Finalist for the pulitzer prize in general nonfiction winner of the council on foreign relations arthur ross book award winner of. It tells the story of archer blood, a foreign service officer who as consul general in dhaka in 1971 supported his subordinates dissent cable, knowing that doing so would derail his career, which it did. Despite some of the impressions left by the author, the blood telegram provides readers a thorough yet interesting read covering an overlooked event in history. Jonny dymond tells the story of the us diplomat who took a stand against his own government. A riveting historythe first full accountof the involvement of richard nixon and henry kissinger in the 1971 atrocities in bangladesh that led to war between india and pakistan, shaped the fate of asia, and left in their wake a host of major strategic consequences for the world today. A fulllength account of the involvement of richard nixon and henry kissinger in pakistans brutal 1970s military dictatorship argues that they encouraged chinas military presence in india, illegally supplied weapons used in massacres and embraced military strategies that have negatively impacted. In addressing the complaint that the united states had failed to denounce the actions taken by pakistan.
The blood telegram is a telegram that was sent to the united states by american diplomat archer blood depicting the massacre in the eastern pakistan bangladesh region. But the book goes further than just the telegram to describe the birth of a new nation. Blood telegram details the involvement of former president richard nixon and his secretary of state henry kissinger in the 1971 genocide in bengladesh that led to the ongoing war between india and pakistan. Ferrell book prize from the society for historians. The blood telegram toronto public library overdrive.
Nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide kindle edition by bass, gary j download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Gary bass the blood telegram was a pulitzer prize finalist in general nonfiction and won the arthur ross book award from the council on foreign relations, the bernard schwartz book award from the asia society, the lionel gelber prize, the cundill prize in historical literature, the robert h. Dec 11, 2011 the blood telegram in 1971, bangladesh was in crisis after a natural disaster led to bloody civil war. The blood telegram is a richly textured story with many fascinating layers, from the moral bankruptcy of u. The blood telegram is a state department dissent memo on american policy during the 1971 bangladesh genocide sent by archer blood the american consul general to dhaka, east pakistan. So one arrives at the devastating heart of basss book. My new years recommendation to you is the blood telegram. Nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide by gary j.
Knopf on the night of march 25, 1971, yahya khan launched a ferocious crackdown. Named as a book of the year by the new york times, economist and financial. This is a dark and amazing tale, an essential reminder of the devastation wrought by the hardhearted. Nixon, kissinger and a forgotten genocide, by gary j. Blood telegram by gary bass district of columbia public. Basss writing style keeps the reader engaged and presents a complex situation into an organized historical account of the actions taken by the regions most influential nations. In 71, blood was an american diplomat and the consulgeneral in the region a. The mass genocide which was rarely spoken by media or any person. A rich book, constantly shifting between washington. Delhi, and many congressmen and senators praised the blood telegram and endorsed bloods. A riveting historythe first full accountof the involvement of richard nixon and henry kissinger in the 1971 atrocities in bangladesh that led to war between india and pakistan, shaped the fate of asia, and left in their wake a host of major strategic consequences for the world. Nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide is a 20 book by american journalist and academic gary j.
Bass shows how nixon and kissinger supported pakistans military dictatorship as it brutally quashed the results of a historic free election. Indias secret war in east pakistan history by gary j. Sep 24, 20 a riveting historythe first full accountof the involvement of richard nixon and henry kissinger in the 1971 atrocities in bangladesh that led to war between india and pakistan, shaped the fate of asia, and left in their wake a host of major strategic consequences for the world today. William thorsell, the globe and mail toronto amazing. Nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide, gary j. Oct 16, 20 according gary j bass compelling book the blood telegram nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide, indira gandhis principal advisor p n haksar, indias ambassador to soviet union d p dhar and the foremost strategic affairs expert k subramanyam also played an equally important role in liberating east pakistan. Nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide book online at best prices in india on. The origins of humanitarian intervention, 2008, etc. Giving an astonishing inside view of how the white house really works in a crisis, the blood telegram is. European journal of international law, best books of the year fascinating.
The blood telegram presidents views the foreign service. The blood telegram is a revelatory and compelling work, essential reading for anyone interested in the recent history of our region. Nixon, kissinger and a forgotten genocide, by princeton professor gary bass. Sep 24, 20 the blood telegram that catches ones attention is a telegram sent by archer blood, ambassador stationed in east pakistan during the genocide that occurred after the pakistani elections. The japan times it has been a long time since i have read a book that has spoken as powerfully to me as the blood telegram. London article pdf available september 2015 with 3,501 reads how we measure reads. The blood telegram nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide book. A riveting history the first full accountof the involvement of richard nixon and henry kissinger in the 1971 atrocities in bangladesh that led to war between india and pakistan, shaped the fate of asia, and left in their wake a host of major strategic consequences for the world today. Giving an astonishing inside view of how the white house really works in a crisis, the blood telegram is an. American diplomacy it has been a long time since i have read a book that has spoken as powerfully to me as the blood telegram.
