Remembering Netaji on his Birth Anniversary

Remembering Netaji on his Birth Anniversary

(http://reachpersonalities.blogspot.com)

Source: Internet

 

Early Life

 

Netaji Subhash Chandra was born on January 23rd 1897 in Cuttack (in present day Orissa). In 1920, Bose passed the Civil Service open examination and stood fourth overall with the highest marks in English. But by this time the Jalianwala Baug massacre had taken place which had disturbed him greatly. Even though he passed the ICS, he was not interested in serving the Britishers.

 

By December 1927, Bose with Jawaharlal Nehru became the General Secretary of the Congress. Later on he was elected as mayor of Calcutta.

 

Shaheed Bhagat Singh Singh's martyrdom made him realise that aggression is the best form of defense. He was rearrested on Jan 2, 1932 and subsequently expelled from India. In 1932 he went to Vienna and there he was deeply influenced by Vithaldas Patel.

 

Between 1932-36 he met reputed personalities like Mussolini in Italy, Felder in Germany, D. Valera in Ireland and Roma Rolland in France. (Some reports suggest that he met Hitler also.) He was impressed by the Irish nationalist leader De Valera in Dublin. Bose later modeled his own activities on the Irish Sinn Fein Organization.

 

In 1938 he became President of the Indian National Congress and presided over the Haripur session. During this period he was honoured at Shantiniketan by Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore as "Desh-Nayak"

 

By 1939 Gandhiji came to know about his meetings with Mussolini and that the Viceroy didn't like him. Since Gandhiji thought that freedom can only be achieved by talking he opposed Netaji when he again stood for the election of the Presidentship of the INC. Gandhiji asked Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to stand for elections, but both of them refused. So Gandhiji made Sitaramaiyya stand for the elections. But Bose defeated him by 1580-1371 votes. Gandhiji became angry that his nominee was defeated and publicly declared that this was his personal loss. After that Gandhiji went to Rajkot and went on a fast. This made the situation very tensed. In the end during the Calcutta session Bose was banned from the Congress for three years. This was in spite of the fact that both Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru advocated Bose.

 

On June 21, 1940, Subhash Chandra Bose met Swatantryaveer Savarkar who was in touch with Rash Behari Bose who was in Japan. He advocated that Subhash should smuggle himself out of the country and try to reach Germany or Japan (like Indian revolutionaries during World War I) to raise an Indian Army of liberation.

 

Subhash Chandra Bose now started a mass movement against utilising Indian resources and men for the war. There was a tremendous response to his call and he was imprisoned and later placed under house arrest. On January 17, 1941, Bose slipped out of his house. After escaping from Calcutta he surfaced in Kabul , and then disappeared once again. He then set out for Russia. and finally on March 28, 1941 Bose reached Berlin.

 

Netaji During WWII

 

Bose himself submitted a memorandum to the German government on 9th April 1941 which outlined a plan for co-operation between the Axis powers and India. Among other things, it called for the setting up of a "Free India Government" in Europe, preferably in Berlin; establishment of a Free India broadcasting station calling upon the Indian people to assert their independence and rise up in revolt against the British authorities; underground work in Afghanistan involving independent tribal territories lying between Afghanistan and India and within India itself for fostering and aiding the revolution; provision of finances by Germany in the form of a loan to the Free India government-in-exile; and deployment of German military contingents to smash the British army in India.

 

In November 1941, Azad Hind Radio (or the Free India Radio) opened its program with an announcing speech by Netaji himself, which, in fact, was a disclosure of his identity that had been kept officially secret for so long. He said " I am Subhash Chandra Bose who is still alive and talking to you". During this broadcast he called Gandhiji as the father of the nation. This message sent shockwave through the British because they did not want to loose India at that crucial stage of the war. During this time he was given the immortal title of Netaji, the Indian equivalent of the English "leader" or the German "Führer."

 

On 25th December 1941 a meeting of Indian residents in Berlin was called in the office of the Free India Center, to give a send-off to the first fifteen who were to leave the following day for Frankenburg, the first training camp and headquarters for the Legion. The brief ceremony was simple and solemn. Netaji blessed the Legion, the first of its kind in the history of the struggle for Indian independence. He christened it Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army).

 

Through radio he issued warnings to British Indian soldiers and police to the effect that unless they assisted the liberation forces they would one day have to answer to the free Indian government for their criminal support of the British. The effect of the Indian army of liberation marching into India along with the German forces would be such that the entire British Indian Army morale would collapse, coinciding with a revolutionary uprising against the British. The Legion would then be the nucleus of an expanding army of free India.

 

Netaji's plan, largely dependent on German Military successes in the Soviet Union, had a setback after the German retreat from Stalingrad , the plan for marching into India from the West had to be abandoned. The tide of war was turning swiftly, calling for devising new strategies on the part of Netaji.

