A Region in Turmoil: South Asian Conflicts Since 1947Reaktion Books, 2005 M09 15 - 268 pages South Asia has been the setting for some of the century's most violent invasions, the Western world's bloodiest defeats, and a volatile geopolitical brew of religions, ethnicities, and nationalism that sends unsettling ripples through the global balance of power even today. Rob Johnson writes here the engrossing history of the individual conflicts that have engulfed the states of South Asia during the last half century. A Region in Turmoil offers a new perspective on the area, drawing together the conflicts of South Asia and examining them in local and global contexts, from the end of the Western colonial empires through today's global efforts to combat terrorism. Johnson's incisive analysis breaks down the historical and political roots of the conflicts and departs from traditional Western-centric paradigms to reveal heretofore overlooked South Asian viewpoints on the conflicts and connections among the wars. He probes the causes, contexts, and conclusions of the conflicts, ranging from the enduring insurgency in Myanmar to the struggle of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the unrest in the Punjab and Assam states, the Bangladeshi war of independence, and the intractable struggles in Kashmir and Afghanistan. The twenty-first century opened with South Asia front and center on a turbulent political stage: the region is not only the designated frontline for the "war on terror" but also home to the newest nuclear powers, India and Pakistan. A Region in Turmoil addresses this critical contemporary crisis with an invaluable analysis of the region and its complex history, making it essential reading for historians, policymakers, and anyone who reads the front page of the daily newspaper. |
Contents
Preface | 7 |
Conflicts in India | 20 |
Conflicts in Pakistan Bangladesh Sri Lanka | 42 |
Global Influences on South Asian Conflicts | 69 |
The Kashmir Dispute 19472004 | 91 |
The IndiaChina Conflict of 1962 | 117 |
The IndiaPakistan Wars of 1965 and 1971 | 141 |
The Soviet Occupation | 163 |
The Civil War 19892001 | 182 |
Insurgency Terror and PeaceMaking | 202 |
Points of Conflict | 232 |
References | 245 |
257 | |
263 | |
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Common terms and phrases
action Afghan Aksai Chin al-Qaeda American areas armed forces Asian attacks Bangladesh Bhutto bomb border British Burma cease-fire cent China Chinese civil civilians claimed command communal Communist conflict in South December defence Delhi democracy Despite divisions East Bengal East Pakistan economic elections ethnic extremists fighters fighting foreign policy frontier Gandhi global groups guerrilla Hekmatyar Hindu Hizbul Mujahideen independence India and Pakistan Indian Army Indian government insurgency intervention Islam Islamist Kabul Kashmir dispute Kaul killed launched leaders Line of Control LTTE Maley Maoists ment militant military million Mujahideen Mukti Bahini Muslim Myanmar Najibullah negotiations Nehru Nepal Nevertheless Non-Aligned nuclear operations organization Pakistan Army Party peace political population Prime Minister Punjab Pushtuns Rajiv refugees regime region resistance security forces Separatists sides Sikhs Sinhalese South Asia Soviet Union Sri Lanka strategic Taliban Tamil territory terrorism terrorist threat Tigers tion United Nations unrest violence weapons West whilst