-
1962: The War That Wasn't
- The Definitive Account of the Clash Between India and China
- Narrated by: Manish Dongardive
- Length: 19 hrs and 20 mins
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Publisher's summary
On 20 October 1962, high in the Himalayas, on the banks of the fast-flowing Nam Ka Chu, over 400 Indian soldiers were massacred, and the valley was overrun by soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army. Over the course of the next month, nearly 4,000 soldiers were killed on both sides, and the Indian army experienced its worst defeat ever. The conflict (war was never formally declared) ended because China announced a unilateral ceasefire on 21 November and halted its hitherto unhindered advance across NEFA and Ladakh. To add to India's lasting shame, neither Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru nor the Indian army was even aware that the 'war' had ended until they heard the announcement on the radio - despite the Indian embassy having been given the information two days earlier.
This conflict continues to be one of our least understood episodes. Many books have been written on the events of the time, usually by those who were involved in some way, anxious to provide justification for their actions. These accounts have succeeded only in muddying the picture further. What is clear is that 1962 was an unmitigated disaster. The terrain on which most of the battles were fought (or not fought) was remote and inaccessible; the troops were sorely underequipped, lacking even warm clothing; and the men and officers who tried to make a stand were repeatedly let down by their political and military superiors. Time and again, in Nam Ka Chu, Bum-la, Tawang, Se-la, Thembang, Bomdila - all in the Kameng Frontier Division of NEFA in the Eastern Sector - and in Ladakh and Chusul in the Western Sector, our forces were mismanaged, misdirected or left to fend for themselves. If the Chinese army hadn't decided to stop its victorious campaign, the damage would have been far worse.
In this definitive account of the conflict, based on dozens of interviews with soldiers and numerous others who had a firsthand view of what actually happened in 1962, Shiv Kunal Verma takes us on an uncomfortable journey through one of the most disastrous episodes of independent India's history.
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Story
In 1939, tiny Finland waged war - the kind of war that spawns legends - against the mighty Soviet Union, and yet, their epic struggle has been largely ignored. Guerrillas on skis, heroic single-handed attacks on tanks, unfathomable endurance, and the charismatic leadership of one of this century's true military geniuses - these are the elements of both the Finnish victory and a gripping tale of war.
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Causes and consequences of ruso-finish 1939 war
- By William R. Todd-Mancillas (Name includes hyphen and capitalized M). on 04-06-18
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Korsun Pocket
- The Encirclement and Breakout of a German Army in the East, 1944
- By: Niklas Zetterling, Anders Frankson
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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During the second half of 1943, after the failure at Kursk, Germany’s Army Group South fell back from Russia under repeated hammer blows from the Red Army. Under Erich von Manstein, however, the Germans were able to avoid serious defeats, while at the same time fending off Hitler’s insane orders to hold on to useless territory. Then, in January 1944, a disaster happened.
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A wonderful historical narative
- By Joseph on 04-16-13
By: Niklas Zetterling, and others
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Desert Fox
- The Storied Military Career of Erwin Rommel
- By: Samuel W. Mitcham Jr.
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the strange and fascinating life of Erwin Rommel, from his days as a youth in Imperial Germany - when he had a child out of wedlock with an early girlfriend - through his lauded military exploits during World War I to his death by suicide during World War II, after he attempted a failed coup against Hitler. Rommel was a man of contradictions: a soldier who wrote a best-selling book about World War I, a commander who went from commanding Hitler's bodyguard to trying to kill him, and a serious military mind who was known for participating in practical jokes.
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Amazing Detail, Amazing Story!
- By Al888 on 05-19-19
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Collision of Empires
- The War on the Eastern Front in 1914
- By: Prit Buttar
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 21 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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The fighting that raged in the East during the First World War was every bit as fierce as that on the Western Front, but the titanic clashes between three towering empires - Russia, Austro-Hungary, and Germany - remains a comparatively unknown facet of the Great War. With the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the war in 2014, Collision of Empires is a timely expose of the bitter fighting on this forgotten front - a clash that would ultimately change the face of Europe forever.
