Jai Hind

Jai Hind offers a new perspective on the amazing story of Subhas Chandra Bose, who gave his life fighting for India's independence. Bose's life, which touched on major events leading up to and during World War II, is portrayed on a broad historical canvas that includes how Britain acquired India and Burma, the rise of nationalism and opposition to colonialism, Japan's emergence as a power in Asia, and the conduct of World War II in that region. Despite fighting with Gandhi and Nehru, Bose was enormously popular with the Indian masses. During the war he escaped British imprisonment, eventually reaching Germany where he received support to form an Indian Legion made up of Indian soldiers captured by the Germans. Plans for the Legion to invade India were abandoned when the German offensive in Russia stalled. Taken by submarine to the Japanese, Bose received the support of Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Tojo. Bose was made head of an Indian National Army, comprised of Indian POWs captured by the Japanese in Malaya, Singapore, and Burma. The INA fought against the British in Burma, penetrating into India before suffering a devastating defeat. Reports that Bose was killed in a plane crash while escaping from the British are disputed to this day and there are many theories about what actually happened to him. More than sixty years after his disappearance, Bose has become almost a mythic hero in India and statues of him can be seen throughout the country. Jai Hind provides a riveting account of Bose's life, his dispute with Gandhi, his controversial alliances Germany and Japan during World War II, and an evaluation of his contribution to India's independence. A concluding chapter describes what has occurred in India after independence and speculation about how India might differ today if Bose had survived. During World War II, the author served in Burma where he had first hand experience with some of these events.