Those who are in US and Canada are still writing for the forum during Christmas holiday. We surely need to make some contribution to the forum too.
Dear Indian friends,
No offense to the Indian friends. In this article, I just wanted to present China’s view on the Sino-China border war in 1962. If you think that some part of my writings is wrong, please correct me. I do make mistake sometime.
It seems that Indians all blame China for the border conflict and accuse that “China back stabling India”. The historic records do not support your blame and accusation. Also, it seems that my Chinese friends in this forum did not present historic records on the Sino-India border conflict. I would like to make some changes here.
There are 3 disputed areas between China and India. They are:
• Disputed East section: 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu), Indian call it NEFA (North East Frontier Agency) until 1972, Arunachal Pradesh, after 1972. The 藏南地区 is ~ 90,000 square kilometers, under India’s control.
• Disputed Central section: ~ 2000 square kilometers, both China and India control part of it. China and India has exchanged the maps about each other’s LOC (Line Of Control). It seems that the dispute in this area is relatively close to be solved.
• Disputed West section: Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦), ~ 33,000 square kilometers under China’s control.
Today, I would like to concentrate my discussion on the dispute of East section, 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu). The border line claimed by China in this area is the traditional line which is the southern rim of Himalayas. Historically, Tibetans or Tibetan culture influenced people were the main residents north of this line. Today, after several dozens years of Indian’s immigrating into this area, Tibetan becomes the minority.
The border line claimed by India is the infamous McMahon Line, which was drawn by McMahon, a foreigner who colonized India. I hope that our Indian friends will not thank this colonizer for this artificial McMahon line.
The McMahon Line was a byproduct of Simla Convention in 1913-1914. The original goal of this Convention for British is to separate part of Tibet from China. The British secretly made a deal with the Tibetan negotiator. They promised that if the Tibetan gave up its 藏南地区, which means to accept the McMahon Line, they will force China to accept a border between Tibet and China. Chinese government knew the conspiracy and did not want to join the Convention. But China was so weak at that time and was forced to join the Convention. The British made a draft proposal, which separates Tibet into an inner Tibet that would be part of China and an outer Tibet that would be independent. The Chinese negotiator 陈贻范 was not very brave. Although he made lot of efforts to resist signing the draft, after months of bullied by the British, he signed the draft at early April, 1914. But 陈贻范 is smart enough to add sentences in the draft to declare that his signature is not official unless approved by Chinese government. While the Chinese government refused that draft immediately and ordered 陈贻范 not to sign any documents without the pre-approval of Chinese government.
As a Chinese, we need to thank 陆兴祺, a Chinese national hero, who was the Chinese representative in Calcutta, India at that time. He set up the Chinese negotiation strategy at Simla Convention. The strategy is that although we were forced to join the Convention, we would not accept anything. Also, he knew that Europe is on the way to WWI. British would not be able to bully China using military force. In this way, China would leave a record that China attended the Convention but not accept any agreements. The communications between 陆兴祺 and Beijing was intercepted and decoded by the British. But because the China’s strategy was so simple and straight forward, it did not help the British much. Without military backup, the British had no option but giving up the conspiracy of separating part of Tibet from China.
The greedy British still wanted to get something though. They wanted the McMahon Line to get 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) from Tibet/China. Because of Chinese government’s firm position in border negotiation, the British can not get Chinese negotiator 陈贻范 signed the agreement. The British forced the Tibetan to sign the agreement on McMahon line. No Chinese governments accepted the McMahon line. Therefore, China always calls McMahon line illegal and 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) a disputed area.
Even the elite Indians do not think that 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) is part of India. A map on the first edition of “Discovery of India” published in 1946 by the later Indian PM Nehru shows 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) is part of Tibet/China. A map in the biography of Gandhi published by Robert Payne in 1969 also shows 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) is part of Tibet/China.
For the map signed between British and Tibetan in Simla Convention, 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) was put into India, but on the same map, Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦) was in the Tibet/China. India’s claim on Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦) is also not any more solid compare to China’s claim. In my opinion, India’s claim is weaker. I may make a discussion on the history of Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦) dispute later in this forum if I am not too busy with my work.
