Operation Searchlight

Operation Searchlight was a planned military operation by the Pakistani Army to stop the Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in March 1971. It was ordered by the government in West Pakistan and was seen as the sequel to Operation Blitz, which had been launched in November 1970.

The Pakistani Army was endorsed and supported by the US under Nixon Administration and the Bengalis by India and the USSR. The US objective was to curb Soviet influence in South Asia and win Pakistan as an ally.

Pakistan lost the war, resulting in the Independence of Bangladesh. All US objectives were failed.

Further reading
Gerlach, Christian. "Crowd Violence in East Pakistan/Bangladesh 1971/72." (2019): 15–39.

 References 

Category:1971 in Pakistan
Category:Bangladesh Liberation War
Category:1971 in Bangladesh