[Assam] Armed Revolutions obsolete: fact or myth

[Chan Mahanta]

Wow, Uttam, you sure put together one comprehensive list.

But you know what?  My guess is that it is that damned English  
language problem that gave birth to the
OBSOLETE theme that has been going around for some time, around India.  
I saw the same argument
in The Sentinel, the Assam Tribune etc. regarding the ULFA and all the  
other regional conflicts
also in the near past. I am not sure who the genius was behind the  
argument, but it sure picked up a following. The
proposition  is based on the notion that man has become enlightened  
enough to be able to resolve
conflicts peaceably thru the institutions of a liberal democratic  
state with a rule of law, without having
to take to arms. IF it were a wish, I would be all for supporting the  
wish. But if it is presented as a fact,
as you have clearly shown, the premise has no foundation. It is an  
unadulterated myth, like so many
other Indian myths.

The other point here to take note is either the ignorance or willing  
omission of the propagators of the myth
that the Indian state has been willing or is able to, in fact, engage  
in a sincere and credible effort to
prevent, de-escalate or end such conflicts, spanning half a century  
and counting.

If India's intelligentsia is so ignorant or apathetic of this  
appalling failure, resulting in the inability to reform
its institutions of state, then its democracy thumping is little more  
than a hollow and ritualistic  exercise,
designed more to attract approval of the West that it so craves, but  
in fact having little care about the vast
forgotten of its own.

c-da




On May 27, 2010, at 2:51 AM, uttam borthakur wrote:

