In this book entitled "Indian Independence Movement in East Asia", Sardar Kesar Singh Giani has given a historical narrative of that Movement. His narrative starts from the beginning of this century and ends with the end of the last World War. Sardar Kesar Singh has done me the courtesy of handing over to me a pre-publication copy of his book and I have glanced over its pages with interest and profit.
Unfortunately, very little is known to the younger generation about the great Indian revolutionaries, who left India in the early years of this century and went to Japan, China, Siam, Malaya and other lands and started their revolutionary activities there with the object of liberating India from foreign yoke. Sardar Kesar Singh has done well in giving to Young India a short account of the activities of their those great revolutionaries who dreamt dreams of Indian Freedom and worked for the realisation of dreams. I hope in the next edition of his book, Sardar Kesar Singh will give a fuller account of their lives and activities.
The greater part of his book is devoted to the Indian National Army its formation, its dissolution, its re-formation under the leadership of its Supreme Commander NETAJI SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE and the fight it launched for the achievement of Indian Independence. I am sure that the pages which deal with the Indian National Army and its achievements will be read with very great interest by those who are interested in the study of Indian history and in the movement for Indian Independence.
The last World War was a war between rival Fascisms -Anglo-American Anglo-Ameri Fascism on the one-hand and Axis Fascism on the other. When it was in progress, British old school ties and their Indian counterparts went the length of describing the Supreme Commander and Officers and men of the Indian National Army as Quislings, traitors and puppets. But the facts that have come out since, have proved disconcerting to those who let loose the tongue of calamony. History has already pronounced its verdict upon the Indian National Army and its Supreme Commander and that verdict is, that if there was any army which and any commander who, during the last War fought for freedom and democracy, it was the Indian National Army and its Supreme Commander.
The Indian National Army, it is true failed to achieve independence for India during the last World War. But the record of its great achievements will always remain in-scribed in the pages of history. The movement for Indian Independence may suffer defeats, it may seem to languish for a while, it may even retreat for a moment; but, even in its retreat it will continue to mature and will eventually win because the conditions which gave it birth have given it the dynamism necessary for its triumph. The spirit of the Indian National Army has permeated into the soil and soul of Indians and nothing can kill it.
The writer needs no apology for bringing out the present volume. The achievements of the Indian National Army and the story of the bold bid made for the Independence of India by the Indian patriots in East Asia, are so fascinating and soul-stirring that they have created a deep interest and desire in the minds of Indian public to know more and more about them. The Indians in East Asia, first under the able guidance of that verteran revolutionary-Sri Rash Behari Bose-and General Mohan Singh and then under the dynamic personality of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose made a novel experience of winning the Freedom India from without. The movement was so wonderfully organized and its achievements, were so glorious that even the worst enemies of of India had to acknowledge its force and potentialities. The Indians of all nationalities in East-Asia gave their whole-hearted and willing co-operation and support to the movement. With an unrivalled fervour and zeal, they gladly sacrificed their all, including their lives at the Altar of their country's freedom. When Netaji asked them for the 'total mobilization' of their resources to fight the enemy, the response was magnificient. Millions of dollers were collected in no time, thousands of youngmen offered themselves for national service and not a few families dedicated their all for the cause of their motherland. Never before in our history was so much spirit, enthusiasm or unquenchable thirst for freedom infused in our hearts.
The Indian Independence Movement in East Asia, has made an immense contribution to our struggle for freedom. The political achievements of those three years and eight months (Dec. 1941-Aug. 1945) have enabled the Indians to raise their heads with pride and dignity before the world. For the first time in modern history a Government of Free India was formed and recognized by nine friendly powers. A National Army several thousands strong, armed with modern weapons and trained and officered entirely by Indians was formed and recognized as an Army of Free India. This Army fired by boundless enthusiasm and a desire to 'Do or Die' for India's emancipation, went to battle with slogans of Chalo Delhi and Blood, Blood and Blood' on their lips. They proved their mettle on the battle-field and by their personal dis-regard of dangers and hardships and by their enormous sacrifices left an impress on India's history, which can never be effaced.
The desire to serve in the cause of India's liberation, became such a burning passion with the East-Asia Indians, that even the women-folk came forward and asked to be enlisted as soldiers in the Army of Liberation.
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