What was the sequence of event that lead to the war?
Well , both sides were to blame for fostering up the tensions to begin with.
China's Controversial takeover of Tibet
And India's own forward policy.
While people may feel differently about both, they are two sides of the same coin.
One would expect the Conflict would have arisen when both these aggressive actions collided.
China fresh from Claiming/re-claiming Tibet , right after a war with the UN over Korea.
India reclaiming Goa, absorbing Hyderabad and Sikhim.
The only other way it could have ended is if one of the Sides backed down.
Both nation , were willing to fight for land they believed was theirs.
It was undeniably Nehru's folly for not seeing that.
Was the 1962 war a result of China stabbing India in the back?
People often say , China stabbed us in the back.
But we never had any kind of agreement or understanding with China , That held China to any kind of accord or Friendship.
China did stab us in the Back, But it was out fault for Turning our back in the first place.
Unquestionably, He should have seen the war coming, Generals pleased with him to move troops from Pakistan to Chinese border area's. His unfounded belief that Mao would not strike cost us Dearly
China did offer some good concessions. And in retrospect Nehru should have accepted. But At the Time India had just as much right to claim the land as China did. It would have been seen as utter weakness on part of the government to accept any deal , that meant India would loose any land.
Given the Situation , Nehru should have prepared for the Inevitable , war.
Does anyone here think Goa and the sentiment of the time played any role in how things escalated?
Yes , more so then you can imagine.
Some sources I've read on the web say that India was riding high on a wave of nationalism and the Nehru was only forced to react to things the press said. I don't know much about Indian modern history so can someone give their thoughts?
You have to understand , that India after 1945 was a deeply divided state , the British Left Behind India , Pakistan and whole list of Princely states(Kashmir , Sikhim , Hyderabad) with Neither alliance to India or Pakistan and last Portuguese occupied Goa .
Indian Independence called for freed from European Rule to all of India
this included Goa, after years of protracted negotiations with Portugal yielded no success. India took Goa by force, This created an Upset in the Western world , which nearly passed a UNSC resolution against India, If it had not been for Russian veto.
Elsewhere around the world , especially in former European colonies , the action was greeted with much support.
If anything By taking Goa , India had gained far more then it would have ever lost.Hyderbad was also taken , Sikhim even voluntarily joined the Federation.
Kashmir was in Dispute , but we controlled the majority.
In the eyes of may Indians, India was surely but steadily becoming whole again.Nationalism was naturally very high.
The political atmosphere at the time , would never have allowed for anyone to give up land that was demarcated Indian , and the basis of which today's India was being formed.
Do Indians think there are parallels to the reported incursion recently?
Not so much , while the border dispute has survived both Mao and Nehru. The stakes have changed Considerably.
Win or lose any border spat , would tarnish the reputation of both nations on the world stage.
As well as significantly damage their economic growth trajectories.
Headline:"THE WORLD TWO FASTEST GROWING ECONOMIES(nuclear armed) ON THE BRINK OF WAR"
The panic on the Investment market alone , could cause serious damage.
India And China are unlikely to ever fight again in the traditional sense. At least in the foreseeable future, It simple is not practical.
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China lost more in 1962 , then India. While India may have lost land it claimed belonged to it. China has created a New military power to her South.
The following year , military spending was doubled . Priority to defence increased.
China detonated her A-Bomb in 1964 , and India followed suit in 1975 largely due to the perceived threat from China.
India's Military power today is largely due to Lessons learned from the war with China.