> Kindly consider the list below:
>
>
> Major Wars and Conflicts of The 20th Century
>
> The20th Century was the bloodiest, costliest century of warfare in  
> human history. Two world wars, and a large number of major  
> revolutions, along with significant social, political, and economic  
> upheavals made the period from 1901 to 2000 of great importance in a  
> historical and military sense.
> Below is a list (with links) of the major wars of the twentieth  
> century. Any such list is by nature somewhat subjective, but the  
> wars and conflicts listed below all had signifcant importance in  
> history. This list of 20th Century wars is presented in rough  
> chronological order, with the earliest listed first, and descending  
> toward the also war-filled 21st Century.
>
> The Second Boer War (1899-1902)--Britain vs. The Boer Republics  
> (Orange Free State and Transvaal) in what is now South Africa.
> Somali "Mad Mullah" Jihad (1899-1905)--Somali tribesmen led by  
> religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd Allah Hasan waged a desert  
> guerrilla war against Britain, Italy and Ethiopia. Following  
> repeated defeats by the Somalis, the colonial powers offered him  
> territory in Italian Somaliland in exchange for peace. He resumed  
> his war in 1908 and harassed the occupiers of his country until 1920.
> Philippine-American War (1899-1902)--Originally called the  
> "Philippine Uprising", this was a war of independence fought by the  
> Filipinos against the occupying American military. Filipino  
> resistance was ruthlessly crushed.
> The Boxer Rebellion (1899-1900)-- The Chineses secret religious and  
> nationalistic Society of the Righteous Harmonious Fists (Boxers),  
> initiated a rebellion against both foreign colonizers, missionaries  
> and their own government in 1899. By 1900, the Chinese government  
> had co-opted the rebels and directed their violent fury entirely  
> upon the foreign presence in China. The Boxers, aided by Chinese  
> Imperial troops, besieged the diplomatic legations (embassies) of  
> the Western powers and Japan, sparking a truly international  
> response. A retaliatory relief expedition composed of troops from:  
> the United State, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Austria- 
> Hungary, Russia and Japan invaded China and captured the capital of  
> Peking (now called Beijing).
> Italo-Ottoman War (1911-1912)--(also known as the Turco-Italian War  
> and the Tripolitanian War)--Italy decided to add to its growing  
> African empire by attacking Ottoman-ruled Tripolitinia (Libya). The  
> Italian victory began the very swift fall of the Ottoman Empire  
> which would end with the Empire's disintegration at the end of World  
> War One in 1918. The day after Ottoman Turkey made peace with Italy,  
> the Balkan Leage attacked in the First Balkan War (below).
> First Balkan War (1912-1913)--The Balkan nations of Montenegro,  
> Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece defeated Ottoman Empire, and seized  
> nearly all of the Ottoman Empire's remaining European territories.
> Second Balkan War (1913)--The victors in the First Balkan War fell  
> out among themselves, with Bulgaria attacking Serbia and Greece in  
> an attempt to gain more of the spoils from the first war. Rumania,  
> Montenegro, and the Ottomans also joined the war against Bulgaria.
> World War One (1914-1918)--The first "official" world war was  
> originally known as "The Great War," and also as "The World War."
>
> Russian Civil War
> Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921)--Major war between Poland and Russia/ 
> The Soviet Union.
> Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)
> Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936)--(also known as the  
> Abyssinian War)--Italy's Fascist dicator, Benito Mussolini, wanted  
> to conquer a new "Roman Empire," and chose Ethiopia as his first  
> victim. Ethiopia had defeated Italy in the First Italo-Ethiopian War  
> in 1896, and Mussolini sought revenge for that embarrassing Italian  
> defeat. This war exposed the inherent weaknesses of the League of  
> Nations (an earlier and very weak version of the United Nations)  
> when it was unable to prevent war. Italy successfuly conquered  
> Ethiopia in 1936. During World War Two, British, Commonwealth, Free  
> French, Free Belgian, and Ethiopian forces liberated Ethiopia in 1941
> Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)--The Spanish Civil War began as a  
> right-wing rebellion against the leftist Republican government of  
> Spain. Led by General Francisco Franco, the Nationalist rebels  
> fought a long and bloody civil war against their Republican foes.  
> Franco was received significant military aid from Nazi Germany and  
> Fascist Italy. The Republican side was aided by the Soviet Union.  
> Franco won the war in 1939 and set up a Fascist government. This war  
> is considered one of the precursor conflicts leading to World War Two.
> World War Two (1939-1945)
> Cold War (1945-1990)
> Greek Civil War (1946-1949)--The first major military conflict of  
> the Cold War. Communist rebels supported by Yugoslavia and other  
> Communist nations fought against the pro-Western Greek government,  
> which was given significant support by the United States and Great  
> Britain. The war ended with a government victory.
> First Indochina War (1946-1954) --The "First IndochinaWar" was  
> really a regional conflict involving France, as the colonial ruler  
> of "French Indochina," against the nationalist (but Communist)  
> rebels seeking independence for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. This  
> war was a part of the Cold War, since in also involved the United  
> States (and to a lesser extent), Great Britain, aiding their ally  
> France, while the Communist rebels (the Viet Minh, Pathet Lao, and  
> Khmer Issarak), enjoyed aid from the Soviet Union and Communist  
> China. Below are the "smaller" conflicts that in part made up the  
> First Indochina War. This war led directly to the Second Indochina  
> War, which in the United States is best known as the Vietnam War.
> this conflict included:
> French Indochina War (1946-1954) --(known in Vietnam as "The French  
> War")--Communist Viet Minh rebels led by Ho Chi Minh waged a  
> successful war of independence against French colonial forces who re- 
> occupied Indochina following the Japanese defeat in World War Two.  
> The Viet Minh were aided by the Soviet Union and by Communist China.  
> France received significant material support from the United States.  
> France agreed to grant independence to North Vietnam, South Vietnam,  
> Laos, and Cambodia following the Viet Minh victory over French  
> troops at Dien Bien Phu.
> Pathet Lao War (1950-1954)--Laotian communist forces (The Pathet  
> Lao) were allied with the Viet Minh fought against French colonial  
