Indo-Pakistan Wars, 1947-9, 1965, 1971: Religion, Decolonization and War

Question 1

What was the Indian National Congress?

Answer 1

 Created the Indian National Congress in 1885 which was a secular and inclusive organization seeking to unite all Indians in the cause of national independence

Question 2

What did Britain initially do to avoid a civil war in India?

Answer 2

o In order to avoid a civil war in India, Britain dispatched Lord Louis Mountbatten to India to impose a partition on India, creating a predominantly Hindu state, India, and a predominantly Muslim state, Pakistan

Question 3

Define partition

Answer 3

 A partition is the division of a territory into two or more smaller, independent territories

Question 4

What were the Indo-Pakistan seen partially as a result of?

Answer 4

o The Indo-Pakistan wars were partially seen as a result of a poorly planned decolonization process

Question 5

Who was Mohandas Gandhi?

Answer 5

 Spiritual and eventually a political leader in the Indian subcontinent
 Advocated the use of non-violent civil disobedience as a mass movement to persuade the British to quit India
 Had a vision of an undivided India

Question 6

Who was Mohammad Ali Jinnah?

Answer 6

 Muslim leader in the Indian subcontinent

 Wanted a new, separate independent Muslim state which became Pakistan and he was the first Governor General

Question 7

What were the immediate causes of the 1947-9 War? (2)

Answer 7

 Deep ethnic, religious and economic differences between West and East Pakistan
 Hindu leaders with majority Muslim population which created conflicts

Question 8

Define ceasefire

Answer 8

 A ceasefire is an agreement to stop military operations; not necessarily a final end to hostilities (one reached on January 1, 1949 that was brokered by the United Nations)

Question 9

What were the effects of the 1947-9 War? (2)

Answer 9

 Thousands of civilian casualties
 Kashmir formally became a part of India despite most of the population being Muslim
• Pakistan never recognized this leading to another war in 1965

Question 10

What were the immediate causes of the 1965 Kashmir War?

Answer 10

 Border clashes between India and Pakistan
 India was developing into a democratic country with one dominant party while Pakistan was more authoritarian with the military playing a very influential role
 Both countries sought allies after the military seized control of Pakistan
 Clash on the border at Rann of Kutch started war

Question 11

What are the advantages of an authoritarian government? (2)

Answer 11

efficient decision making; easy to maintain secrecy

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of an authoritarian government? (2)

Answer 12

lack of accountability protects military incompetence; lack of institutionalized accountability means regimes rarely survive defeat

Question 13

What are the advantages of an democratic government? (6)

Answer 13

genuine mass mobilization; participatory leadership; accountability promotes military competence; institutionalized accountability protects system in defeat; flexible response to challenges; ensures consensus going to war

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of an democratic government? (2)

Answer 14

must maintain public support; friction between public disclosure and secrecy

Question 15

Why did US help both countries?

Answer 15

US helped both countries with an excuse of trying to stop the spread of communism

Question 16

Define non-alignment

Answer 16

o Non-alignment is a political doctrine pioneered by Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of India, whereby a state does not associate itself with the ideology or political goals of any other states

Question 17

What were the effects of the 1965 Kashmir War? (3)

Answer 17

 Pakistan discovered the limits to its friendship with the US, who suspended arms shipments to both sides during the war, judging it to be mostly Pakistan’s fault
 Pakistan’s economy damaged
 India lost unconditional support of the Soviets

Question 18

Who was Ayub Khan?

Answer 18

• Post chief of staff in independent Pakistan

* Maintained close ties with China and US, but felt betrayed by US

Question 19

What were the immediate causes of the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971? (3)

Answer 19

 East Pakistan felt neglected as the westerner’s earned more for less work and held most of the political positions
 In 1970, the Awami party was elected and they brought the worth up of East Pakistan however the president did not like this and so he outlawed this group and the leaders were arrested
 Uprisings in East Pakistan began and many began to flee to India which compelled India to intervene

Question 20

Who was Yahya Khan?

Answer 20

• President of Pakistan in 1969

* Led brutal repression of the Awami Party

Question 21

Who was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto?

Answer 21

• Integral in drawing Pakistan and China into closer diplomatic ties
• Founded the Pakistan’s People’s Party
• Administered martial law in the period after the 1971 war and rose to prime minster status

Question 22

What is Mukti Bahni?

Answer 22

the guerrilla army raised in East Pakistan to fight for independence from Pakistan; received material support from India

Question 23

Who was Jawaharlal Nehru?

Answer 23

• Follower of Mohandas Gandhi and an active leader in the Indian National Congress, eventually becoming the first prime minister of independent India

Question 24

Who was Indira Gandhi?

Answer 24

• Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru
• Prime minister of India in 1966 and leader of the Congress Party’s left wing
• Initiated India’s nuclear program

• Military and diplomatic preparations paved the way for the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the eventual independence of Bangladesh

Question 25

What were the effects of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971? (4)

Answer 25

 India acquired some territory in West Pakistan
 India showed military strength
 East Pakistan became the independent nation state of Bangladesh
 Led to development of both India’s and Pakistan’s nuclear programs