FORGOTTEN ROLE OF THE BRITISH INDIAN ARMY IN WORLD WORLD 2

Seeing the anniversary posts of the D-day and other such World war 2 events, as an Indian it made me wonder “Where were we Indians?” when all this was happening. As I read on further it made me realize there was a whole history behind this waiting to get explored. As I explored I found some interesting details. So, here I’m going to explain what and where did India play its role in the Bloodiest war the World had ever seen.

Let’s begin with the background first. To begin with Indian army had already seen intense operations in the Waziristan and Pashtu regions (Now Pakistan) but its number were low, to around just two lacs, but by the time the war was over it numbered to well above 25 lac soldiers. In fact this is the largest volunteer army till date.

Let’s break it down for you guys, there were basically 3 major fronts India participated in

*North Africa

*South-Asia

*Europe

1.     NORTH AFRICA

In the year 1940 around 36,000 Indian troops were sent to North Africa as reinforcements. These and some other troops amassed together formed the 5^th Indian Army Division. These men along with the others that came in later from Syria which would ultimately be called the “Eight Army” as a whole. The men from this division suffered heavy losses throughout the war and had in several cases helped other regiments withdraw safely. They were instrumental in holding back the aggressive German “Afrika korps” commanded by the famous Field Marshall Erwin Rommel. Later on towards 1944 this same army also went on to capture Libya and Tunisia from German control and thus driving away German presence from Africa itself

Two crew members of a Sherman tank of the Scinde Horse, part of the Indian 31st Armoured Division in Iraq, March 1944

Along the southern side of Egypt (Sudan and Ethiopia) Indian army was part of the operation to clear out the Italians, who had captured the area. This is crucial because if this hadn't been done it would've left Egypt woefully vulnerable to attack from two fronts.

2.  SOUTH-ASIA

This army was one of the most valuable army of the whole war and was also the most forgotten. The Fourteenth army responsible for the South-Asian front is also referred as the “Forgotten Army”

One of the first, if not the first attack by the Japanese was of Hong Kong which was defended by Indian troops but was forced to surrender eventually.

Throughout the war Fourteenth army defended India when the Japanese conquered Burma, the new jungle fighting tactics were unknown back then due to which the army suffered massive losses, this happened throughout 1943 and 44.  Eventually, after a few offensives Indian army gained the upper hand and started pushing the Japanese back. Around 1945 onwards till the end of the war Indian troops liberated countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam from Japanese occupation. This considerably weakened the Japanese war effort thereby easing the work for the Americans.

The British commander and Indian crew of a Sherman tank of the 9th Royal Deccan Horse, 255th Indian Tank Brigade, encounter a newly liberated elephant on the road to Meiktila, Burma 1945

3.   EUROPE   

In 1943 Indian troops landed on the European Mainland in Italy. In Italy dynamics of war was a little different, here the local population favored the allies and the whole country was defended by the Germans, doing so by dividing the country into strongholds. Indian armies along with other allies including the Americans attacked these lines and were slowly breached. Barbara Line, Berhardt Line, and the Gothic Lines were such major lines. One of the famous battles of this front was that of “Monte Cassino” which was fought twice with the Indians participating in the second. It was a German stronghold and several armies had perished trying to attack it, eventually with the help of Indian troops allies overcame the Germans.

Somewhere along the Italian Front

 On 29^th April 1945 the Germans had surrendered Italy.

 

This account may have been a brief explanation but India’s role can’t be undermined, In North-Africa Indians protected and fought in Egypt, without them the Germans would've eventually reached Cairo and accessed oil wells of Middle-East. In East-Asia Indians were responsible for defending India itself and liberating half a dozen other countries. And on the Italian Front attacking the Germans and liberating Italy as well. Apart from all this in countries such as Greece and Iraq Indian armies were deployed to protect economic as well as strategic interests of the allies, without them defending these places the allied war effort would've crumbled with the axis laying hands on crucial supplies they so needed during the war.  Around 4,000 Gallantry awards were given away. This being said noone remembers the men that fought for Indian independence indirectly by obeying the pact of British that was if troops supplied for the war they would leave India. 

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ALSO READ : WHY THE YEAR 1971 IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY


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