> forces. Independence achieved after the Vietnamese communists  
> defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu. The Pathet Lao later continued  
> their war against the new Laotian government, finally taking over  
> the country in 1975.
> Khmer Issarak War (1950-1954)--Cambodian (Khmer) communist forces  
> allied with the Viet Minh fought against French colonial forces.  
> Independence achieved after the Vietnamese communists defeated the  
> French at Dien Bien Phu. The Khmer communists (Khmer Rouge) later  
> continued their war against the new Cambodian government, finally  
> taking over the country in 1975.
> First Kashmir War (1947-1948)--First war between India and Pakistan  
> over possession of Kashmir.
> Korean War (1950-1953)
> Suez War of 1956
> Second Indochina War (1956-1975) --The so-called "Vietnam War" was  
> really a regional and international conflict involving not just  
> North and South Vietnam and the U.S. but also embroiling Laos,  
> Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Below  
> are some of the "smaller" conflicts that in part made up the Second  
> Indochina War.
> this conflict included:
> Vietnam War (1956-1975)--The Communist North Vietnamese and the  
> southern Viet Cong engaged in a long war to overthrow the pro- 
> American government of South Vietnam. The U.S. and other allied  
> nations sent troops to aid the Saigon regime. The last U.S. combat  
> troops left in 1973 and Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese on April  
> 30, 1975. Known in the U.S. and much of the world as "The Vietnam  
> War." Known in Vietnam as "The American War."
> Laotian Civil War (1959-1975)--North Vietnam sent large numbers of  
> troops into Laos to aid the Communist Pathet Lao against the U.S.- 
> backed Royal Laotian government. The Pathet Lao seized power in 1975  
> and maintains a good relationship with Hanoi.
> Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975) --North Vietnam sent large numbers  
> of troops into Cambodia to aid the Communist Khmer Rouge against the  
> U.S.-backed Cambodian government. The North Vietnamese Army (NVA)  
> had maintained a large presence in eastern Cambodia for years prior  
> to the beginning of the Khmer Rouge war in 1967. Following the fall  
> of the U.S.-backed governments in Cambodia and South Vietnam, the  
> two former Communist allies engaged in warfare between themselves.  
> (See below).
> Yemen Civil War (1962-1970)-- Egypt sent troops to support the  
> Yemeni Republican government against Royalist rebels supported by  
> Saudi Arabia. This was a major rift in the Arab world.
> Sino-Indian War (1962)--Short but bloody border war between China  
> and India.
> Second Kashmir War (1965)--Second war between India and Pakistan  
> over Kashmir.
> Six-Day War (1967)-- Israel defeated the combined forces of Egypt,  
> Jordan, Syria, and Iraq in six days.
> Warsaw Pact Invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968)--The armed forces of  
> the Communist Warsaw Pact (Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, and  
> Hungary) invaded Czechoslovakia to bring down a reformist Czech  
> government.
> Bengali War of Independence (1971)--Can also be considered a  
> Pakistani civil war. East Pakistan rebelled against West Pakistan,  
> seeking independence. India intervened and helped East Pakistan  
> break away and become the new nation of Bangaladesh.
> Lebanese Civil War (1975-1991)
> Ogaden War (1977-1978)- Ethiopia against Somalia and Somali rebels  
> in the Ogaden desert area. The Soviet Union provided huge amounts of  
> material and logistcal support and Cuba sent thousands of troops to  
> fight on Ethiopia's side. This war was a part of the Cold War.
> Third Indochina War (1977-1989) this conflict included:
> Cambodia-Vietnam War (1977-1991)--During their war against the U.S.- 
> sponsored regimes in Saigon and Phnom Penh, the North Vietnamese and  
> the Khmer Rouge were able to mask their ideological differences and  
> ignore the historical hostility between their two peoples. After  
> taking power though, these differences turned violent. Beginning  
> with low-level cross-border raids and escalating into full-fledged  
> war in late December of 1978 when Vietnam launched a massive  
> conventional invasion of Cambodia, swiftly occupying the nation  
> within days. Vietnam set up a new government in Phnom Penh with  
> Khmer Rouge defectors but found itself immersed in a long and  
> difficult war of occupation as the Khmer Rouge returned to the  
> guerrilla warfare they knew so well. Vietnamese troops left after  
> more than a decade, with the friendly government of Heng Samrin in  
> control of most of Cambodia.
> China -Vietnam War (Feb. 17-Mar. 16, 1979)-- Similar to the  
> difficulties between Cambodia and Vietnam, the Hanoi regime enjoyed  
> good relations with China during the war against the United States  
> and South Vietnam, but once that conflict ended, ideological and  
> historical differences interfered with Sino-Vietnamese relations.  
> Using the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia as a pretext, China  
> launched a massive attack along their common border. Vietnam's  
> border troops put up a very good defense, causing major casualties  
> to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Within a month of the  
> invasion, China basically declared that it had taught Hanoi a lesson  
> and withdrew. Results of this war include: moving Hanoi closer to  
> the Soviet Union, which was a rival of China; a modernization of the  
> PLA as China realized they did not do very well against a smaller  
> country; and the beginning of a long-lasting but low-level border  
> conflict with between Vietnam and China. (See
> below).
>
> China-Vietnam Border Clashes (1979-1988)--After the Chinese invasion  
> of Vietnam in 1979, continued warfare and infiltration along the  
> border kept these two neighbors in a state of low-level warfare. The  
> two Communist neighbors now maintain cordial relations, but further  
> research is needed to ascertain when the cross-border raids and  
> artillery exchanges ended.
> Thai-Laotian Border Clashes (1980, 1984, 1987)
>
> Afghan Civil War (1978-Present)
> Iranian Hostage Crisis (1979-1981)--Though technically not a war,  
> this was a major crisis that nearly brought the U.S. and Iran to  
> war, and the repercussions of this conflict are still felt today.  
> (see Iran War Scenarios for more information on the recent issues  
> between America and Iran)
> Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989)
> Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
> Falkland Islands War (1982)
> Israeli Invasion and Occupation of Southern Lebanon (1982-2000)
> Invasion of Grenada (1983)
> Gulf War (1991)
> Third Balkan War
> Second Chechen War
> Congo War
>
> Uttam Kumar Borthakur
>
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