Sifting facts from fiction: Did any Pakistani leader have intentions of helping India in 1962 war?

[MadDog]

Do you have a source for that, like the one I provided?

Anyway, Ayub Khan led Pakistan to join all the NATO-led security pacts which were anti-communist in nature, and specifically identified China as the major enemy nation next to Russia.

So I don't think it's surprising at all that he offered a joint-defence pact to India against China just before the 1962 war. We were the "Red Menace" after all, and on the opposite side of the Cold War. And we had fought a direct war with US+NATO in the Korean War in the previous decade.

I believe it was because the border with China wasn't demarcated at the time, there were some skirmishes on the border because of undecided border. Coupled with the fact Pakistan was member of SEATO and CENTO, However things changed in Oct 1962, when India and China went to war, Pakistan could have invaded Kashmir as India was busy but under the pressure from the western diplomats Ayub backed off. Impetus was added to border negotiations due to Indo-China war and within 4-5 months in March 1963, Pakistan and China demarcated their border. Some areas went to China and some to Pakistan thus the two nations came close. In 1964 when Zhou Enlai visited Pakistan, he reaffirmed support for Pakistan in Kashmir dispute. US official statement condemned Pakistan's closeness with Chinese and declared it as a breach in the free world solidarity. In 1965 Ayub Khan visited China, where China again supported Pakistan's position in Rann of Kutch conflict with India. In 1971 , Henry Kessinger went on a Pakistani plane to meet Chairman Mao, thereby establishing first official contact between US and China facilitated by Pakistan. The two countries have come more close than ever before and today their destinies would be simmilar due to the ambitious regional integration projects being implemented.

Sifting facts from fiction: Did any Pakistani leader have intentions of helping India in 1962 war?

Is there any truth in the rumour that some Pakistani suggested helping India in some way in order to keep the ‘red menace’ at bay?

If it is true, what exactly was the nature of help contemplated?

I believe it was because the border with China wasn't demarcated at the time, there were some skirmishes on the border because of undecided border. Coupled with the fact Pakistan was member of SEATO and CENTO, However things changed in Oct 1962, when India and China went to war, Pakistan could have invaded Kashmir as India was busy but under the pressure from the western diplomats Ayub backed off. Impetus was added to border negotiations due to Indo-China war and within 4-5 months in March 1963, Pakistan and China demarcated their border. Some areas went to China and some to Pakistan thus the two nations came close. In 1964 when Zhou Enlai visited Pakistan, he reaffirmed support for Pakistan in Kashmir dispute. US official statement condemned Pakistan's closeness with Chinese and declared it as a breach in the free world solidarity. In 1965 Ayub Khan visited China, where China again supported Pakistan's position in Rann of Kutch conflict with India. In 1971 , Henry Kessinger went on a Pakistani plane to meet Chairman Mao, thereby establishing first official contact between US and China facilitated by Pakistan. The two countries have come more close than ever before and today their destinies would be simmilar due to the ambitious regional integration projects being implemented.

 

[LA se Karachi]

Do you have a source for that, like the one I provided?

Anyway, Ayub Khan led Pakistan to join all the NATO-led security pacts which were anti-communist in nature, and specifically identified China as the major enemy nation next to Russia.

So I don't think it's surprising at all that he offered a joint-defence pact to India against China just before the 1962 war. We were the "Red Menace" after all, and on the opposite side of the Cold War.

I agree on all points regarding how China at that time was seen mostly through a "communist" lens by the West. Pakistan and Ayub Khan, in their desire to align with the West and NATO, toed the line about communist countries, including China. Initially, most also saw communist China as a close ally to the Soviet Union like Eastern European countries. But once it became clear that this was not the case and that China was fully independent from the Soviet Union, many warmed up to China, including America.

There are reports that Ayub Khan wanted to attack India for Kashmir in 1962, after China went to war with it becuase Pakistan could take advantage of India's situation:

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/9...-for-kashmirs-freedom-in-1962-ex-cia-official

http://tribune.com.pk/story/973912/...cking-vulnerable-india-in-62-ex-cia-official/

It has also been challenged by some. Reports are always discounted by those who disagree. But whether this one specifically is true or not, my general point is that I doubt that Ayub Khan truly "preferred" India to China, considering the disputed territory of Kashmir and the past history of military conflicts with India. Especially given that he led Pakistan in war against India some years later. People like to say things, but actions speak louder than words. And in 1965, I believe Ayub Khan spoke loud and clear.

 

[wiseone2]

Sifting facts from fiction: Did any Pakistani leader have intentions of helping India in 1962 war?

Is there any truth in the rumour that some Pakistani suggested helping India in some way in order to keep the ‘red menace’ at bay?

If it is true, what exactly was the nature of help contemplated?

The truth is Ayub Khan saw the Soviet Union and China as a monolithic threat