The military Role of "East Pakistan"-Bangladesh in 1965 against India

[PlanetSoldier]

Ja wir haben es verstanden, die Bengalen hätten trotzdem einen Volksturm aufbauen können ! 


The best and rational Reply in this Topic, I am proud of the Bengal folk, which did fight with us against India in 1965. 


I full agree with you !

Also good that you got back in sense .

 

[ExtraOdinary]

You did forget China . . . . . . ...... 


with the held of the Bengals folk, but without any Mukti who knows how many indians soldiers would have been killed. . . . ...........

You did forget Japan. You did forget Russia. You did forget USA . Too much day dreaming aint good for zee health.

Supplies could easily be stockpiled so that BD could on for many weeks, even months as BD is pretty much self-sufficient in food grains now.

You are right that currently India does not even need to invade BD as it can just use it's Navy to blockade BD from the Bay of Bengal. If Myanmar does not help then BD will have lost without a single shot being fired.

BD military is way too weak currently to even think of a military confrontation with India. As an example, the air-wing from the aircraft-carrier vikramaditya will be much more powerful than the whole of the BD air-force.

And those stationary stockpiles will be susceptible to air/missile strikes. Like what happened at the Karachi oil dumps. Rest I agree with, now can we stop the NE invasion/chicken neck snapping bla bla war mongering.

 

[MilSpec]

Actually, I still don't understand why India didn't attack east pak. There was hardly any army/airforce present there.

High value target.... East pakistani territory wouldn't have been a bargaining chip... Islamabad didn't have any value for the land or the people of EP

 

[my2cents]

because in 65 we were fighting defensive war.
If you have to open a new front to put pressure on PA, will you do so in punjab (their prized possession) or east pakistan which they dont even bother to defend?
They would simply have ignored our attack in east pakistan and carried on attacking kashmir, something not desirable to us.

so, they did care for their Bengali brothers even back then in 1965.

 

[Inception-06]

Also good that you got back in sense .

Sir, could you plz explain ?

 

[PlanetSoldier]

Sir, could you plz explain ?

You started the thread like this:

Was there any worke, interest or motivation in east Pakistan (today Bangladesh) to join the war against India in 1965?

like they did it in 1971 in the war against "West Pakistan" ?

Then you said this:

That was no reason for the folk of East Pakistani not to join the war, again if they could build up Militant Brigades in 1971 war against west pakistan, so they could do the same in 1965, it is a question of loyalty. I think the Bangalis dont wanted fight,if they would have seriously asked for weapons to build up a light "armed folk assault", there were no reasons for West Pakistan not to supply them. Even a defensive guerilla tactic would have helped to release the frontline in West Pakistan. I think the Bengalis never had interest to join the war, with weapons or without .......sad but true !

Now you just said something sensible:

The best and rational Reply in this Topic, I am proud of the Bengal folk, which did fight with us against India in 1965.

That's what I said you got back to sense.

 

[The_Sidewinder]

Bold Part: In a two front war Pakistan will dominate the western front and IAF in the east. However, a total victory requires a military to win in the land. It will not be easy for IA troops in the marshland east. IA cannot just commit an offensive huge number of troops to win a battle here on the ground. It will result in the advance of PA troops in the west of India. IA generals will certainly evade a two-front war.

okey, point well taken. But you assume that western front will be dominated by PAF. Why so? Give a valid argument.

 

[eastwatch]

1965 conflict didn't remained confined to just Kashmir dispute it turned into an All Out War with fighting taking place all across the International Border in Punjab, Sindh, Rajasthan and Gujarat not just confined to Kashmir capturing any territory belonging to enemy nation including east bengal was completely justified in this case

Do not you really know why India escalated the war to non-contesting areas? It was to thin away the PA defense to the entire length of border in the west. But, PA would have depended upon people's war in the east if attacked by India.

A mobilization by India in the east would have disallowed IA to escalate the war along the entire international border in the west. PA could have concentrated its force along the Kashmir border in a situation like that. But, anyway, IA read the trap and did not mobilize in the east.

 

[Saleem]

Nope..East Pakistan didn't send any troops in 1965 war or in 1947 war..

nope, east bengal regiment was made up of martians.....and EPR was made of neptunians....

