From: keis@psy.uwa.oz.au (Keis Ohtsuka)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Indian collaborators sided with Japanese
Date: 22 Jan 1993 12:34:36 GMT
Organization: The University of Western Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: wapsy.psy.uwa.oz.au

aijuin@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu (Miyamoto Musashi) writes:

>Perhaps Asano is unaware of the relationship between India and Japan during
>World War II.  A prominent leader of the Indian independence movement (I
>cannot for the hell in me remember what his name was) was actually very
>friendly toward Japan, was viewed Japanese culture (such as sado) with 
>tremendous interest.  He adopted sado as a way to educate the younger
>generation.  Historians agree that had this person not died (in a plane 
>accident if I remember correctly) during the war, he would have become
>the leader rather than Ghandi (not sure about the spelling).  It may be
>difficult to understand, but the Japanese AIDED the indipendence movement
>in India (at least when they were winning the war).  I am no expert on 
>Japanese involvment in India during World War II, but I really do NOT recall
>an instance in which the Japanese caused great atrocities in India.
>If I am wrong, enlighten me.

I am afraid your view lacks objectivity. To say the least, your view is
contaminated with a Nip-centric propaganda to mascarade the imperial invasion
as a war of "liberation" of Asians from the "tyrany" of European   
powers. Of course, the war was mascaraded as a "holy war" waged by
Japanese, self-potrayed "master race" of Asia on behalf of Asian
"brothers." (axis euphemism of "Untermensch")
 
The Indian collaborated with Japanese was called Chandra Bose
who headed the Indian National Army, Indian mercenary forces sided
with the Japanese. I understand Mr. Bose also sought Nazi Germany's
help to end British rule of India. However, I don't think he was
a leader material let alone vying for replacing popular "Babu"
Gandhi.

There were a large number of Indian soliders in the British forces.
During the war of Malaya and the defence of Singapore, the casuality
rate among the Indian forces was high. Japanese actively sought to 
persuade Indians to take up arms agaist British. After the fall of
Singapore, Japanese separated Indian soldiers and non-commissioned
officiers from British commissioned officers at Changi Prison and
indoctrinated them hoping that they would fight on the Japanese
side. Some reneged and joined INR; most remained loyal to
British. Japanese later invaded India to secure the Burma Road,
a supply route to Chunking, a temprary capital of Nationalist
China, in Sichuan Province. When Gen. Mountbatten finally decimated
the Japanese Army at Impal and Kohima (both places are in the
Indian territory not in Burma as widely belived among japanese)
a large number of Indian soldiers fought for the British was
instrumental for the victory.

During turbulant days of Indian/Pakistani independence and a civil
war between 1945-47, how to deal with the INR collaborators became
a political football. Gandhi's decision to grant amnesty to INR
collaborators was not popular one and widely criticised by the
compatriots remained loyal to British and fought against the
Japanese invasion of India.

Any comments or corrections are welcomed.