Description
The Role of Nixon-Kissinger in the 1971 Pakistani War Crimes Against Bangladesh
Dr. Nuran Nabi
Though the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 lasted less than a year, it is estimated that during this time the Pakistani Army and their local collaborators killed three million people, raped thousands of Bengali women and forced about ten million people to flee their homeland to take refuge in neighboring India.
Protests erupted around the world against the Pakistani military’s war crimes against humanity in Bangladesh. However, US President Richard Nixon and his national security adviser, Henry Kissinger were silent on the matter. They did not condemn the Pakistani military’s war crimes in Bangladesh, nor did they take any initiative to stop it, which was within their power.
This book details the role played by the USA, Soviet Union, China and the regional powers India and Pakistan during the Bangladesh liberation war in reference to Pakistani war crimes in Bangladesh. In particular, the story of why Nixon and Kissinger opposed the independence of Bangladesh, why they did not condemn the war crimes of Pakistanis in Bangladesh, why they did not take any initiative to stop war crimes, why these two leaders got angry after receiving the famous “Blood Telegram” of American Consul General in Dhaka. On the contrary, Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and the Soviet Union supported the Bangladesh liberation war and condemned Pakistani war crimes in Bangladesh.
For the personal interests and ambitions of Nixon and Kissinger, the innocent people of Bangladesh have been subjected to inhumane acts by the Pakistani military.
With the support of Nixon-Kissinger, General Yahya Khan committed war crimes in Bangladesh. Despite opposition from the Senate, Congress, and even the State Department, Nixon-Kissinger did nothing to stop the Pakistani military’s war crimes in Bangladesh. Nixon-Kissinger has secretly supplied arms to Pakistan illegally, despite sanctions from the Senate and Congress. Without their support, war crimes would not have been committed or reduced by the Pakistani forces in Bangladesh. So, Nixon-Kissinger cannot avoid the responsibility of Pakistanis war crimes in Bangladesh.