 

[Android]

Do not you really know why India escalated the war to non-contesting areas? It was to thin away the PA defense to the entire length of border in the west. But, PA would have depended upon people's war in the east if attacked by India.

A mobilization by India in the east would have disallowed IA to escalate the war along the entire international border in the west. PA could have concentrated its force along the Kashmir border in a situation like that. But, anyway, IA read the trap and did not mobilize in the east.

The numerical superiority in terms of active personnel possessed by IA easily gave them the advantage of opening the new front in East Pakistan while also not compromising much with the war efforts in the Western Front unless our situation in the west turned really desperate which was not the case and was going pretty well with huge amount of territory captured by IA compared to the one gained by PA. The only reason I think IA didn't invaded East Pakistan was that Indian leadership realized that land wasn't valued much by the enemy and wouldn't be of much value in terms of bargaining chip in return for Indian territory captured compared to the land in west Pakistani and almost negligible amount of troops present over there didn't make it any sort of military threat.

 

[GR!FF!N]

nope, east bengal regiment was made up of martians.....and EPR was made of neptunians....

East Bengal Regiment served in western front.what i meant is that there were no force used by East Pakistan in the Eastern Front.that regiment saved Pakistan by stopping Indian Divisions overrunning Lahore.but the same Regiment mutinied 6 years later..

 

[Md Akmal]

Nope..East Pakistan didn't send any troops in 1965 war or in 1947 war..

@ In the eve of Indo-Pak 1965 war, East Pakistan had only 3 x Brigades located to defend East Pakistan. One is located in general area Rangpur-Rajshahi (Rajshahi Division), one is located at Comilla-Sylhet area, the third Brigade was located at Jessore-Khulna area. Some elements of Division were located at Dacca and some elements of troops were located at Chittagong.

@ 1 x (Australian) Sqn stationed at Dacca having 20 fighter planes. This sqn was given by the Australian Govt once Pakistan signed a Defense Pact with Australia. In those days these were the best aircrafts in comparison with Indian Aircrafts deployed in the Eastern Sector. With this lone sqn Pakistan Airforce carried out a simultaneous air raids on the Indian Eastern series of airports. And it was reported that around 14/16 Indian Gnats/ Vampires aircraft were destroyed. Indian Airforce did retaliated by attacking Chittagong, Narranganj, Tejgaon and Cormitola airport but with negligible damage. Indian aircraft also carried out air raids at Lalmonir Hat and Shibganj airport(Thakurgaon). Finally I want to say that this lone Pak Sqn played a vital role in the Pakistan Eastern Sector which was a real deterrent to Indian both land and air battle.

@ It was true that the defense of East Pakistan was kept on the mercy of India in 1965 war but it was not completely free hand. I remember that in those days Pakistan army created lot of “Mujahed Battallion “ almost in all Thanas. And they were highly motivated. Besides there were 15/16 Wings of East Pakistan Rifles being commanded by the Army Officers. Here I want to say that these EPR wings were comparatively very strong with Indian BSF. That was one of the reason why India always wants the EPR/BDR/ Border Guards to be commanded by the Police through their agents. Besides, Pakistan army also raised many Ansar Battalions located in the border areas.

@ We have the tendency to always blame Pakistan that they did not gave due importance to our defense.(East Pakistan). But in practice Pakistan hardly got time to think for the over all defense of Pakistan. On the very day after partition Pakistan did not received her due share including defense. In 1947, in East Pakistan they got only one odd 1 x Punjab Battalion with a skeleton Divisional HQ. Moreso, there were hardly any Bengali people found in the British Armed Forces in those days. British considered Bengalese as a non-marshal race. The same principle continued even after independence. Once Muslim League was in Power till 1958 they give importance on the recruitment of Bengalese but once General Ayub came to power, it was slowed and during his later part it was increased and once Yahya came to it was increased in to doubled.
@ Pakistan inherited the problem of Kashmir. Infact there were many disputed territory between Pakistan and India after independence but due to the proximity, Pakistan took the problem of Kashmir a bit seriously. But again she was not in a position to deal the problem with little amount of defense resources. So, whenever she got the chances she just procured the defense armament and put into to the Kashmir sector.

