The Forgotten Indian Prisoners of World War II

‘Gautam Hazarika's copiously researched book reveals the forgotten stories of Indian POWs in World War II, some who fought the British for an independent India, others that suffered Japanese brutality and a few that pulled off spectacular escapes. He weaves in nuanced positions on history that sometimes challenge popular conceptions. Informative, exciting and at times provocative, this book makes an interesting read indeed’ -- Vijay Balan, author of The Swaraj Spy ‘A prodigiously researched book that tells one of the great untold stories of the second world war in great style and conviction making it a page turner. It fills a gap on a subject that has been neglected by historians and film makers reflecting their Euro and American centric biases’ -- Mihir Bose, award winning broadcaster, journalist and author 'This book is different and it is this difference that makes it so important. Gautam Hazarika through his detailed research, has revealed the details of a sordid story unknown to most…. a ‘must read’ for every citizen of India, and of the world, not only because it gives us a story of the INA (Indian National Army) never known in such detail, but also because it exposes the brutality of war and the sordid side of human nature.' -- Major General Ian Cardozo, Gurkha officer, military historian and author of Cartoos Saab, 1971 Stories of Grit & Glory and many other books on the Indian Army ‘The events of World War II in Asia shaped the legacies that affect the lives of millions of South Asia’s inhabitants today. This book sheds new light on certain lesser-known aspects of India’s involvement in the war, with a particular focus on the war in East Asia, and the saga of suffering, loyalty and sacrifice of the forgotten Indian FEPOWs (Far East Prisoners of War), whose story was overshadowed by that of the Indian National Army and the tumult and chaos of independence and partition’ -- Squadron Leader Rana T.S. Chhina, MBE, (Retd), Director, Centre of Military History and Conflict Studies, United Service Institution of India ‘All of us who like to write - and read - the story of how British India was transformed into an independent nation should be grateful to Gautam Hazarika for producing this entirely fresh and original account of a tale that is little told and little understood in India itself, and barely even mentioned in Britain - the saga of the Indian troops who fell into the hands of the Japanese in the early months of 1942. As Gautam reveals in this beautifully crafted and constructed book, these men and the decisions they made would have a profound effect on the course of history.' -- Phil Craig, author of 1945 The Reckoning: War, Empire and a Struggle for a New World 'A powerful and deeply human account of Indian soldiers held by the Japanese in WWII. Gautam Hazarika brings long-forgotten voices to life with care and clarity. I’m glad I could assist in a small way with this important work that finally gives these men the recognition they deserve.' -- Major General Syed Ali Hamid (Retired), Pakistan Army, military historian, author of Sahibzada Yaqub Khan pursuits and experiences as prisoner of war 'A calm, detailed and revealing account of the lost Indian POWs of 1942. A brilliant debut.' -- Dr. Robert Lyman MBE FRHistS author of A War of Empires: Japan, India, Burma and Britain 1941-45 and Bill Slim: Leadership Strategy Conflict 'This timely, very well researched book tells the story of the Indian officers and rank and file of the British Indian Army from the capitulation at Singapore on February 15th 1942 to Japan's unconditional surrender and beyond…..Singapore historian Gautam Hazarika tells the complex story of Japanese duplicity and intrigue within the Indian leadership. It is the story of those who joined the Indian National Army; those who chose captivity and those who joined the INA but very soon had second thoughts and ended up as POWs…... This book is a 'must read' to those interested in that story and the events of WW2 in South East Asia. It will certainly add to our knowledge of POW captivity.' -- Jonathan Moffat, co-author of Moon Over Malaya A Tale of Argyll’s and Marines ‘Gautam Hazarika’s book—effectively an Indian history of the INA—is a remarkable work. It is the Indian point of view, yet as far as possible unemotional, one-volume retelling that this episode of India’s history demands. It accounts for the “first” INA of Mohan Singh, as well as the later INA of Subhas Chandra Bose. It is clear eyed about the limits and extent of the INA’s battlefield success, as against the extent and limits of its political success. It is densely annotated, and topped off with unusual, faithfully rendered illustrations. Highly recommended’ -- K.S. Nair, author of December in Dacca and The Forgotten Few ‘An important book that highlights the suffering and fortitude of the forgotten Indian prisoners of the Japanese. This is a vital contribution on a neglected subject, and it deserves a wide readership’ -- Kevin Noles, author of Indian Prisoners of War in Japanese Captivity during World War Two ‘Hazarika adeptly rescues an important slice of history from the shadowy margins of World War II. Going well beyond dry and dusty records, his breezy and well-researched narrative of the Indian National Army’s birth and evolution never falters, gripping you with every clever twist. It pulses with the heartbeats of soldiers, as it mines their thoughts, maps their dilemmas, teases out their deceptions, and foregrounds their courage, loyalty and spirit of sacrifice’ -- Mukund Padmanabhan, professor of philosophy, Krea University; former editor of The Hindu and author of The Great Flap of 1942 ‘Richly detailed and remarkably researched, The Forgotten Indian Prisoners of World War II offers a fascinating account of a lost chapter in India's freedom struggle. Sober and unromanticized in its tone, it is nonetheless a moving story of some extraordinary individuals, navigating a time of conflict and profound—even traumatic—change. In recovering this crucial web of “micro-histories”, Gautam Hazarika makes a solid contribution to our understanding of the period and its layered dynamics’ -- Manu S. Pillai, historian and author of Gods, Guns and Missionaries ‘A signal merit of Gautam Hazarika’s book is the story that it tells of how Mohan Singh—soon elevated to the rank of General—worked with the Japanese to establish the first Indian National Army after the fall of Singapore….. Hazarika paints a vivid portrait of this remarkable, if rag-tag, military outfit that was forged in the heat of the war, including several dramatis personae who seldom feature in standard histories of the INA. He also provides a scrupulous account of its dissolution amidst acrimony between Mohan Singh and the Japanese army. Subsequently, the INA would yet again be raised under the leadership of Subhas Bose…Hazarika rightly holds that the INA’s postwar political importance outstripped its military contribution… The fluent, yet often dramatic, narrative presented in this book is undergirded by in-depth research in archives across countries.’ -- Srinath Raghvan, Professor and author of India’s War, The Making of Modern South Asia 1939-1945 ‘Hazarika’s powerful and moving account uncovers a forgotten chapter of history: the haunting journeys of Indian prisoners of war in the east during World War II. Through painstaking research and compassionate storytelling, this book resurrects the tortured voices of those silenced by captivity, torn from home and erased from memory’ -- Rajesh Rai, associate professor and head, South Asian Studies Programme, National University of Singapore, and author of Indians in Singapore ‘The history of Indian soldiers in WW2 is rarely told except perhaps in the context of Netaji Subhas Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj. There are, however, other stories that can be told. For instance, what is the importance of Rajdhani Hotel, Bangkok? What happened on the bridge over the River Muar? And what was the fate of the Indian soldiers who, for whatever reason, did not join the Azad Hind Fauj? In his very first book, Gautam Hazarika explores these side streets to bring alive an important but chaotic period in world history?’ -- Sanjeev Sanyal, economist and bestselling author 'Newcomer Gautam Hazarika connects two aspects of WWII history: the familiar – the Indian National Army – and the unknown Indian PoWs of the Japanese. He tells these stories vividly, skillfully weaving a tale of loyalists and renegades, and heroes and villains, all caught up in the great conflict that changed all Asia 80 years ago.' -- Prof. Peter Stanley, Historian of the Indian Army and Professor at University of New South Wales Canberra