| |
|
 |
Our aim is to create an online archive of all information related to Subhas Chandra Bose.
If you have any unpublished document, photograph or audio-visual material, or even out of print books/magazines,we request you to share it with us, so that we can share it with everyone through this site.
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| Copyright Information |
| |
| MN believes that all of Netaji's works are national property, and information on him should be easily available at the lowest cost, if not for free. You are free to use any material from this site with proper acknowledgement. At the same time, MN respects the copyright of authors of original works and would not intentionally violate their copyright or any part of the Indian Copyright Act. If you think you have noticed any infringement, please do let us know. |
|
| |
|
|
DAWN OF FREEDOM |
| |
June 20, 1943
|
Hurrah! Subhas Babu has reached Tokyo. He arrived in a submarine and was accompanied by a Muslim young man, Mr. Hassan. Tokyo gave him a rousing reception, worthy of the leader of all Indians outside India, worthy of a great revolutionary leader who has defied the might of British Imperialism so many times. Some of our leaders are in Tokyo for the purpose of posting him up with all that has happened.
|
The Press Statement of Subhas Babu is important:
|
“During the last World War our leaders had been bluffed and deceived by the wily British politicians. That was why we took the vow more than 20 years ago never again to be deceived by them.
|
"For more than 20 years my generation has striven for freedom and eagerly awaited the hour that has now struck, — the hour that is for the Indian people the dawn of freedom.
|
"We know very well such an opportunity will not come again for another 100 years and we are therefore determined to make the fullest use of it.
|
"British Imperialism has meant for India moral degradation, cultural ruin, economic impoverishment and political enslavement...
|
"It is our duty to pay for our liberty with our own blood. The freedom that we shall win, through our sacrifice and exertions, we shall be able to preserve with our own strength.
|
|
 |
"The enemy that has drawn the sword must be fought with the sword. Civil disobedience must develop into armed struggle. And only when the Indian people receive the baptism of fire on a large scale will they qualify for their freedom...
|
|
June 21, 1943
|
Today we heard the first broadcast by Subhas Babu from Tokyo. I have recorded passages which would help me in my work amongst the women. He has a knack of putting things simply and effectively:
|
"So far as India is concerned what b most important to all of us is the situation near India.
|
"During the whole history of the British in India, it had not struck one single British General that at any stage in the future, some enemy of the British might appear on the Eastern Frontier of India. The whole attention of Britain's military strategists has therefore been concentrated on the North-West Frontier of India...
|
"With the naval fortress of Singapore in their possession, our rulers thought that India was safe in their hands.The dynamic advance of Generals Yamashita and Ida opened the eyes of the world to the worthlessness of British strategy…
|
"Since then General Wavell has been making feverish attempts to put up fortifications on the Eastern Frontier of India. But what the Indian people are asking is this: If it took them almost 20 years to build Singapore, and only one week to lose it, how long will it take the British C-in-C or his successor to withdraw from his fortifications?
|
"To us Indians, what is of primary importance is not what is happening at Tunis, Timbuctoo or in Lampedusa or Alaska, but what is happening inside India and across our frontier.
|
"What is of primary importance to us is that the much advertised reconquest of Burma has ended in a shameful retreat...
|
"Even the fall of Singapore, and the loss of Burma, the greatest disasters in British military history could not bring about any appreciable change. British Imperialism remains inexorable. Men may come and men may go, empires may come and empires may go, but British Imperialism goes on forever, —that is what our rulers continue to think...
|
 |
"You may call it lack of statesmanship or political bankruptcy, or midsummer madness. But this midsummer madness has its own explanation.
|
"The British Empire has grown out of India. The British people know, no matter to which political party they belong, that they need to reap all the resources of India. To them empire means India. They are now fighting madly to preserve that empire. Consequently, no matter what fate besets Britain during the course of this war, the Englishman will endeavour to the very last to keep his empire, — that is, to hold on to India.
|
"Therefore, if I may speak frankly, I would say that it is not midsummer madness that British politicians refuse to recognise India's independence though they are in a terrible plight; it is midsummer madness that we should expect the Englishman voluntarily to give up his empire…No Indian should ever cherish the illusion that one day England will be induced to recognise India's independence.
|
"But that is not to say that British politicians will never again compromise with India.
|
"Personally, I expect another such attempt some time this year. But what I want to point out, my countrymen, is that by compromise the British politicians will never recognise India's independence, but will only try to bluff the Indian people.
|
"Protracted negotiations are planned to side-track the campaign for independence and thereby undermine the national will, as they did between December 1941 and April 1942...
|
"Therefore, we should, once and for all, give up hope of any compromise with British Imperialism. Our independence admits of no compromises. Freedom is only won when the British and their allies quit India for good. And those who really want liberty must fight for it and pay for it with their own blood...
|
"Countrymen and Friends, let us therefore carry on the fight for liberty, inside India and outside India, with all our strength and vigour. Let us continue the battle with unshakable faith till the day that British Imperialism will be broken up and out of its ashes India will once again emerge an independent nation.
|
"In this struggle there is no going back, and there can be no faltering. We must march onward and forward till victory is achieved and freedom won."
|
|
|
Yet another broadcast by Subhas Babu. The clarion call has been sounded:
|
"Some of my countrymen have been expecting that under the pressure of an international crisis, the imperialistic powers like Britain might be induced to recognise the independence of enslaved countries like India, but all such expectations have been completely misplaced....
|
"You are aware that towards the end of 1940, since I saw that Mahatma Gandhi had at long last launched civil disobedience campaign, I felt that the honour and prestige of Indian people had been vindicated, and it was necessary to plan the Indian Revolution on a larger scale and in an effective manner in order to bring it to fruition. Today I am in a position to announce to you that all these objectives have been fully achieved. We know the international situation at first hand and we are therefore convinced of our ultimate victory...
