http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/06_2007/naive-nehru-respon sible-for-indiachina-war-cia-43755.html
New Delhi: In a development that could drive a wedge into India-China relations, the CIA has revealed declassified information on American policy and thinking that were kept secret for decades.
The documents speak of how Beijing deceived New Delhi on the border issue through false assurances to Jawahar Lal Nehru, giving the impression they were petty problems which could be resolved by officials at lower levels.
They also paint Nehru as a naive and romantic statesman who trusted the Chinese. The documents claim that Nehru kept disagreements on the border issue out of public domain, to maintain his relationship with China.
The CIA is releasing these documents for the National Security Archive, as per the Freedom of Information act.
Nehru, say the first set of documents, even kept border incidents and rising disagreement with China out of Indian public domain in order to contain public opinion and to maintain his relationship with Zhou.
"The Chinese diplomatic effort was a five year masterpiece of guile, executed - and probably planned in large part by Chou en Lai," the CIA analysis says.
"Chou played on Nehru's Asian, anti-imperialist mental attitude, his proclivity to temporize, and his sincere desire for an amicable Sino-Indian relationship."
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IMO Nehru was a highly overrated (but ambitius) leader who was lucky to be 1st PM of independent India. Bec'se of Nehru family's domination of India (they have hijacked the Gandhi nameš¤¢), other leaders never got their due and Nehru's contribution was highly inflated.
He was resposible for several major blunders in Independent India's history:
1) Declaring ceasefire in J&K and going to UN.
2) His Hindi-Chini bhai bhai policy and not opposing Chinese invasion of Tibbet in 1950, which ultimately resulted in 1962 fiasco.
3) His socialist economic policy set us back by few decades.
From wiki...
"Nehru and his colleagues had been released as the British Cabinet Mission arrived to propose plans for transfer of power. The Congress held a presidential election in the knowledge that its chosen leader would become India's head of government. 11 Congress state units nominated Vallabhbhai Patel, while only the Working Committee suggested Nehru. Sensing that Nehru would not accept second place to Patel and that Nehru had a wider appeal, Gandhi supported Nehru and asked Patel to withdraw, which he immediately did. Nehru's election surprised many Congressmen and continues to be a source of controversy in modern times."
"Fearing communal reprisals, Nehru also hesitated in supporting the annexation of Hyderabad State, and clashed with Patel on the Kashmir dispute and relations with Pakistan. Nehru asserted his own control over Kashmir policy while Patel objected to Nehru sidelining his Home Ministry's officials. Nehru felt offended by Patel's decision-making regarding the states' integration without consulting either him or the Cabinet. Patel asked Gandhi to relieve him of his obligation to serve."
"Despite working together, the two leaders would clash on various issues. Nehru declined Patel's counsel on sending assistance to Tibet in 1950 with the disputed entrance of the People's Republic of China and ejecting the Portuguese from Goa by military force.
When Nehru pressured Dr. Rajendra Prasad to decline a nomination to become the first President of India in 1950 in favour of Rajagopalachari, he thus angered the party, which felt Nehru was attempting to impose his will. Nehru sought Patel's help in winning the party over, but Patel declined, and Prasad was duly elected. When Nehru opposed the 1950 Congress presidential candidacy of Purushottam Das Tandon, a conservative Hindu leader, he endorsed Jivatram Kripalani and threatened to resign if Tandon was elected. Patel rejected Nehru's views and endorsed Tandon in Gujarat, in a disputed election where Kripalani received not one vote despite hailing from that state himself. Patel believed Nehru had to understand that his will was not law with the Congress, but he personally discouraged Nehru from resigning after the latter felt that the party had no confidence in him."
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Indian Mythology
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
