The Wars Behind the War

Even before the first shots of 1971 were fired, India was quietly arming and training the Mukti Bahini as Pakistani troops unleashed a campaign of rape and mass murder across East Bengal. With the US firmly backing Pakistan, Indira Gandhi openly cocked a snook at Washington—turning diplomacy into defiance and resolve into battle

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By early October, India was reeling under the refugee crisis and stood alone as the international community was not prepared to exert pressure to compel Yahya Khan to negotiate with the Awami League. On the other hand, the Mukti Bahini had stepped up its game against the Pakistan Army in East Pakistan. The West, in particular the US, wagered that the fightback by the Mukti Bahini would force Pakistan’s hand and trigger a military response, leading to war. However, to reiterate, nobody was willing to squeeze Yahya Khan to stop the genocide in East Pakistan.