 

Japan was achieving spectacular successes in the Far East and was ready to welcome Netaji as the leader of millions of Indians who lived in the countries of East and Southeast Asia. The Japanese attitude was extremely encouraging.

 

Tojo, the Prime Minister, had issued statements in the Diet (the Japanese Parliament) about Indian freedom early in 1942, and by March there was a Japanese proposal for a tripartite declaration on India. A small band of Indian National Army legionaires had already been in existence in the Southeast under Japanese patronage, although a few of its leaders, including Mohan Singh, had fallen out with the Japanese.

 

During his meeting with Netaji, Hitler had suggested to him that since it would take at least another one or two years before Germany could gain direct influence in India, and while Japan's influence, in view of its spectacular successes in Southeast Asia, could come in a few months, Bose should negotiate with the Japanese. On 8 February 1943, Netaji arrived at the port of Kiel where a German submarine was waiting for him to take him to a certain unknown point in the east and a Japanese submarine was pressed into service to take him to Japan. This was the only man to man transfer in a submarine in the IInd World War

 

On 15 February 1942, Singapore fell to the Japanese army advancing southward from the Malayan peninsula. It was not until 18 June that Tokyo Radio announced Netaji's arrival. Netaji arrived at Singapore from Tokyo on 27 June.

 

On 4th July, Netaji took over the command of the Indian National Army and christened Azad Hind Fauj (Free India Army). Tojo, Japanese PM arrived from Manila in time to review the parade of troops standing alongside with Bose. That day Netaji gave his historic speech -"To-Delhi To Delhi"

 

On 27 July, Netaji left Singapore for a 17-day tour of the East Asian and Southeast Asian countries. He was given a rousing reception in Rangoon, where he attended the Burmese independence on 1 August; from Rangoon Netaji went to Bangkok and met Thai Prime Minister Pilbulsongram.

 

He got a tumultuous ovation from the Indian community in Thailand. He then flew to Saigon and addressed Indians there. Returning to Singapore for a brief rest, he flew to Penang to address a rally of 15,000 Indians.

 

On September 30, 1943 when Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose toured Andaman as the supreme commander of Azad Hind Fauz, he paid his tributes to the memories of freedom fighters imprisoned in the Cellular Jail. He got printed thousands of copies of the Tamil version of Savarkar's Indian War of Independence of 1857 and distributed them in public.

 

The Imphal Campaign, including the battle of Kohima -- the first major town to be captured by the INA inside India. The Japanese-Indian offensive took the British by complete surprise. The Japanese and INA troops literally galloped through mountains and jungles routing the enemy on the way.

 

As the INA and the Japanese forces continued to lay siege on Imphal, the Allied air superiority gained strength and the enemy was preparing for counterattack. Japan had no matching air power to strike back at enemy air operations. Japan had no matching air power to strike back at enemy air operations. On 8 July, Prime Minister Tajo issued the order to halt the operation

 

In February 1945, the INA held some positions in the region of Mandalay in Burma, giving battle to the advancing enemy. This was the second campaign of Netaji's army, and it held out tenaciously at Nyaungu for some time. However, Allied troops later crossed the Irrawaddy at several points and the Japanese and INA units were surrounded. There were some desertions. Despite unique examples of heroism and Netaji's presence in the battlefields, risking his own life in the face of enemy attacks, the second campaign of the INA (which was purely a defensive one) finally had to give way to the gradual reconquest of Burma by the British.

 

The WWII came to an end after Japan surrendered unconditionally after two atomic bombs were dropped on it.

 

The alleged death of Subhas Chandra Bose, in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, has long been the subject of dispute.

 

After WW-II

 

After the war the INA soldiers were tried in the Red fort and the British wanted to give them a very severe treatment. But because of extreme reactions throughout India the British had to give up the idea and the brave INA soldiers were freed.

 

FAMOUS SPEECHES

 

Give Me Blood,

and I Promise you Freedom!

At a rally of Indians in Burma, July 4, 1944

 

Friends! Twelve months ago a new programme of 'total mobilisation' or 'maximum sacrifice' was placed before Indians in East Asia. Today I shall give you an account of our achievements during the past year and shall place before you our demands for the coming year. But, before I do so, I want you to realise once again what a golden opportunity we have for winning freedom. The British are engaged in a worldwide struggle and in the course of this struggle they have suffered defeat after defeat on so many fronts. The enemy having been thus considerably weakened, our fight for liberty has become very much easier than it was five years ago. Such a rare and God-given opportunity comes once in a century. That is why we have sworn to fully utilise this opportunity for liberating our motherland from the British yoke.

