PM Modi wants you to read a book by a former CIA officer It tells...
Shashank Mattoo@MattooShashank
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Feb 05, 2025
~3 min read
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PM Modi wants you to read a book by a former CIA officer
It tells the story of how India asked America to join a war against China
🧵on this book
It tells the story of how India asked America to join a war against China
🧵on this book
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PM Modi recommended former CIA officer Bruce Riedel's "JFK's Forgotten Crisis" in Parliament today
This was part of a speech attacking the opposition for its criticism of the govt's foreign policy
Why did he do that?
Well, the quick reason is👇
This was part of a speech attacking the opposition for its criticism of the govt's foreign policy
Why did he do that?
Well, the quick reason is👇
Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳@KanchanGupta
"Nehru was more interested in talking to Jackie than Kennedy..."
The instances from 'JFK’s Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA and the Sino-Indian War' by Bruce Riedel, relating to Jawaharlal Nehru that Prime Minister @narendramodi just mentioned in the Lok Sabha:
The instances from 'JFK’s Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA and the Sino-Indian War' by Bruce Riedel, relating to Jawaharlal Nehru that Prime Minister @narendramodi just mentioned in the Lok Sabha:
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But Riedel's book also tells a much more fascinating story
Riedel writes that during the darkest days of the 1962 India China war, PM Nehru wrote a desperate letter to US President John F Kennedy
In it, Nehru effectively asked America to intervene in the war against China
Riedel writes that during the darkest days of the 1962 India China war, PM Nehru wrote a desperate letter to US President John F Kennedy
In it, Nehru effectively asked America to intervene in the war against China
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At the time, India was suffering heavy defeats at the hands of Chinese forces
America and the UK had already begun providing limited military support to India
But on Nov 19, Nehru wrote two letters to Kennedy
Riedel writes that these letters were kept secret for years
America and the UK had already begun providing limited military support to India
But on Nov 19, Nehru wrote two letters to Kennedy
Riedel writes that these letters were kept secret for years
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In his first letter, Nehru told Kennedy that China had gained control of large parts of the North East
He requested transport aircraft and fighters
But in his second letter, Nehru made an even larger request
He asked for American airpower to push Chinese forces back
He requested transport aircraft and fighters
But in his second letter, Nehru made an even larger request
He asked for American airpower to push Chinese forces back
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More specifically, Nehru asked for 12 squadrons of supersonic all weather fighters from America
He also asked for US Air Force personnel to man these fighters
America's air force would help India fight Chinese air force fighters
That wasn't all
He also asked for US Air Force personnel to man these fighters
America's air force would help India fight Chinese air force fighters
That wasn't all
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Nehru also asked for two squadrons of B47 bombers to bomb parts of Tibet
He asked to send America to train Indian pilots and technicians to operate these bombers
This came up to 350 aircraft and almost 10,000 American military personnel helping India defeat China
He asked to send America to train Indian pilots and technicians to operate these bombers
This came up to 350 aircraft and almost 10,000 American military personnel helping India defeat China
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This was a major request to make especially since India had maintained a non aligned foreign policy since 1947
President Kennedy reacted positively and sent a high level team to India
He also sped up military supplies to India and sent an aircraft carrier to the Bay of Bengal
President Kennedy reacted positively and sent a high level team to India
He also sped up military supplies to India and sent an aircraft carrier to the Bay of Bengal
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Soon afterwards though, China abruptly withdrew behind the Line of Actual Control
Riedel argues that China knew that America was gearing up to provide India military support
The end of the war meant that America and India did not follow through on Nehru's major requests
Riedel argues that China knew that America was gearing up to provide India military support
The end of the war meant that America and India did not follow through on Nehru's major requests
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“This raises the great “what if” question...What if the Chinese had not issued their unilateral ceasefire & withdrawal? How would Kennedy have answered Nehru's..appeal for U.S. pilots to start flying combat missions to fight the Chinese & defend India?” asks Riedel in his book
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In the years after 1962, India and America grew much closer
America agreed to a massive military aid program to rebuild the Indian army
The two countries discussed working together on air defence
Indian and American spies also began working much more closely together
America agreed to a massive military aid program to rebuild the Indian army
The two countries discussed working together on air defence
Indian and American spies also began working much more closely together
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But it was a moment that didn't last
Just a decade later, India and the United States were on opposite sides of the 1971 war
Things didn't improve much until the 2000s
But Riedel's book tells the story of how India and America were once almost allies
Just a decade later, India and the United States were on opposite sides of the 1971 war
Things didn't improve much until the 2000s
But Riedel's book tells the story of how India and America were once almost allies
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