Page 188 - Leadership in the Indian Army

The Indo–Pak War of 1971 started on 3 December 1971, after Pakistani
aircraft bombed Indian airfields in the western sector. Indira Gandhi was
then in Calcutta. Sam Manekshaw telephoned Jacob at 6 p.m. and asked

him to inform the Prime Minister that the war had begun and he was issuing
orders to Eastern Command to go ahead immediately. Characteristically,
Sam ‘informed’ the Prime Minister rather than seeking permission. Jacob
informed the Army Commander, who left at once to brief the Prime
Minister, who was staying with the Governor at Raj Bhawan (Government
House). The Navy and Air Force were also informed and full-scale
operations commenced the next day.

As the operations progressed, Pakistani resistance broke down. The
Indians bypassed all strongly held positions and the isolated Pakistani
troops, taken by surprise, began to withdraw or surrender. American
proposals to get the United Nations to effect a ceasefire were frustrated by
the Soviets, who vetoed the resolutions. An interesting feature of the war
were the three broadcasts made by Sam, calling on Pakistani troops to

surrender and assuring them of honourable treatment. The first message was
broadcast on the radio and dropped in the form of leaflets after the fall of
Jessore on 9 December. Addressed to the ‘officers and jawans of the
Pakistan Army’, it exhorted them to lay down their arms before it was too
late. It went on to say:

Indian Army Indian forces have surrounded you. Your Air Force is destroyed. You have no hope
of any help from them. Chittagong, Chalna and Mangla ports are blocked. Nobody can reach
you from the sea. Your fate is sealed. The Mukti Bahini and the people are all prepared to take
revenge for the atrocities and cruelties you have committed…. Why waste lives? Don’t you want
to go home and be with your children? Do not lose time; there is no disgrace in laying down
your arms to a soldier. We will give you the treatment befitting a soldier.

Two other messages, on the same lines, were broadcast on December 11
and 15, in reply to messages from Major General Rao Farman Ali and
Lieutenant General A.K. Niazi. These messages were a severe blow to the

morale of the Pakistani troops and convinced them of the futility of further
resistance. Accounts of Pakistani officers and men captured subsequently
revealed that these messages had played a significant part in degrading
Pakistani resolve to fight and it is estimated that they had shortened the war
by at least two weeks.

In the early hours of 11 December, Lieutenant Iftikhar of the Pakistan
Army came up on the wireless set, indicating his willingness to surrender.
He came out with a white flag near the Mirpur bridge and surrendered to