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A Conflict in Thin Air – A consideration of some aspects of the histories of India, China and Tibet that led to the Sino-Indian Conflict of 1962
Was the Sino-Indian war in 1962 really about a disputed border?
What really happened at the Simla Conference in 1913-14 that led to the “McMahon Line”? Or, was there more to it, somewhere beyond the meetings and discussions between the two sides, the exchange of diplomatic notes, perhaps out of sight, and lost in the pages of history? In “A Conflict in Thin Air” the author has attempted to unravel the tangled threads of history of China and Tibet from ancient times, in the 8th century, when both were almost evenly matched powers, and then between the 18th and the 20th centuries when there were frequent attempts at domination of Tibet by China and the equal persistence of Tibet in its independence. The study then moves to more modern times in the 19th century when British India had to confront Tsarist Russia and Imperial China, and later, in the course of the 20th century, in dealing with Nationalist China and then with Communist China.
The work attempts to break out of the frequently-held view of an intransigent India and a wronged China, and take into account the wider issues of the world-views of the political leadership of the two countries. The border war was merely the symptom of far deeper differences.
What really happened at the Simla Conference in 1913-14 that led to the “McMahon Line”? Or, was there more to it, somewhere beyond the meetings and discussions between the two sides, the exchange of diplomatic notes, perhaps out of sight, and lost in the pages of history? In “A Conflict in Thin Air” the author has attempted to unravel the tangled threads of history of China and Tibet from ancient times, in the 8th century, when both were almost evenly matched powers, and then between the 18th and the 20th centuries when there were frequent attempts at domination of Tibet by China and the equal persistence of Tibet in its independence. The study then moves to more modern times in the 19th century when British India had to confront Tsarist Russia and Imperial China, and later, in the course of the 20th century, in dealing with Nationalist China and then with Communist China.
The work attempts to break out of the frequently-held view of an intransigent India and a wronged China, and take into account the wider issues of the world-views of the political leadership of the two countries. The border war was merely the symptom of far deeper differences.
- GenresNonfiction
154 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 23, 2020
What to expect? ---
Expect a book that talks about the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962 while taking into consideration the histories of not just India and China but also Tibet, Russia, Mongolia, and British India. Expect a book that offers a macro view of the factors that shape the political leadership of the two countries, while also analyzing their world views.
Who can read? ---
The language of the book as well as its text lean on the academic side. Thus, it is better suited for history buffs, academic researchers, and voracious readers of historical nonfiction.
Asks an important question ---
At its strategic core, the book asks a relevant and highly significant question. Was the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962 a mere border dispute or was there more to it than what meets the regular public eye? In learning from our histories especially the mistakes of the past, it ensures that the same won’t be repeated in the future.
What did I like? ---
As is quite obvious from the bibliography and the text throughout, A Conflict in Thin Air condenses the wisdom, facts, and research of more than 70 published works and articles on the subject. That it distills this vast amount of information into a book of just under 140 pages is no mean feat.
What could have been better? ---
I would have loved it if the book had some illustrations, photographs, and more maps. It would have added much more value to the reader, not to mention, increased the interest factor.
Pick the book if ---
- You love history, particularly Indian history.
- You are a keen enthusiast of India’s military history.
- You want to have an in-depth understanding of the Sino-Indian conflict.
- You are a geopolitical enthusiast who enjoys understanding world affairs from a macro perspective.
- You are looking for a short academic read that condenses the knowledge of many previous books and articles on the same subject.
Expect a book that talks about the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962 while taking into consideration the histories of not just India and China but also Tibet, Russia, Mongolia, and British India. Expect a book that offers a macro view of the factors that shape the political leadership of the two countries, while also analyzing their world views.
Who can read? ---
The language of the book as well as its text lean on the academic side. Thus, it is better suited for history buffs, academic researchers, and voracious readers of historical nonfiction.