@ During the war time I was in Noshera (Peshawar) where Pakistan had PAF training Centre(Resalpur), Artillery Centre & School, Armored Centre & School and at the top of it was Cherat, the “Commando Centre”. So, everyday, I used to enjoy the dog fight on the sky of Noshera between Indian Aircrafts and Pakistan Aircrafts.

@ And finally there was no need and sending troops from East Pakistan to West Pakistan. The Bengali troops were already stationed and deployed there to fight against Indian and which they did it. The Bengali sappers were also stationed in Gilgit to construct the Karakorram High ways which was a nightmare for India. In those days East Pakistan was a part & parcel of Pakistan and the people here were also equally motivated like other Pakistani Citizens. It was only some elements of Awami Leaque and pro-Indian elements which thought in different angle. O ! yes, yes ! I remember once the Abdul Monen Khan the Governor of the East Pakistan called all the ministers and politicians to discussed about the security aspects of East Pakistan during the war, Sk Mujib openly proposed to the Monem Khan to revolt against West Pakistan. What a fool ! Give me a break !!!!!!!

 

[GR!FF!N]

@ 1 x (Australian) Sqn stationed at Dacca having 20 fighter planes. This sqn was given by the Australian Govt once Pakistan signed a Defense Pact with Australia. In those days these were the best aircrafts in comparison with Indian Aircrafts deployed in the Eastern Sector. With this lone sqn Pakistan Airforce carried out a simultaneous air raids on the Indian Eastern series of airports. And it was reported that around 14/16 Indian Gnats/ Vampires aircraft were destroyed. Indian Airforce did retaliated by attacking Chittagong, Narranganj, Tejgaon and Cormitola airport but with negligible damage. Indian aircraft also carried out air raids at Lalmonir Hat and Shibganj airport(Thakurgaon). Finally I want to say that this lone Pak Sqn played a vital role in the Pakistan Eastern Sector which was a real deterrent to Indian both land and air battle.

couldn't find any reference of that..please quote a source...Pakistan did procure few Canberra from Australia in 60s.but those were stationed at western sector,not east(No-7 Sqd was based at PAF Mansoor).PAF had only 1 F-86 SQD based in Tejgaon.these aircrafts did mount attack against IAF base and did destroyed some canberras and vampires(So did IAF who mounted attacks in Eastern Sector and damaged runways and several vehicles and other strategic targets) and did lost or damaged few sabers of their own.but thats just that.

some reports from another forum

Missed Opportunity: War in the Eastern Sector

(hope ADMIN willn't mind it)

 

[asad71]

couldn't find any reference of that..please quote a source...Pakistan did procure few Canberra from Australia in 60s.but those were stationed at western sector,not east(No-7 Sqd was based at PAF Mansoor).PAF had only 1 F-86 SQD based in Tejgaon.these aircrafts did mount attack against IAF base and did destroyed some canberras and vampires(So did IAF who mounted attacks in Eastern Sector and damaged runways and several vehicles and other strategic targets) and did lost or damaged few sabers of their own.but thats just that.

some reports from another forum

Missed Opportunity: War in the Eastern Sector

(hope ADMIN willn't mind it)

1.That quoted could be a mix-up because some F-86s had come from RAAF.

2. The only external assistance was from Indonesia which had sent a troop of PT-76s with full complement of troops.Sukarno had sent a message to Ayub to fight till total victory,and Indonesia would join Pakistan in destroying India. This message he had repeated to Asghar Khan when the latter visited Indonesia after his famous trip to China.Sukarno had always said that the Muslim majority and Islamic cultured Andaman-Nicobar rightfully belonged either to (E) Pakistan or to Indonesia.

3."Def of E Pak leis in W Pak" was a silly concept indeed. Quite on the contrary, if destruction of IA was an objective,then it should have been lured into the marshes/jungles of E Bengal to face the fate of Gen Maan Singh.

4. If the anti-India public sentiment in the West was huge, it was hysteric in the East. Every house/ vehicle/wall carried a banner proclaiming, "Crush India".

 

[notsuperstitious]

That role had no strategic importance, NONE. But the brilliant strategy used by India against east pakistan in 1965 was only fully understood in 1971.

Do not pluck the low hanging fruit until its ripe