OTD in 1971 the end of the #BangladeshLiberationWar was in sight, but still uncertain. Always a difficult period in wartime; nobody wants to be the last man to die in the war. These couple of days would have imposed special demands on courage, and on junior command skills ...
2: The previous day, as recorded by @BrainsTrustIn & others, IAF aircraft had carried out a spectacularly successful pin-point strike on the very heart of the West Pakistani puppet government in Bangladesh:
... /3
3: Remaining Pakistan Army units moved from Dacca Cantonment into Dacca University buildings. On 15th morning the IAF went after them, flying low between tall buildings and firing rockets accurately into where the Pakistan Army was sheltering ... /4
4: By 15th evening some Pakistan Army officers abandoned the University for Dacca Intercontinental, which India had declared a safe haven. It was intended for 3rd-country nationals & other neutrals. But many Pakistan Army officers & civil servants also forced their way in ... /5
5: Indian Army troops were within 20 km of Dacca. The Indian Navy executed an amphibous landing at Cox’s Bazaar, to cut off Pakistani troops attempting to escape to Burma. In Dacca, Lt Gen AAK Niazi informed the US Consul General that he was open to a ceasefire ... /6
6: Niazi offered ceasefire for safe-conduct for Pakistani forces. India rejected conditional ceasefire, and reiterated the demand for unconditional surrender. There was mounting pressure on India in the UN to stop fighting. By evening OTD the ball was in Niazi's court ... /7
7: Niazi's military situation was hopeless, but many Pakistanis had delusions of rescue by US or Chinese intervention & might have fought on in the hope of such rescue, extending the war and exposing India to UN sanction ... /8
8: Young Indian jawans in forward elements; exhausted pilots & ground crews trying to catch some sleep in overalls; stressed commanders pondering possible scenarios for next day: a great many Indians spent a sleepless night OTD in 1971. Take a moment to remember them tonight.
Good night, and good luck.
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