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Best book non-fiction book ever on the Eastern Front in 1914
- By HistoricalReader on 01-31-18
By: Prit Buttar
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American Guerrilla
- The Forgotten Heroics of Russell W. Volckmann
- By: Mike Guardia
- Narrated by: Jason Huggins
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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With his parting words "I shall return," General Douglas MacArthur sealed the fate of the last American forces on Bataan. Yet one young Army Captain, named Russell Volckmann, refused to surrender. He disappeared into the jungles of north Luzon where he raised a Filipino army of over 22,000 men. For the next three years he led a guerrilla war against the Japanese, killing over 50,000 enemy soldiers. At the same time he established radio contact with MacArthur's HQ in Australia and directed Allied forces to key enemy positions.
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Malaria
- By Amazon Customer on 06-06-24
By: Mike Guardia
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Inside the Nazi War Machine
- How Three Generals Unleashed Hitler's Blitzkrieg Upon the World
- By: Bevin Alexander
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Under orders of the Fuhrer, the German General Staff reluctantly drew up a lackluster plan of invasion for France. Yet it was the audacious scheme of three of Hitler’s top generals that brought down France’s military force, Rather than simply move troops to engage the enemy, for the first time they would unleash the tank and drive straight into the heart of their foe.
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Good listen ..... however...
- By Alan on 06-10-13
By: Bevin Alexander
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Shanghai 1937
- Stalingrad on the Yangtze
- By: Peter Harmsen
- Narrated by: George Backman
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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This deeply researched book describes one of the great forgotten battles of the 20th century. At its height it involved nearly a million Chinese and Japanese soldiers, while sucking in three million civilians as unwilling spectators and, often, victims. It turned what had been a Japanese adventure in China into a general war between the two oldest and proudest civilizations of the Far East. Ultimately, it led to Pearl Harbor and to seven decades of tumultuous history in Asia. The Battle of Shanghai was a pivotal event that helped define and shape the modern world.
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The Curtain to World War Two
- By Michael on 03-01-16
By: Peter Harmsen
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The Drive on Moscow, 1941
- Operation Taifun and Germany’s First Great Crisis of World War II
- By: Niklas Zetterling, Anders Frankson
- Narrated by: Dave Courvoisier
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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At the end of September 1941, more than a million German soldiers lined up along the frontline just 180 miles west of Moscow. They were well trained, confident, and had good reasons to hope that the war in the East would be over with one last offensive. Facing them was an equally large Soviet force, but whose soldiers were neither as well trained nor as confident. When the Germans struck, disaster soon befell the Soviet defenders.
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Add the maps, lose the accents
- By Carrick on 07-03-14
By: Niklas Zetterling, and others
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This Kind of War
- The Classic Korean War History
- By: T. R. Fehrenbach
- Narrated by: Kevin Foley
- Length: 24 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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This Kind of War is a monumental study of the conflict that began in June 1950. Successive generations of U.S. military officers have considered this book an indispensable part of their education. T. R. Fehrenbach's narrative brings to life the harrowing and bloody battles that were fought up and down the Korean Peninsula.
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Great narrative, frustrating redundancy
- By Ted on 08-16-10
By: T. R. Fehrenbach
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The Battle of the Tanks
- Kursk, 1943
- By: Lloyd Clark
- Narrated by: David Baker
- Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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On July 5, 1943, the greatest land battle in history began when Nazi and Red Army forces clashed near the town of Kursk, on the western border of the Soviet Union. Code named Operation Citadel, the German offensive would cut through the bulge in the eastern front that had been created following Germany's retreat at the battle of Stalingrad. But the Soviets, well informed about Germany's plans through their network of spies, had months to prepare.
