The Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) posted a photo of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw strategizing with other Army officers amid the 1971 war on Wednesday on the photo and video sharing app Instagram that commemorates the 50th anniversary of India’s victory over Pakistan.
The photo was shared with the caption: “‘Give up or we will erase you’ was the message that quarterback Sam Manekshaw gave to Pakistan on December 13, 1971.”
“The Field Marshal lived up to his words as the world will see the unprecedented surrender of more than 93,000 Pakistani soldiers.”
India is celebrating ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ on the occasion of India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, which made Bangladesh an independent country.
Prime Minister Modi along with several officials from the defense ministry paid tribute at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and kicked off the 50th anniversary celebrations of the event.
The 1971 war was fought between the Pakistani Army and Muktibahini’s allied forces from Bangladesh and the Indian Army led by Field General Sam Manekshaw. The Pakistani government decided not to recognize the victory of the Awami League in the 1970 elections, after which the leader of the Awami League, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, called a nationwide strike. Pakistan, fearing that East Pakistan will continue to demand more autonomy, arrested Rehman and imprisoned him in Lahore on charges of sedition.
After arresting Rahman, Pakistani Prime Minister Yahya Khan sent General Tikka Khan to Dhaka to stop the insurrection. In March 1971, General Tikka Khan launched an offensive against Bangladeshi political leaders, students and minorities. Tikka Khan’s actions, according to several observers, were nothing short of a war crime.
Pakistan’s prime minister dragged India into war when on December 3, the Pakistani Air Force attacked the Indian air bases in Amritsar, Ambala, Agra, Awantipur, Bikaner, Halwara, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pathankot, Bhuj, Srinagar and Uttarlai. The Indian Air Force quickly repulsed the attacks and simultaneously moved to eastern Pakistan.
By December 14 it was clear that Pakistani forces had been exhausted and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw asked Niazi, commander of Pakistan’s forces, to surrender unconditionally to the Indian army. Ninety-three thousand Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian Army on this day in 1971, making it the largest surrender since World War II.
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