With so many problems of India’s claiming of 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) and Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦), India did not even accept the fact that those places are disputed areas. In 1957, Chinese PM Zhou Enlai proposed a solution that both sides kept the LOC (Line of Control), which means that China accepts the India’s control over 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu), while India accepts the China’s control over Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦). India did not accept any compromise. India put China’s leaving Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦) as a prerequisite condition for the peace negotiation. The China’s National Highway 219 connecting Tibet and Xinjiang goes through Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦). There is no way that China would give up Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦). But very strange, Indian believed that China would give up.
It is really India’s policies that push the Sino-India border dispute into military confrontation. India supported anti-China terrorist operations of a small group Tibetan in Tibet. I say that those operations were terrorist operations because they kill innocent Chinese people (Han, Tibetan and other minorities). India restricted anti-China terrorist operations from India after 1962 Sino-India border war.
India invented a “Forward Policy” at early 1960 to build posts around or even behind Chinese posts. Indian PM Nehru also publicly announced that he has ordered the India army to remove Chinese army from the disputed areas on 10/12/1962. General Kaul (ranked second in the Indian army) planned “Operation Leghorn” to implement Nehru’s political ambition to drive Chinese out. By the middle of 1962, India left only two options for China, retreating from all India claimed territory or striking back. China selected the later. Zhou Enlai told Indian that India can not treat China as a defeated country and force it to accept a humiliating option. China did not do the back stabbing. China made repeat warnings that China will strike back if India continues to challenge its sovereignty over its territory using “Forward Policy”. It is unbelievable that Indian government chose to totally ignore the repeat warning from Chinese government. India must have overestimated the difficulty of China. At that time China was still suffering from the disaster of the Great Leap Forward (大跃进). Even American government had learnt a lesson and did not ignore the warnings from Chinese government. In Korean War, China claimed if non-South Korean UN troop passes the 38 parallel, China will intervene. General MacArthur ignored this warning and China took the action to drive him back from Yalu River. In US-Vietnam war, China claimed if US ground force passes the 17th parallel, China will intervene. The US ground force did not pass the 17th parallel.
In the East section, following the “Forward Policy” India set Dhola Post (多拉哨所) on /06/04/1962 in the north of McMahon line that was claimed by India as its border. So, even by India’s standard, Indian army had invaded China’s territory. China protested India’s Dhola Post (多拉哨所) through diplomatic measures and also set up post in the opposite side of the Namka Chu river (克节朗河). But India claimed that the Sino-India border should be at Thagla Ridge (塔格拉山脊), which is behind Chinese post and north of McMahon line. So, India’s behavior showed that India did not even honor the McMahon line. Before setting up Dhola Post (多拉哨所), India nerve claimed that India has land north of McMahon line. Now, India wanted to even make unilateral changes on McMahon line to India’s advantage. India’s this action changed entire picture of the Sino-India border dispute. If China let this action no checked, India can make any unilateral changes as it wants. China made decision to check this India’s action.
Although, the exact date when China decided to strike back is not known. Some people believe that it is around the time when India set up Dhola Post (多拉哨所). Some Chinese articles about Sino-India border war said that when Mao and his generals heard that Indian army set up Dhola Post (多拉哨所) in north of McMahon line, they were very happy, because the striking back would be easily justified when the Indian army was invading Chinese territory. The top rank generals in the central command in Beijing are very cautious. They suggested a very limit operation to destroy only the 7th Brigade commanded by general Dalvi in the Namka Chu area (克节朗地区) to show China’s determination of protecting its territory and let India stop its “Forward Policy”. But the general 张国华 who directly commanded the east section operation in Tibet insisted a larger scale operation. He wanted at least to drive Indian army out from Tawang district (达旺地区) or even entire 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu). Mao agreed general 张国华’s plan and wanted to teach Nehru a lesson. Mao was afraid that only destroying the Indian 7th Brigade would not teach Nehru a good lesson. He said “we need this war to bring at least 30 years of peace between China and India”.