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Good enough
- By Val Shebeko on 05-28-15
By: Lloyd Clark
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The Seven Days
- The Emergence of Robert E. Lee and the Dawn of a Legend
- By: Clifford Dowdey
- Narrated by: Nicholas Tecosky
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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The Seven Days Campaign was a series of battles fought near Richmond at the end of June 1862. General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia had routed General George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac. Depriving McClellan of a military decision meant the war would continue for two more years. The Seven Days depicts a critical turning point in the Civil War that would ingrain Robert E. Lee in history as one of the finest generals of all time.
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The Seven Days:A different Title would work
- By Margaret Harley on 09-10-21
By: Clifford Dowdey
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The Darkest Summer
- Pusan and Inchon 1950: The Battles That Saved South Korea---and the Marines---from Extinction
- By: Bill Sloan
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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The outcome of the Korean War was decided in the first three months. The Darkest Summer is the hour-by-hour, casualty-by-casualty story of those months---a period that saw American and UN forces almost driven into the sea by the North Korean invaders, then stage an incredible turn-around that reversed the entire course of the war.
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Great intro to Korea
- By I Ate Your Pug For Lunch and It was Tasty on 01-14-11
By: Bill Sloan
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Ardennes 1944
- The Battle of the Bulge
- By: Antony Beevor
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett
- Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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On December 16, 1944, Hitler launched his "last gamble" in the snow-covered forests and gorges of the Ardennes in Belgium, believing he could split the Allies by driving all the way to Antwerp and forcing the Canadians and the British out of the war. Although his generals were doubtful of success, younger officers and NCOs were desperate to believe that their homes and families could be saved from the vengeful Red Army approaching from the east. Many were exultant at the prospect of striking back.
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Beevor excellent as always
- By Reed on 11-30-15
By: Antony Beevor
What listeners say about 1962: The War That Wasn't
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- HMP
- 04-13-18
Excellent account of the war
If you could sum up 1962: The War That Wasn't in three words, what would they be?
This book does an excellent job describing both the political and military aspects of the India-China war of 1962. It describes the weakening of the Indian Army due to political pressures between 1947 and 1962 as well as the political interference with army command in the 1962 war. It also goes into great detail of the military situation and decision making during the war. Overall an excellent account of the war with sufficient detail for those who are interested in Indian history.
What did you like best about this story?
Detailed accounts of the political and military situation
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- DesiBOOKworm
- 04-12-18
Extraordinary History- with lessons for all
Would you listen to 1962: The War That Wasn't again? Why?
Modern warfare is not the province of Heroes, or at least individual heroism counts for little in the absence of a hard-headed, fully-involved and inspired leadership. India under Nehru had none of these. Every warning was ignored, the Thorat plan shelved and the military leadership gutted due to Nehru's insecurity. China under Mao had a monster who killed millions of Chinese, but compared to the shiftless (if far more benign) Indian leadership, he was a genius. The Chinese Corps commanders showed a formidable grasp of tactics,(which also helped them immensely in Korea against US troops) and except very rarely the Indian commanders showed a lack of imagination. The fabled Indian Army, covered in Glory in 2 World Wars, found itself out-planned, outthought, outgunned and outmanned. China struck at a moment of her own choosing, & won. Unlike the US (UN) soldiers in Korea, India had no fallback option or plan B in reserve.
What was one of the most memorable moments of 1962: The War That Wasn't?
the human stories of the soldiers caught up in a dirty war; Shiv Kunal Verma's excellent story-telling skills
What about Manish Dongardive’s performance did you like?
Pronounces most Tibetan & Indian names well (and Chinese names too I think), and his voice is pleasing and nuanced.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Immensely sad, to see one of the finest fighting forces in the world lead to a total defeat. Many moving scenes as of the confrontation between the brave, courteous Sgt. Dashrath Singh and the idiotic Gen. Kaul. The serpentine Menon and the loudmouthed Nehru evoke disgust, but that is who they were.
Any additional comments?
Not enough of the Chinese side. How were they thinking? How did they have such accurate intelligence on Indian Troop Movements? America helped India, but you do not hear anything about it till the very end.
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2 people found this helpful