In Myths and Facts: Bangladesh Liberation War – How India, U.S., China, and the U.S.S.R. Shaped the Outcome, B.Z. Khasru uncovers through extensive research the mysteries surrounding the war – what caused it, how it was conducted and how the world powers shaped its outcome.

Beginning with how the United States viewed East Pakistan before President Yahya Khan used force in a failed attempt to suppress the Bengalis, this book narrates the episodes that culminated in Bangladesh’s liberation. Based on once-secret U.S. government documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, and stories narrated by those who made history – before, during and after the conflict – this book cracks open the floodgates of information, separating facts from myths and detailing the events as they unfolded during those fateful days of 1971.

Specifically, it explains why the Mujib-Yahya talks collapsed, why the exiled Awami League leaders held secret negotiations with U.S. diplomats in India to compromise with Yahya, and why America’s secret diplomacy failed. It examines why Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi backed off from her stated war objectives of dismantling West Pakistan and recapturing Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. It analyzes how the Soviet Union and China played their cards, why U.S. President Richard Nixon sent the Seventh Fleet into the Bay of Bengal, and how his move affected the war outcome. Finally, it unwraps the mystery behind Gen. A.K. Niazi’s surrender in Dhaka only two days after he vowed to fight till death.

In short, this book presents a detailed and objective account of the Bangladesh Liberation War, explaining how various actors influenced its final result and what motivated them to act the way they did.

Author info

B.Z. Khasru, an award-winning journalist, is publisher and editor of The Capital Express, a financial publication in New York. Previously, he was managing editor of the Business Journal and reporter for The Journal News, a Gannett daily, in New York. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northeastern University in Boston.