After Indian 7th Brigade was destroyed and general Dalvi was captured by Chinese army, India army gave up Tawang district (达旺地区) without a fight. The east section had mainly three fights, first fight: 10/20/1962 to 10/24/1962 in Namka Chu (克节朗) and Tawang (达旺) areas, second fight: 11/16/1962 to 11/17/1962 in Walong area (瓦弄地区), and third fight: 11/18/1962 to 11/20/1962 in Se la (色拉), Dirang Dzong (德让宗) and Bomdi La (邦迪拉) areas, which Chinese army cuts off Indian army’s retreat pass between Dirang Dzong (德让宗) and Bomdi La (邦迪拉) through Bailey Trail. By the early morning around 3:00am on 11/20/1962, the Indian army’s organized resistance in 藏南地区 (Zang Nan Di Qu) vanished. The Indian army’s organized resistance in Aksai Chin (阿克赛钦) had been vanished earlier. By then, China achieved its politic goal of the war.
China informed Indian embassy in Beijing late 11/19/1962 on China’s unilateral cease fire at 11/21/1962 morning and China’s planned withdraw at 12/01/1962. But somehow this important information did not reach Indian government until more than 24 hours later. In 11/20/1962, Indian PM Nehru forgot his non-alliance leader status and asked US to send USAF to attack Chinese troop and protect Indian cities from the air attack of Chinese air force. Finally, at early morning of 11/21/1962, Indian government got the information that Chinese has announced unilateral cease fire from Indian news papers.
In a hope of recovering Sino-China relation as soon as possible, China respected Indian POW’s dignity and released them unconditionally. China even returned the captured Indian weapons and equipments. China also withdrew its troop to its position at 11/07/1959. Someone argues that Chinese troop has to withdraw because it would be defeated if it didn’t. This argument is partly correct and partly wrong. China does not need to withdraw to its position at 11/07/1959. At least, China can set up defenses at Walong area (瓦弄地区) and Se la pass (色拉山口) where China has the logistical advantage. It would be a disaster for India army to attach these two places when winter was coming. China showed its respect to India without occupying more territory and hoped that India respects China too. Finally, both countries showed their respects to each other and accepted cease fire agreement arranged by Sri Lanka, Egypt, Cambodia, and Indonesia. The war officially ended.
On the Sino-India border, neither side can penetrate the other side very far even today. The logistical difficult over the Himalaya will bring the disaster. For China, without really penetrating very far, it will threaten Assam, the populous and developed areas. The fight over Assam will cause big damage to India. Of course, Chinese troop can not stay in Assam. It needs to withdraw when the political goal is reached. On the other hand, even if India penetrates far into Tibet, it can not destroy anything. If China block some mountain passes or bomb some mountain passes and make them impossible to pass, Indian troop will be cut off from India. Winter will do the same thing. Even if China did not win all the battles, China will win the war if Indian comes to Tibet. Listen to Mao’s military strategy, "The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy halts, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue.” China is guarantied to win the war. Now the railway and fuel pipe have been connected to Lhasa. They will be extended to Shigatse in near future. China’s logistical ability has been exponentially improved in Tibet. Any war in Tibet will be disaster for India. India may block the Chinese oil import fleets on Indian Ocean, which will hurt Chinese economy but would not stop Chinese war ability. China still provides 60% of its domestic oil supply. The oil supply from central Asia and Russia may still flow. Today, a Sino-India war will be hurting both sides without either side gain anything because both sides need to retreat back to its side of Himalaya. So the Sino-India war should never happen again. We should learn from our past experiences.
In fact, the 1962 Sino-India war can be avoided if India accepted China’s proposal, which is the situation now. But today, many Sino-India experts in Beijing expressed their objections on accepting a border agreement with India under the existing situation. They want that at least India returns Tawang district (达旺地区) to China, which has a very strong historic relation with Tibet. The Tawany temple (达旺寺) is important to Tibetan religion. One of the greatest Dalai Lama, the 6th Dalai Lama, was born in Tawang district (达旺地区). Tibetan ruled the Tawang district (达旺地区) until 1930s or even into 1940s.
For last several years, China and India are improving their relation. A couple of years ago, when visiting India, Chinese PM Zhu Rongji said that we trust that Indian will not shoot us and we know that we will not shoot Indian. So, there is trust between us. When we trust each other to this degree, we can seat together to discuss our problems peacefully.
Some of you may think that Neville Maxwell’s “India’s China war” is pro-China. May be you can read “The China-India Border War” written by CALVIN, James Barnard, Lieutenant Commander of US navy in 1984 at:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...t/1984/CJB.htm
I am not sure if the US navy commander is also pro-China. If it is true, it is great. We may get help from US navy in our next war.
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Originally Posted by joey 
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