ReviewsLibrary Journal "Raghavan has written what will probably become the standard account of India's involvement in World War II." Publishers Weekly " India's War provides a much-needed window into the wartime experiences of ordinary Indians. As imperial subjects fighting Nazi tyranny, yet denied freedom themselves, the subalterns of the Indian Army found themselves caught between sovereignty and liberty in unknown lands. In making these forgotten voices heard, Raghavan succeeds admirably." Kirkus Reviews "World War II was a crucible that forged the modern identities of South Asian nations in ways rarely acknowledged since... India's War illuminates that period." Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi "Histories of the Second World War tend to ignore India, and histories of modern India tend to underplay the War. In this superb work of scholarship, Srinath Raghavan comprehensively makes up for decades of neglect by writers and historians. He examines all aspects of the relationship: the political landscape of India and how it shifted and changed during the War, the impact of the war on economy and society within India, the recruitment of Indian soldiers and the battles they fought (and won) in North Africa and Europe, the Japanese advance to India's East and the distress it caused. This 'total' history combines deft portraits of great men like Churchill and Gandhi with close descriptions of soldiers and regiments, a rich use of primary sources with a wider analysis of the rise and fall of empires. India's War is a work of immense and enduring importance." John Keay, author of India: A History and Midnight's Descendants "Srinath Raghavan's exemplary India's War offers the most comprehensive account yet published of the Indian army's role in World War II and of the impact mobilisation had on politics and the economy. Ambivalence about a war that many Indians thought none of their business is juxtaposed with a detailed record of the campaigns fought and the logistical challenges met. With impeccable research Raghavan disentangles the domestic and strategic imperatives to produce a nicely judged and highly readable history.", Wall Street Journal "[A]s Mr. Raghavan's fascinating account of the geopolitics of the war makes clear, there is more at stake in the history of India in World War II than 'rounding out? the story... The history [Raghavan] writes is inspired by the search for a wider horizon for India as a regional superpower beyond the confining frame bequeathed by World War II and the ragged end of British Empire in Asia. It is all the more important and urgent for that." Economist "Raghavan usefully supplies the facts, in charts, figures, maps and details of military operations... He also gives thorough, fascinating and revealing accounts of the economic transformations." Financial Times "A panoramic work, spanning the deliberations of the highest Allied councils of war to the febrile mood on the streets of Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in the shadow of the Japanese advance... Raghavan's splendid history is a reminder not just of India's historic contribution to the defeat of fascism, but also its geopolitical potential throughout the Indo-Pacific.", Financial Times "A panoramic work, spanning the deliberations of the highest Allied councils of war to the febrile mood on the streets of Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in the shadow of the Japanese advance... Raghavan's splendid history is a reminder not just of India's historic contribution to the defeat of fascism, but also its geopolitical potential throughout the Indo-Pacific." Library Journal "Raghavan has written what will probably become the standard account of India's involvement in World War II." Publishers Weekly " India's War provides a much-needed window into the wartime experiences of ordinary Indians. As imperial subjects fighting Nazi tyranny, yet denied freedom themselves, the subalterns of the Indian Army found themselves caught between sovereignty and liberty in unknown lands. In making these forgotten voices heard, Raghavan succeeds admirably." Kirkus Reviews "World War II was a crucible that forged the modern identities of South Asian nations in ways rarely acknowledged since... India's War illuminates that period." Spectator (UK) "Absorbing and important... this rational and detailed book should start a debate." Independent (UK) "Ambitious... Raghavan's study fulfills his mission in presenting readers with intertwined narratives of military campaigns, international strategies, and the rise of the freedom struggle that was to determine the future of the subcontinent." The Diplomat (Japan) "Masterly... Despite the vastness of the fields he has to cover, Raghavan has written a surprisingly comprehensive piece of work, an unlikely but successful combination of both enormous scope and a great depth of detail. An accomplished writer, he guides his readers through the labyrinths of the changing military and political scenes while keeping their interest with flashes of rare detail and personal witness." Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi "Histories of the Second World War tend to ignore India, and histories of modern India tend to underplay the War. In this superb work of scholarship, Srinath Raghavan comprehensively makes up for decades of neglect by writers and historians. He examines all aspects of the relationship: the political landscape of India and how it shifted and changed during the War, the impact of the war on economy and society within India, the recruitment of Indian soldiers and the battles they fought (and won) in North Africa and Europe, the Japanese advance to India's East and the distress it caused. This 'total' history combines deft portraits of great men like Churchill and Gandhi with close descriptions of soldiers and regiments, a rich use of primary sources with a wider analysis of the rise and fall of empires. India's War is a work of immense and