|
"All Indians outside India who are not living in countries directly under the control of our enemies, have now been brought together into one well-built organisation. They are following closely developments inside India and on the other hand they are keeping unimpeded contact with international events. They are making all possible preparations to bring at the right time the maximum assistance to you who have been carrying on the struggle at home in spite of internment, persecution and brutality.
|
"Friends, you may remember that I have in the past assured you more than once that when the hour strikes I, and many others like myself, will be by your side to share the glory of fighting and suffering side by side, and share with you the joy of victory as well...We are now fulfilling that pledge...
|
"India shall be free, — and before long. And a free India will throw open the prison gates, so that her worthy sons may step out of the darkness of the prison cells into the light of freedom."
|
|
Subhas Babu has appealed to the East Asia Indians to join hands with him to raise an army to fight for the liberation of India.
|
"The task of liberating India is ours, and ours alone. That responsibility we shall not cast on anybody else because that would be against our national honour...
|
"But the enemy is ruthless and desperate and he is armed to the teeth. Against such a foe, no amount of civil disobedience, or sabotage, or revolutionary terrorism can be of any avail. If, therefore, we want to expel British Power from India, we have to fight the enemy with his own weapons. The enemy has already drawn the sword — he must therefore be fought with the sword.
|
"I am confident that with the help of my countrymen in East Asia I shall be able to organize a gigantic force which will be able to sweep away British power from India...The hour has struck, and every Indian must advance towards the field of battle. When the blood of freedom-loving Indians begins to flow, India will attain her freedom."
|
There is great enthusiasm on all sides. We are all very busy. P comes home very late — one and two in the night — by seven in the morning he is out again. The arrival of Subhas Babu in Syonan, and the Conference at which he will assume our leadership, have to be properly prepared. I am on the Decoration Committee. We have secured a huge painting of Gandhiji. It will dominate the proceedings. For the big march-past of the Fauj, we are preparing the figure of Mother India holding the National Flag in her hand. We have decided to have simple yet effective decorations. Nothing superfluous is to be permitted.
|
|
Subhas Babu arrived today. Man, woman and child turned out to welcome him. It was a breath-taking display of love and admiration. A sea of humanity — Indians, Malayans, Chinese and Japanese — jostled and got themselves crushed for a look at the great revolutionary.
|
With his upright and erect carriage, his head held high, proudly unbending, smiling his enchanting smile, Subhas Babu has captured all hearts. We feel confident that here is a leader who can be trusted to take us along to our goal. His photographs do not do justice to his fine physique and manly height. I had a good look at him in our office at Chancery Lane, where he met the local workers. He has a smile which disarms all opposition. When irrepressible Mr. D insisted on casting doubts on Jap reliability, Subhas Babu just turned to him and smiled, and then said:
|
"Do you believe that I have brains enough not to be fooled by them? Then trust my word when I assure you that I am sure Japs cannot double-cross us. They can only do that if we do not organise properly, if we fail in raising a proper army of Indians to fight for our freedom. We shall have to be awake and alive, on our guard — not only against the enemy British Imperialism, against the imperialistically-inclined Japanese bureaucrats, but also against Indians in our own ranks. With discipline, we must be ready for every sacrifice. Let each man be ready to work. I bring you enough work. Work — work — and work — that is your and my burden."
|
|
Subhas Babu has been meeting the Fauj leaders today. Yesterday he was closeted with the League workers from Hongkong, Thailand, Burma, Borneo, etc.
|
P had a short interview with Subhas Babu and informed him about his impressions of his North Malaya tour. P says he has not met a leader so well informed as Subhas Babu. He already knows the small place-names on the map, the climate and difficult conditions in the jungles, the details of the plans and methods adopted by the Japs to outwit the British Army. P says there was not a thing he told him which was new. What has impressed P most is the technical knowledge about modern warfare and modern armies which Subhas Babu showed. He is a real leader of the people.
|
|
The inaugural session of the Conference was held today.
|
When Subhas Babu spoke there was tense silence. Every word was audible.
|
"Friends! The time has now come for freedom-loving Indians to act. Action in a War-crisis demands, above all, military discipline, as well as unflinching loyalty to the cause. I, therefore, call upon all my countrymen in East Asia to line up in one solid phalanx and prepare for the grim fight that is ahead of us. I am confident that they will do so...
|
"I have publicly declared several times that when I left homeland in 1941, on an important mission, it was in accordance with the will of the vast majority of my countrymen. Since then, despite all the restrictions imposed by the C.I.D., I have remained in constant touch with my countrymen at home...
|
"Patriotic Indians abroad have been working as genuine trustees of the freedom-fighters at home. I can assure everybody once again that whatever we have done up till now, or may do in future, has been and will be for the freedom of India, and we shall never do anything that is either against the interests of India or will not be in accordance with the will of our people...
|
"In order to mobilise all our forces effectively, I intend organising a Provincial Government of Free India...By winning freedom through our own efforts and sacrifice, we shall be acquiring the strength whereby we shall preserve our liberty for all time...I warn you that though we are absolutely sure of our final victory, we can never afford to under-estimate the enemy, and we should even be prepared for temporary setbacks. We have a grim fight ahead of us — for the enemy is at once powerful, unscrupulous and ruthless. In this final march to freedom, you will have to face hunger, thirst, privation, forced marches and death. Only when you pass this test, will freedom be yours. I am confident that you will do so and thereby bring freedom and prosperity to your enslaved and impoverished land..."
|
|
| |
