Battle Of Chumb (1971)

The Battle of Chumb was a major battle in the Western Front of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 fought between the Pakistan Army and the Indian Army in 1-11 December 1971. Pakistan captured Chumb from India on the same principle as in the Battle of Chumb during Operation Grand Slam in 1965. The Pakistan Army's primary objective was to capture the town of Chumb and surrounding areas that had strategic importance for both Pakistan and India.

Background

Before the capture of Chumb by Pakistan, this area was under India's control.

The town holds great strategic value. Similar to 1965, plans were made to capture this strategic town. The reason behind this plan was to deter Indians from attacking the crucial north-south line of communications passing via Gujrat.

The 23 Division of Pakistan was given the task of protecting this sector and later attacking the Chumb-Dewa sectors.

On the Indian side, the 10th Division was given the task of defence of Chamb; the Indian army believed that by attacking Gujrat and Tanda, they could guarantee the defence of Chamb. In comparison to 1965, the Indians were better prepared in terms of defences and now realized the importance of the town and sector.

Strength

Brigadier Amar Cheema of the Indian Army, while comparing the strength of two countries during the battle, claimed that the Indian Armed Forces had superior tanks such as T-55 and T-54 who were equipped with 100 mm guns. They were said to be far superior to those of the Pakistani Type 59 tank.

The Indian T-55 tanks also possessed APDS ammunition firing capability which the Pakistani Type 59 tanks did not have. The T-55 had a far superior stabilization system.

Cheema also claims that there was near parity in terms of artillery but, when it came to infantry, the Pakistan army had fewer soldiers than the Indian army during the battle. He states that "it was this battle which helped in sustaining the morale of Pakistan army. The Indians, on the other hand, describe it as a most serious reverse suffered in the 1971 war".

Outcome

The fierce battle led to thousands of civilians evacuating the area.

Towards the end of the battle, the Indian Army hastily retreated from the area with little resistance, leaving behind entire volumes of sensitive documents and radios tuned to their respective codes.

Pakistan won the battle but lost the war, resulting in creation of Bangladesh by breaking up Pakistan and surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers to India — the world's largest surrender in terms of number of personnel since World War II. Under the Simla Agreement, signed between India and Pakistan on 2 July 1972, Pakistan retained the territory it captured in the Chumb sector. The treaty also gave back more than 13,000 km² of land that the Indian Army had seized in Pakistan during the war, though India retained a few strategic areas, including Turtuk, Dhothang, Tyakshi (earlier called Tiaqsi) and Chalunka of Chorbat Valley, which was more than 883 km².

Other battles

Listed from north to south:

* Ladakh
** Battle of Bana Top (1987), Operation Rajiv for capture of one of highest point in Siachen border

** Battle of Turtuk (1971), captured and retained by India under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Chalunka (1971), captured and retained by India under Shimla Agreement

* Jammu and Kashmir
** Battle of Chumb (1965 & 1971), won by Pakistan

* Punjab region

** Battle of Phillora (1971), captured by India but returned to Pakistan under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Chawinda (1971), area in Pakistan which India laid cease to after capturing Phillora

** Battle of Basantar (1971), entire Shakargarh sector captured by India but returned to Pakistan under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Ichogil Bund (1971), captured by India but returned to Pakistan under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Pul Kanjri (1971), captured by Pakistan but return to India under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Asal Uttar (1971), captured by India but returned to Pakistan under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Hussainiwala (1965)

** Battle of Hussainiwala (1971), captured by Pakistan but return to India under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Kaiser-e-Hind Fortress (1971), captured by Pakistan but return to India under Shimla Agreement

** Battle of Kasur (1763), won by Dhillon Sikh Misls against muslim Afghans and successfully retrieved a Hindu Brahmin's wife who had been kidnapped by muslims

** Battle of Kasur (1807), won by Maharaja Ranjit Singh against Muslim ruler

* Rajasthan
** Battle of Longewala (1971), battle win by India after Longewala was attacked by Pakistan

** Battle of Munabao (1971)

* Gujarat-Sindh
** Chachro Raid (1971), Indian Army captured 13,000 sq.km of Sindh but returned to Pakistan under Shimla Agreement

* East Pakistan (Bangladesh), East Pakistan became Bangladesh after India defeated Pakistan in 1971 war

** West Bengal
*** Battle of Hilli (1971), liberated by India and Bangladesh was created

*** Battle of Garibpur (1971), liberated by India and Bangladesh was created

*** Battle of Shiromoni (1971), liberated by India and Bangladesh was created

** Tripura
*** Battle of Sylhet (1971), liberated by India and Bangladesh was created

*** Tangail Airdrop (1971), Tangail liberated by India and Bangladesh was created

** List of massacres in Bangladesh: During the Bangladesh genocide in Bangladesh Liberation War, the Pakistani Military and several militia organizations created by the Pakistani military violated Geneva Conventions of War by partipcating in numerous massacres of civilians, committed genocide of between 300,000 to 3 million civilians,White, Matthew,
Death Tolls for the Major Wars and Atrocities of the Twentieth Century
' operated concentration camps, and used rape as weapon of war against Bengali Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists minorities. Active collaborators of Pakistan Military in perpetratuation of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh include the Al Badr, Al Sham, East Pakistan Central Peace Committee, Razakars, Muslim League, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Urdu-speaking Biharis. Bangladesh Genocide Remembrance Day honors the victims of genocide.

See also

* Indo-Pakistan Wars
* Operation Grand Slam

References

Further reading

*

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Chumb (1971)
Conflicts in 1971
1971 in Pakistan
Indo-Pakistani war of 1971
November 1971 events in Asia
December 1971 events in Asia
Battles of Indo-Pakistani wars
Battles involving Pakistan
Battles involving India
Tank battles involving India
Tank battles involving Pakistan