Page 5 - Pastiche Vol 1 Edition 1 January 2019

The intense patriotism and desperate actions to uproot British
imperialism in India, earned the legendary Indian nationalist Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose, respect around the globe. "If Bose gradually
obtained respect in Berlin, in Tokyo he earned fervent admiration and
was seen very much as an 'Indian samurai." - Romain Hayes. However
greater than his feats, is the mystery of his disappearance. He is said
to have died of plane crash on 18 August 1945 in
Formosa (now Taiwan), but several conspiracy theories appeared
within hours of his death and have persisted since then, keeping alive
various martial myths about him.

What Gave Birth To The Conspiracy arranged room for Bose on a flight leaving
Theories? around noon.

After the battles of Imphal and Kohima, According to historian Christopher Bayly and
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose retreated to Tim Harper:
Bangkok where he heard the news "On 17 August he issued a final order of the
of Germany's surrender on May 8. Bose day, dissolving the INA with the words, 'The
stayed in Singapore between June and July roads to Delhi are many and Delhi still
1945. Soviet Union entered the war remains our goal.' He then flew out to China
and invaded Manchuria on 10 August. On via French Indo-China. If all else failed he
16 August, after the unconditional surrender wanted to become a prisoner of the Soviets:
of Japan following the atomic bombings 'They are the only ones who will resist the
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as advised by British. My fate is with them'.“
General Isoda, Bose decided to leave for
Saigon along with a handful of his aides. Around noon on 17 August, 12 or 13
passengers including Bose, Habibur Rahman
The incidents between 16 August and and Lieutenant-General Tsunamasa Shidei,
shortly after noon on 17 August, has three boarded a Mitsubishi Ki-21 heavy bomber at
different strands of historical narratives: Saigon airport. The others in the INA party
would follow him on later flights. The twin-
Bose flew out from Singapore to Saigon, engine plane under normal circumstances
stopping briefly in Bangkok, on the 16th. carries a crew of five. During a two-hour stop
After arriving in Saigon, he requested Field in Taihoku, the plane was refuelled, concern
Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi, to arrange a flight about the portside engine was tested and
to Soviet Russia where he can form a allayed by repeatedly throttling up and down
possible base for his future operations with all the passengers on board and just
against the British Raj. Though Japan's after take-off, the portside engine and the
Imperial General Headquarters (IGHQ) in propeller fell out of the plane. The plane
Tokyo denied it, Terauchi somehow swung wildly to the right and plummeted,
managed to arrange room for Bose on a crashing, breaking into two, and exploding
flight leaving Saigon on the morning of 17 into flames.
August 1945 bound for Tokyo, but stopping
en route in Dairen, Manchuria. According to the report of "Investigation on
the cause of death and other matters of the
Bose left Singapore with his party on the late Subhas Chandra Bose" by Japanese
16th and stopped en route in Bangkok, for government (which was completed in
overnight stay, and in the morning flew on to January 1956 and handed over to the Indian
Saigon, accompanied by General Isoda. As embassy in Tokyo,
Field Marshal Terauchi was in Dalat, Isoda (contd...)
himself, without consulting with higher ups,
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