The first thing the careful reader might notice about this book is that the opening section offers some detail on the context in which the 1965 India-Pakistan war began, and the political and military decision-making that led to its conclusion. For any reader looking for a deeper understanding of the war, it offers a backdrop in which the events described took place: it’s clear, for example, why some places repeatedly see battle, Chhamb, for instance, while others might not. The stories themselves describe some of the actions of outstanding soldiers, regardless of rank, who decided the course of the war.
Second, it’s hard to think of anyone better fitted to talk about courage. The author bio, mentions that the author was the first ever war-disabled officer to command a battalion in the Indian Army, but not that he had the sheer nerve to hack his own leg off after he was injured in a landmine blast. That first-hand knowledge counts.
Third, there’s something of the brotherhood of professional men-at-arms that cuts across national loyalties. One of the stories is of how the fates of families of two soldiers, one Indian and the other Pakistani, involved in wars of 1965 and 1971, were intertwined. The countries might have been at war, but not these families.
Fourth, an anecdote at the end of a longer story involving the author raises the issue of men killed by friendly fire in peacetime. What do we do to prevent such occurrences? The author doesn’t really say. The stories .