The Blood Telegram

The Blood Telegram by Gary J. Bass is a gripping historical account of the US's inadvertent support for West Pakistan during Bangladesh's struggle for liberation in 1971. The narrative undertakes an ambitious approach, amalgamating the foreign policy tactics employed by several major players, with a primary focus on the US, followed by Pakistan, India, and, to an extent, China. Simultaneously, it presents a thorough historical examination of the key events leading up to the mass extermination campaign that occurs in Bangladesh, and offers insight into the repercussions for each of the nations mentioned above.

This account opens with Pakistan's 1970 elections, in which the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, secured an overwhelming majority. However, his opponents on the Western side, General Yahya Khan and West Pakistani leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, refused to accept this power transfer, indicative of the dismissal of the democratic voice of the East Pakistanis. This leads to an uprising in East Pakistan, which is met by a brutal military crackdown engineered by its Western counterparts, with mass killings, political arrests, and war atrocities.

Built upon the basis of this historical context, Gary J. Bass provides a thrilling account of US President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's clandestine support for General Yahya Khan. Bass utilizes primary resources of White House tapes and declassified documents to uncover Nixon and Kissinger's mentality when addressing foreign policy matters. Interestingly, a large part of their dealings were not only the quintessential byproducts of realpolitik, but also driven by a deep loathing of the Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, as well as a disdain for Indians and, in extension, the Bengalis of East Pakistan, who were viewed and reduced to racially skewed stereotypes. The book also examines the role of American diplomats and their valiant efforts to prevent this genocide, particularly through Archer Blood, the American Consul General to Dacca, who remained a beacon of truth and acted against US' interest by supporting Bangladeshi liberation and bringing to light the genocidal intent Western Pakistani militia and leadership harbored.

Additionally, the book describes how Cold War priorities moulded US foreign policy, with Kissinger and Nixon relying on Yahya Khan as their key to opening diplomatic relations with China, thereby augmenting the American leaders' outright denial of the brutal genocide imposed by Yahya's military regime. As India began to receive military aid from the Soviet Union, the US further increased its support to West Pakistan in the form of military and economic aid. Bass also addresses the humanitarian crises that underpinned the genocide, with India being faced with almost ten million refugees that trickled through its Eastern borders. Finally, Indira Gandhi took a full-fledged stance to support the Mukti Bahini, the Bangladeshi liberation army, standing steadfastly against West Pakistan and its American counterparts. The liberation efforts finally culminated in a 13-day war between India and Pakistan, with Pakistani militia ultimately surrendering to the Indians, and with Bangladeshis attaining independence. What I found particularly compelling about Bass's writing style was its lucidity and precision, and the bricolage of sources he uses, ranging from interviews to photos and audio tapes. This contributes to a rich understanding of this key geopolitical event and its various players, painted as a power struggle between many rivalling powers with the ever-present backdrop of the Cold War brewing. Additionally, Bass describes all his historical personages, ranging from India Gandhi to Archer Blood, with immense care, imbuing them with their eccentricities, effectively humanizing and rendering them with depth. The Blood Telegram was pivotal in my understanding of this significant historical event, alongside how foreign policy was conducted during this time. I learnt of the fluidity of foreign policy, with the US's support of West Pakistan's outright subversion of democracy despite its supposedly strong democratic ideals. I also learnt the unexpected role racial and gender tensions may play in the way foreign policy is conducted, with the declassified audio tapes between Nixon and Kissinger revealing their racist outlook towards South Asians as well as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Ultimately, Bass does not just recount a dry account of the past, but breathes life into history through his vivid writing and the delicate nuance with which he represents a complex and layered historical event, leading to an unforgettable historical experience for his reader.