Tibet II. [Conclusion]

This is coolbert:

"Emotion clouds reason!!" - - Michael Corleone.

"Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai (Indians and Chinese are brothers.)" - - Nehru.

How many people remember this war?

A war - - three weeks in duration - - fought over the Aksai Chin region of Tibet.

Indian military versus the Chinese communist Red Army. Sino-Indian War, 1962.

Chinese emerging triumphant, administering a severe beating to the Indian army.

This war, fought over what has to be one of the most inhospitable and desolate regions on the planet, came as a big surprise to many.

"The region is almost uninhabited, has no permanent settlements, and receives little precipitation"

India saw itself as a leader [at the time] in the non-aligned movement. NOT "western", NOT communist. The leaders of India saw their nation as a player on the world stage, BUT NOT subject to the normal machinations of major world power geo-political intrigue The leaders in New Delhi DID NOT see their nation as EVER needing to resort to military force as a means of solving conflicts between countries.

Aksai Chin HAS TO BE one of the most GOD-forsaken places on the planet. Again, THIS IS NOT EVEN A PLACE WORTH FIGHTING FOR, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!! Mountainous [high Himalaya], arid, road less and uninhabited almost without exception, extreme cold most of the year. FIGHTING IN THIS CASE PRIMARILY OCCURRED AT ALTITUDES ABOVE WHAT IS CALLED "THE DEAD ZONE"!! Altitudes beyond which the human being cannot live for extended periods of time.

Some comments here:

Look at these casualty figures!! In modern warfare, the historical ratio of wounded to killed in action has been about 350 wounded for every 100 killed!!

China: Killed 1,460 (Chinese sources)
Captured None
Wounded 569

India: Killed 3,128 (Indian sources)
Captured 3,123
Wounded 1,697

In Aksai Chin, the ratios are reversed!! A result of warfare in the "dead zone"'!!??

This war was fought over a “border dispute”! Borders in that part of the world have NEVER been established with certainty. Just look at the convoluted historical record [in the wiki entry] of WHO has claimed Aksai Chin in the past! Whose borders and whose history is going to be accepted by the warring parties? NO ONE WANTS TO GIVE AN INCH!! This is something that needs to be submitted for arbitration? An arbitration that neither side will ever be happy with?

Border disputes between India and China exist to this day! Have never been resolved! Both China and India deploy significant [?] military forces along the common border. EMOTION DOES CLOUD REASON!

The defeat of the Indian army had a very traumatic effect upon the “non-aligned" government of Nehru. The size of the Indian army was increased by 1/3 in the aftermath of Aksai Chin. India NOW realized it had a very tough and determined enemy that had to be dealt with in the manner of traditional power politics between nations. I wonder also, if the Indian government, again, as a result of Aksai Chin, at that point resolved to develop nuclear weapons? Before Aksai Chin, nukes were not seen as needed. After Aksai Chin - - nukes are now a must??

Before Aksai "Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai" - - . After Aksai Chin, India and China - - NOT brothers!

coolbert.