 

I am so very hopeful and optimistic about the outcome of our struggle, because I do not rely merely on the efforts of three million Indians in East Asia. There is a gigantic movement going on inside India and millions of our countrymen are prepared for maximum suffering and sacrifice in order to achieve liberty.

 

Unfortunately, ever since the great fight of 1857, our countrymen are disarmed, whereas the enemy is armed to the teeth. Without arms and without a modern army, it is impossible for a disarmed people to win freedom in this modern age. Through the grace of Providence and through the help of generous Nippon, it has become possible for Indians in East Asia to get arms to build up a modern army. Moreover, Indians in East Asia are united to a man in the endeavor to win freedom and all the religious and other differences that the British tried to engineer inside India, simply do not exist in East Asia. Consequently, we have now an ideal combination of circumstances favouring the success of our struggle- and all that is wanted is that Indians should themselves come forward to pay the price of liberty. According to the programme of 'total mobilisation', I demanded of you men, money and materials. Regarding men, I am glad to tell you that I have obtained sufficient recruits already. Recruits have come to us from every corner of east Asia- from China, Japan, Indo-China, Philippines, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Sumatra, Malaya, Thailand and Burma.

 

You must continue the mobilisation of men, money and materials with greater vigour and energy, in particular, the problem of supplies and transport has to be solved satisfactorily.

 

We require more men and women of all categories for administration and reconstruction in liberated areas. We must be prepared for a situation in which the enemy will ruthlessly apply the scorched earth policy, before withdrawing from a particular area and will also force the civilian population to evacuate as was attempted in Burma.

 

The most important of all is the problem of sending reinforcements in men and in supplies to the fighting fronts. If we do not do so, we cannot hope to maintain our success at the fronts. Nor can we hope to penetrate deeper into India.

 

Those of you who will continue to work on the Home Front should never forget that East Asia- and particularly Burma- from our base for the war of liberation. If this base is not strong, our fighting forces can never be victorious. Remember that this is a 'total war'- and not merely a war between two armies. That is why for a full one year I have been laying so much stress on 'total mobilisation' in the East.

 

There is another reason why I want you to look after the Home Front properly. During the coming months I and my colleagues on the War Committee of the Cabinet desire to devote our whole attention to the fighting front- and also to the task of working up the revolution inside India. Consequently, we want to be fully assured that the work at the base will go on smoothly and uninterruptedly even in our absence.

 

Friends, one year ago, when I made certain demands of you, I told you that if you give me 'total mobilization', I would give you a 'second front'. I have redeemed that pledge. The first phase of our campaign is over. Our victorious troops, fighting side by side with Nipponese troops, have pushed back the enemy and are now fighting bravely on the sacred soil of our dear motherland.

 

Gird up your loins for the task that now lies ahead. I had asked you for men, money and materials. I have got them in generous measure. Now I demand more of you. Men, money and materials cannot by themselves bring victory or freedom. We must have the motive-power that will inspire us to brave deeds and heroic exploits.

 

It will be a fatal mistake for you to wish to live and see India free simply because victory is now within reach. No one here should have the desire to live to enjoy freedom. A long fight is still in front of us.

 

We should have but one desire today- the desire to die so that India may live- the desire to face a martyr's death, so that the path to freedom may be paved with the martyr's blood.

 

Friend's! my comrades in the War of Liberation! Today I demand of you one thing, above all. I demand of you blood. It is blood alone that can avenge the blood that the enemy has spilt. It is blood alone that can pay the price of freedom.

 

Give me blood and I Promise you freedom

 

INDIA WILL BE FREE

August 17, 1945

 

BROTHERS and sisters ! A great chapter in the history of India's freedom struggle has come to a close now. India's sons and daughters living in East Asia have secured a permanent place in this chapter.

 

By contributing men, money and supplies to the struggle for Idian independence, you have set up a shining example of patriotism and sacrifice. I can never forget your generous and enthusiastic response to my call of Total Mobilization. Like a perennial spring you sent your sons and daughters to the Azad Hind Fanj and Jhansi Rani Regiment. You gave generous donations in cash and kind to the war fund of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind. In short, you have carried out your duty as the real sons and daughters of India. I am more aggrieved than you by the fact that your sufferings and sacrifices have not yielded immediate results.

 

Neverthless they have not gone waste, because they have paved the path of deliverance of our motherland and will be a perpetual source of inspiration to Indians living all over the world. The future will bless you and will speak with pride of your sacrifices at the altar of Indian independence and of your solid achievements.

 

At this unprecedented juncture in our history I have a word for you. Do not be disheartened by our temporary defeat ; be cheerful and optimistic. Above all, never lose your faith in the destiny of India. There is no power on earth which can keep India in bondage. India will be free and, that too, soon.

 

JAl-HIND !