Asks an important question ---
At its strategic core, the book asks a relevant and highly significant question. Was the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962 a mere border dispute or was there more to it than what meets the regular public eye? In learning from our histories especially the mistakes of the past, it ensures that the same won’t be repeated in the future.
What did I like? ---
As is quite obvious from the bibliography and the text throughout, A Conflict in Thin Air condenses the wisdom, facts, and research of more than 70 published works and articles on the subject. That it distills this vast amount of information into a book of just under 140 pages is no mean feat.
What could have been better? ---
I would have loved it if the book had some illustrations, photographs, and more maps. It would have added much more value to the reader, not to mention, increased the interest factor.
Pick the book if ---
- You love history, particularly Indian history.
- You are a keen enthusiast of India’s military history.
- You want to have an in-depth understanding of the Sino-Indian conflict.
- You are a geopolitical enthusiast who enjoys understanding world affairs from a macro perspective.
- You are looking for a short academic read that condenses the knowledge of many previous books and articles on the same subject.
December 21, 2020
A Conflict in Thin Air by Prosenjit Das Gupta is a work of non-fiction, inspired by the books based on India and China that at length discuss history, diplomatic stand-off, wars, culture and much more. The author is a well-learnt guy who admits reading many books and research papers on Indo-China topic. According to this book, which is nowadays hard to get via offline or online, India's tension with China is not new or rooted in the year 1962. It actually delves deep into the history. The author has provided lucid explanation of 8th century when all three countries (China, Tibet, India) were equal on the lines of trade and often crossed the mighty Himalayan borders to trade with great equality.
Next focus on history is when the British started ruling India and at the same time Tibet and China was fighting for their space or say independence scuffle. When China totally took over Tibet, the relationship between India and its next biggest geographical neighbor China begins worsening. One of the reasons could be protection of Lama and several fake treaties between these two countries since the British Raj. My point is to say that Sino-Indian conflict is not merely a border dispute. It goes back to history and tries to explain that these countries were never on the same wavelength.
China could have felt humiliated in trade or when India sided with Tibet. The Sino-India conflict of 1962 was a sort of pent-up frustration of China that it wanted to vent out hurriedly. The author is a well-travelled and well-read guy. He has done a careful work of research to put the final picture in the book about these two countries. The book is non-fiction but highly engaging due to its depth in the history, geography, and contemporary crises.
Anyone interested in Sino-Indian conflict history or wants to look deep inside the historical and cultural cusp can definitely pick up this book. I would urge the author to make this book re-alive at least on Internet, if not in libraries and bookstores. Inside pictures were enticing and content is superbly written and researched. Prosenjit Das Gupta has done a marvelous job by stitching the loose strands of history to form a relevant book for current and future generations. Being a student of history and geography, I totally agree with the book and its resounding appeal.
Next focus on history is when the British started ruling India and at the same time Tibet and China was fighting for their space or say independence scuffle. When China totally took over Tibet, the relationship between India and its next biggest geographical neighbor China begins worsening. One of the reasons could be protection of Lama and several fake treaties between these two countries since the British Raj. My point is to say that Sino-Indian conflict is not merely a border dispute. It goes back to history and tries to explain that these countries were never on the same wavelength.
China could have felt humiliated in trade or when India sided with Tibet. The Sino-India conflict of 1962 was a sort of pent-up frustration of China that it wanted to vent out hurriedly. The author is a well-travelled and well-read guy. He has done a careful work of research to put the final picture in the book about these two countries. The book is non-fiction but highly engaging due to its depth in the history, geography, and contemporary crises.
Anyone interested in Sino-Indian conflict history or wants to look deep inside the historical and cultural cusp can definitely pick up this book. I would urge the author to make this book re-alive at least on Internet, if not in libraries and bookstores. Inside pictures were enticing and content is superbly written and researched. Prosenjit Das Gupta has done a marvelous job by stitching the loose strands of history to form a relevant book for current and future generations. Being a student of history and geography, I totally agree with the book and its resounding appeal.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews