, China attacked India, apparently provoked by a territorial dispute and tensions over Tibet. The war was brief, however, it affected the psyche of both countries and still casts a long shadow over Sino-Indian relations. The historical imprint of the war still affects the attitude and decision-making process of the two countries. Like all wars, the 1962 war between China and India had multiple causes. These factors need to be examined dispassionately to learn lessons for the future. China has always been an enigma and is considered to be a mysterious riddle to be solved. Her aggressive and belligerent approach and attitude towards the world at large and India in particular during the time of the pandemic has left everyone wondering about her psyche. Scholars have attributed several reasons to it which include opportunism, power intoxication, diversion of attention and desperation seeing the dream of rejuvenation slipping away.

The relationship between the two countries was cordial till about 1950 in spite of existing disputed boundaries. Numerous factors led to the souring of relations between the two Asian giants finally leading to the armed conflict in 1962. The recent India-China stand-off has generated a renewed interest and debate about Sino-India relations. 1962 Border War: Sino-Indian Territorial Disputes and Beyond by Ismail Vengasseri is timely and useful in correlating the present situation with the past as it reveals the historical factors which shaped Sino-Indian relations and reasons for frequent skirmishes along the border. It helps in understanding how such a brief and limited conflict has had such immense and long-lasting political and other consequences. India still sees China as a nationalist, aggressive power which seeks to dominate Asia and one that might once again strike unexpectedly, just as it did in 1962.

The book brings out the historical timelines of relations between the two nations and the factors responsible for the souring of relations leading up to the war. The book is divided into nine chapters critically analysing each factor.

The work is interdisciplinary in nature and has good references for further research. The author has carried out an analytical study dealing with the subject comprehensively, bringing out the complexities in a lucid manner. In the end, he has summarized it very well listing out the conclusions and making valuable recommendations.

In the initial part, the book has analysed all the available literature and records in detail and explains the topography of the area. Primary sources of the study include the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Report, the official history of conflict with China brought out by the Government of India, CIA report on the Sino-India border dispute, the documents of the Ministry of External Affairs on treaties and agreements, and digital documents included in the historical archives of USA.

Full review.  Available at  The book review Literary Trust publication Volume XLV Number 3 March 2021.

Reference: https://www.thebookreviewindia.org/historical-timelines-of-sino-indian-relations/