enduring importance." John Keay, author of India: A History and Midnight's Descendants "Srinath Raghavan's exemplary India's War offers the most comprehensive account yet published of the Indian army's role in World War II and of the impact mobilisation had on politics and the economy. Ambivalence about a war that many Indians thought none of their business is juxtaposed with a detailed record of the campaigns fought and the logistical challenges met. With impeccable research Raghavan disentangles the domestic and strategic imperatives to produce a nicely judged and highly readable history.", "Masterly.... Despite the vastness of the fields he has to cover, Raghavan has written a surprisingly comprehensive piece of work, an unlikely but successful combination of both enormous scope and a great depth of detail. An accomplished writer, he guides his readers through the labyrinths of the changing military and political scenes while keeping their interest with flashes of rare detail and personal witness."-- The Diplomat (Japan), "A panoramic work, spanning the deliberations of the highest Allied councils of war to the febrile mood on the streets of Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in the shadow of the Japanese advance.... Raghavan?s splendid history is a reminder not just of India's historic contribution to the defeat of fascism, but also its geopolitical potential throughout the Indo-Pacific."-- Financial Times, The Diplomat (Japan) "Masterly... Despite the vastness of the fields he has to cover, Raghavan has written a surprisingly comprehensive piece of work, an unlikely but successful combination of both enormous scope and a great depth of detail. An accomplished writer, he guides his readers through the labyrinths of the changing military and political scenes while keeping their interest with flashes of rare detail and personal witness." Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi "Histories of the Second World War tend to ignore India, and histories of modern India tend to underplay the War. In this superb work of scholarship, Srinath Raghavan comprehensively makes up for decades of neglect by writers and historians. He examines all aspects of the relationship: the political landscape of India and how it shifted and changed during the War, the impact of the war on economy and society within India, the recruitment of Indian soldiers and the battles they fought (and won) in North Africa and Europe, the Japanese advance to India's East and the distress it caused. This 'total? history combines deft portraits of great men like Churchill and Gandhi with close descriptions of soldiers and regiments, a rich use of primary sources with a wider analysis of the rise and fall of empires. India's War is a work of immense and enduring importance.", "Histories of the Second World War tend to ignore India, and histories of modern India tend to underplay the War. In this superb work of scholarship, Srinath Raghavan comprehensively makes up for decades of neglect by writers and historians.... India's War is a work of immense and enduring importance."-- Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi, "[Raghavan] is unarguably our finest military historian. Like the best in the genre, he turns the battlefields of the past into pages where we read the backstories of our political existence--and makes history intimate and immediate."-- Open Magazine (India), Financial Times "A panoramic work, spanning the deliberations of the highest Allied councils of war to the febrile mood on the streets of Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in the shadow of the Japanese advance... Raghavan's splendid history is a reminder not just of India's historic contribution to the defeat of fascism, but also its geopolitical potential throughout the Indo-Pacific." Washington Times "A highly readable account of one of the more complex -- and ignored -- phase of World War II." Library Journal "Raghavan has written what will probably become the standard account of India's involvement in World War II." Publishers Weekly " India''s War provides a much-needed window into the wartime experiences of ordinary Indians. As imperial subjects fighting Nazi tyranny, yet denied freedom themselves, the subalterns of the Indian Army found themselves caught between sovereignty and liberty in unknown lands. In making these forgotten voices heard, Raghavan succeeds admirably." Open Magazine (India) "[Raghavan] is unarguably our finest military historian. Like the best in the genre, he turns the battlefields of the past into pages where we read the backstories of our political existence-- and makes history intimate and immediate." Kirkus Reviews "World War II was a crucible that forged the modern identities of South Asian nations in ways rarely acknowledged since... India''s War illuminates that period." Booklist "An illuminating political, sociological, and historical study of India's role in WWII. Raghavan expertly fills a gap in twentieth-century history and geopolitical collections." Spectator (UK) "Absorbing and important... this rational and detailed book should start a debate." Independent (UK) "Ambitious... Raghavan''s study fulfills his mission in presenting readers with intertwined narratives of military campaigns, international strategies, and the rise of the freedom struggle that was to determine the future of the subcontinent." The Diplomat (Japan) "Masterly... Despite the vastness of the fields he has to cover, Raghavan has written a surprisingly comprehensive piece of work, an unlikely but successful combination of both enormous scope and a great depth of detail. An accomplished writer, he guides his readers through the labyrinths of the changing military and political scenes while keeping their interest with flashes of rare detail and personal witness." Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi "Histories of the Second World War tend to ignore India, and histories of modern India tend to underplay the War. In this superb work of scholarship, Srinath Raghavan comprehensively makes up for decades of neglect by writers and historians. He examines all aspects of the relationship: the political landscape of India and how it shifted and changed during the War, the impact of the war on economy and society within India, the recruitment of Indian soldiers and the battles they fought (and won) in North Africa and Europe, the Japanese advance to India's East and the distress it caused. This ''total' history combines deft portraits of great men like Churchill and Gandhi with close descriptions of soldiers and regiments, a rich use of primary sources with a wider analysis of the rise and fall of empires. India's War is a work of immense and enduring importance." John Keay, author of India: A History and Midnight''s Descendants "Srinath Raghavan''s exemplary India''s War offers the most comprehensive account yet published of the Indian army''s role in World War II and of the impact mobilisation had on politics and the economy. Ambivalence about a war that many Indians thought none of their business is juxtaposed with a detailed record of the campaigns fought and the logistical challenges met. With impeccable research Raghavan disentangles the domestic and strategic imperatives to produce a nicely judged and highly readable history.", "Raghavan usefully supplies the facts, in charts, figures, maps and details of military operations.... He also gives thorough, fascinating and revealing accounts of the economic transformations."-- Economist, "A highly readable account of one of the more complex--and ignored--phase of World War II."-- Washington Times, "World War II was a crucible that forged the modern identities of South Asian nations in ways rarely acknowledged since.... India's War illuminates that period."-- Kirkus Reviews, "Raghavan's panoramic and richly detailed book deserves the accolades that it is receiving as the most comprehensive account of the subcontinent's experiences in the second world war. A historian at King's College London, Raghavan unearths much new detail and displays a masterful grasp of wartime diplomacy and economics."-- Financial Times's summer books, "Rarely does one come across a relatively young analyst being as thoughtful and erudite on questions of war, peace and national strategy, as Dr Srinath Raghavan. His book India's War is a comprehensive account of how a 2.5 million-strong Indian Army was raised, trained, equipped and deployed, to fight during the Second World War."-- New Indian Express, "Ambitious.... Raghavan's study fulfills his mission in presenting readers with intertwined narratives of military campaigns, international strategies, and the rise of the freedom struggle that was to determine the future of the subcontinent."-- Independent (UK), "[A]s Mr. Raghavan's fascinating account of the geopolitics of the war makes clear, there is more at stake in the history of India in World War II than 'rounding out' the story.... The history [Raghavan] writes is inspired by the search for a wider horizon for India as a regional superpower beyond the confining frame bequeathed by World War II and the ragged end of British Empire in Asia. It is all the more important and urgent for that."-- Wall Street Journal, Library Journal "Raghavan has written what will probably become the standard account of India's involvement in World War II." Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi "Histories of the Second World War tend to ignore India, and histories of modern India tend to underplay the War. In this superb work of scholarship, Srinath Raghavan comprehensively makes up for decades of neglect by writers and historians. He examines all aspects of the relationship: the political landscape of India and how it shifted and changed during the War, the impact of the war on economy and society within India, the recruitment of Indian soldiers and the battles they fought (and won) in North Africa and Europe, the Japanese advance to India's East and the distress it caused. This 'total' history combines deft portraits of great men like Churchill and Gandhi with close descriptions of soldiers and regiments, a rich use of primary sources with a wider analysis of the rise and fall of empires. India's War is a work of immense and enduring importance." John Keay, author of India: A History and Midnight's Descendants "Srinath Raghavan's exemplary India's War offers the most comprehensive account yet published of the Indian army's role in World War II and of the impact mobilisation had on politics and the economy. Ambivalence about a war that many Indians thought none of their business is juxtaposed with a detailed record of the campaigns fought and the logistical challenges met. With impeccable research Raghavan disentangles the domestic and strategic imperatives to produce a nicely judged and highly readable history.", "An illuminating political, sociological, and historical study of India's role in WWII. Raghavan expertly fills a gap in twentieth-century history and geopolitical collections."-- Booklist, Financial Times "A panoramic work, spanning the deliberations of the highest Allied councils of war to the febrile mood on the streets of Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in the shadow of the Japanese advance... Raghavan's splendid history is a reminder not just of India's historic contribution to the defeat of fascism, but also its geopolitical potential throughout the Indo-Pacific." Library Journal "Raghavan has written what will probably become the standard account of India's involvement in World War II." Publishers Weekly " India''s War provides a much-needed window into the wartime experiences of ordinary Indians. As imperial subjects fighting Nazi tyranny, yet denied freedom themselves, the subalterns of the Indian Army found themselves caught between sovereignty and liberty in unknown lands. In making these forgotten voices heard, Raghavan succeeds admirably." Kirkus Reviews "World War II was a crucible that forged the modern identities of South Asian nations in ways rarely acknowledged since... India''s War illuminates that period." Booklist "An illuminating political, sociological, and historical study of India's role in WWII. Raghavan expertly fills a gap in twentieth-century history and geopolitical collections." Spectator (UK) "Absorbing and important... this rational and detailed book should start a debate." Independent (UK) "Ambitious... Raghavan''s study fulfills his mission in presenting readers with intertwined narratives of military campaigns, international strategies, and the rise of the freedom struggle that was to determine the future of the subcontinent." The Diplomat (Japan) "Masterly... Despite the vastness of the fields he has to cover, Raghavan has written a surprisingly comprehensive piece of work, an unlikely but successful combination of both enormous scope and a great depth of detail. An accomplished writer, he guides his readers through the labyrinths of the changing military and political scenes while keeping their interest with flashes of rare detail and personal witness." Ramachandra Guha, author of India After Gandhi "Histories of the Second World War tend to ignore India, and histories of modern India tend to underplay the War. In this superb work of scholarship, Srinath Raghavan comprehensively makes up for decades of neglect by writers and historians. He examines all aspects of the relationship: the political landscape of India and how it shifted and changed during the War, the impact of the war on economy and society within India, the recruitment of Indian soldiers and the battles they fought (and won) in North Africa and Europe, the Japanese advance to India's East and the distress it caused. This ''total' history combines deft portraits of great men like Churchill and Gandhi with close descriptions of soldiers and regiments, a rich use of primary sources with a wider analysis of the rise and fall of empires. India's War is a work of immense and enduring importance." John Keay, author of India: A History and Midnight''s Descendants "Srinath Raghavan''s exemplary India''s War offers the most comprehensive account yet published of the Indian army''s role in World War II and of the impact mobilisation had on politics and the economy. Ambivalence about a war that many Indians thought none of their business is juxtaposed with a detailed record of the campaigns fought and the logistical challenges met. With impeccable research Raghavan disentangles the domestic and strategic imperatives to produce a nicely judged and highly readable history.", Kirkus Reviews "World War II was a crucible that forged the modern identities of South Asian nations in ways rarely acknowledged since... India's War illuminates that period." Booklist "An illuminating political, sociological, and historical study of India's role in WWII. Raghavan expertly fills a gap in twentieth-century history and geopolitical collections." Spectator (UK) "Absorbing and important... this rational and detailed book should start a debate." Independent (UK) "Ambitious... Raghavan's study fulfills his mission in presenting readers with intertwined narratives of military campaigns, international strategies, and the rise of the freedom struggle that was to determine the future of the subcontinent." New Indian Express "Rarely does one come across a relatively young analyst being as thoughtful and erudite on questions of war, peace and national strategy, as Dr Srinath Raghavan. His book India's War is a comprehensive account of how a 2.5 million-strong Indian Army was raised, trained, equipped and deployed, to fight during the Second World War.", "Raghavan has written what will probably become the standard account of India's involvement in World War II." -- Library Journal, " India's War provides a much-needed window into the wartime experiences of ordinary Indians. As imperial subjects fighting Nazi tyranny, yet denied freedom themselves, the subalterns of the Indian Army found themselves caught between sovereignty and liberty in unknown lands. In making these forgotten voices heard, Raghavan succeeds admirably."-- Publishers Weekly, Financial Times's Summer books "Raghavan's panoramic and richly detailed book deserves the accolades that it is receiving as the most comprehensive account of the subcontinent's experiences in the second world war. A historian at King's College London, Raghavan unearths much new detail and displays a masterful grasp of wartime diplomacy and economics." Washington Times "A highly readable account of one of the more complex -- and ignored -- phase of World War II." Library Journal "Raghavan has written what will probably become the standard account of India's involvement in World War II." Publishers Weekly "India's War provides a much-needed window into the wartime experiences of ordinary Indians. As imperial subjects fighting Nazi tyranny, yet denied freedom themselves, the subalterns of the Indian Army found themselves caught between sovereignty and liberty in unknown lands. In making these forgotten voices heard, Raghavan succeeds admirably." Open Magazine (India) "[Raghavan] is unarguably our finest military historian. Like the best in the genre, he turns the battlefields of the past into pages where we read the backstories of our political existence-- and makes history intimate and immediate.", John Keay, author of India: A History and Midnight's Descendants "Srinath Raghavan's exemplary India's War offers the most comprehensive account yet published of the Indian army's role in World War II and of the impact mobilisation had on politics and the economy. Ambivalence about a war that many Indians thought none of their business is juxtaposed with a detailed record of the campaigns fought and the logistical challenges met. With impeccable research Raghavan disentangles the domestic and strategic imperatives to produce a nicely judged and highly readable history."
Dewey Edition23