This book is amazing and full account of the things people go through in those day. The book is a meticulously researched and searing indictment of the shameful role the united. The book tells of the damage wrought when world leaders abandon rational calculation and allow their countrys interests to be subordinated to personal prejudices and animosities. The blood telegram air force digital media program. The blood telegram, was a document i had heard about, but never could i have imagined a book as informative as this could be written in such a fast fluid way on the tragedy of the bangladeshi genocide by the pakistani govt. A riveting historythe first full accountof the involvement of richard nixon and henry kissinger in the 1971 atrocities in bangladesh that led to war between india and pakistan, shaped the fate of asia, and left in their wake a host of major strategic consequences for the. Bass the birth of a new nation called bangladesh created tremors around the world, and especially in washington. Twitter facebook email a disquieting exploration of the role played by the american president and his national security advisor in the 1971 pakistani civil war, a bloodbath that killed hundreds of thousands and created millions of.
Random house india, 368 pages, rs 499 in their case, the objective was to establish detente with the soviet union, and to do that the us needed chinese help. Jonny dymond tells the story of the us diplomat who. The blood telegram, a powerful statement on american hypocrisy. Giving an astonishing inside view of how the white house really works in a crisis, the blood telegram is an unprecedented chronicle of a pivotal but littleknown chapter of the cold war. Foreign relations of the united states, 19691976, volume.
Basshas revived the terrible and littleknown story of the birth of bangladesh in 1971, and of the sordid and disgraceful white house diplomacy that attended it. The blood telegram, a powerful statement on american. The blood telegram is an unprecedented chronicle of a pivotal but littleknown chapter of the cold war. The blood telegram was a pulitzer prize finalist in general nonfiction and won the council on foreign relations arthur ross book award, the lionel gelber prize, the asia societys bernard schwartz book award, the cundill prize in historical literature, the society for historians of american foreign relations robert h. The present book gives details of the pakistani army.
Bass, a professor of politics at princeton, has revived the terrible and littleknown story of the birth of. A riveting historythe first full accountof the involvement of. Bass politics and international affairsprinceton univ freedoms battle. The department responded on april 7 in telegram 58039 to dacca, drafted by sisco and approved by rogers. The blood telegram sends an acidic whiff from the past to the present through a deeply cautionary tale. Archer kent blood march 20, 1923 september 3, 2004 was an american career diplomat and academic. The blood telegram in 1971, bangladesh was in crisis after a natural disaster led to bloody civil war. The blood telegram convincingly unravels the rather shocking truth of the american position in the pakistan crisis in a wellwritten narrative this book has the potential to fuel international lawyers to research the legal consequences of the passive stance taken by nixon and his underlings.
Wonderfully researched and written, this book digs in deep into the fallacy of the nixonkissinger duo. Jul 15, 2014 the blood telegram sends an acidic whiff from the past to the present through a deeply cautionary tale. In his earlier book, bass described indias actions in 1971 as more or less humanitarian intervention, and in his new book, he writes that indias. A meticulously researched and searing indictment of the shameful role the united states played. The blood telegram book pima county public library. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the blood telegram. Bass argues that the united states embrace of the military dictatorship in islamabad went on to mould asias destiny for decades. The blood telegram is an appeal to the powerful states of the world to guard humanism and to combat injustice at all possible costs. Professor bass will be available for questions and book signing courtesy of politics and prose. A thoroughgoing, longoverdue excoriation of the actors behind the humanitarian crisis that propelled the creation of bangladesh. Blood telegram by gary bass district of columbia public library. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Feb 03, 2018 the blood telegram is a telegram that was sent to the united states by american diplomat archer blood depicting the massacre in the eastern pakistan bangladesh region. This book has the potential to fuel international lawyers to research the legal consequences of the passive stance taken by nixon and his underlings, writes lenneke sprik. The blood telegram book the kansas city public library. The book the blood telegram is based on true atrocities done by kissinger and nixon. The blood telegram that catches ones attention is a telegram sent by archer blood, ambassador stationed in east pakistan during the genocide that occurred after the pakistani elections. He is famous for sending the strongly worded blood telegram protesting against the atrocities committed in the bangladesh liberation war. He served as the last american consul general to dhaka, bangladesh east pakistan at the time. According gary j bass compelling book the blood telegram nixon, kissinger, and a forgotten genocide, indira gandhis principal advisor p n haksar, indias ambassador to soviet union d p dhar and the foremost strategic affairs expert k subramanyam also played an equally important role in liberating east pakistan.
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