India's Freedom Struggle in South East Asia

(USS Arizona during the Japanese surprise air attack on the American pacific fleet, 7 December 1941)
The outbreak of War in the East in 1941 caused a great stirring among the Indians in these regions. Those living in territories freed from European domination.

A Chindit column crosses a river in Burma, 1943.

Date 8 December 1941 – 9 September 1945 (3 years, 9 months and 1 day) Location State of Burma, British India, Thailand,French Indochina, British Malaya,Singapore, British Ceylon, Dutch East Indies

The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in Burma, Ceylon,India, Thailand, Indochina, Malaya and Singapore. Purposes of the conquest of these countries included the securing of natural resources such as rubber and petroleum from the European colonies in the region. Conflict in the theatre began when the Empire of Japan invaded French Indochina in September 1940, the war went to a new level with the Raid on Pearl Harbor, and simultaneous attacks on Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Malaya on 7/8 December 1941. The main landing at Singora (now Songkhla) on the east side of the Isthmus of Kra preceded the bombing of Pearl Harbor by several hours. Action in the theatre officially ended on 9 September 1945.

IslandsThe Dutch and the Spanish controlled much of Southeast Asia during the early 1800s. The Dutch East Indies was renowned for its rich soil which allowed the harvesting of crops such as: coffee, pepper, cinnamon, sugar, indigo, and tea. Mines were formed to exploit the rich deposits of tin and copper. Forests yielded valuable timber including teak, ebony, and other hardwoods. The Dutch became notorious for the use of forced slave labor, known as the culture system, to gather these raw materials, while purposely discouraging westernization, or the spreading of European culture.The Spanish used similar methods to reap the rewards from their tobacco and sugar plantations located in the Philippine Islands. However in 1898, the Philippines were given to the United States as part of the settlement for their loss of the Spanish-American War. MainlandThe British took control of Burma from their colonial stronghold in India in the early 1800s. Meanwhile, the French imperialized modern-day Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam forming French Indochina in the 1880s. Siam became the embattled buffer zone between these two European powers, but was eventually guaranteed its independence by a treaty negotiated between France and Great Britain. After the Meiji Restoration led to massive industrialization in Japan, the nation found itself in great need of natural resources. Industrialization makes a nation dependent upon iron, coal, and oil, none of which were found in great quantity on the Japanese archipelago. This need led them to invade mainland Korea in order to exploit the natural resources there Outcome Japan took over much of the coast of China and the rest of Southeast Asia, eventually forming the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere which provided even more natural resources to feed its vast military-industrial complex. East Asian raw materials such as oil from the Dutch East Indies and rubber from French Indochina kept Japan’s manufacturing industry and military in China well supplied. The Japanese war machine was eventually aimed at the United States in WWII with their attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The French left French Indochina in the 1950s after years of warfare with nationalist groups. Communism seemed destined to spread into the region from China. The U.S. foreign policy of containment of communism would lead to their involvement in the area in the unpopular Vietnam Conflict. Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos all eventually became communist in the 1970s. In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge orchestrated mass killing of intellectuals and so-called reactionaries which became known as the Killing Fields.

Subhas Chandra to Japan (1943-45) - Submarine Voyage (contd-1)

Thus began Netaji's long , perilous voyage aboard a u-boat , probably of type IX, which could make 18 knots on the surface and 7.3 to 7.7 knots under water, started from Berlin in the early part of February 1943.
On 20th April 1943, Japanese submarine I-29, a sister boat identical to I-30, slipped out of Penang.

The Japanese submarine reached the position about 400 nautical miles south south - West of Madagascar on 26 April, 1943more than 10 hrs ahead of scheduled time. The sea was quite rough It was out of the question for the two boats to get near, The sun was setting again and two men jumped overboard from the German U-boat and swimming energetically towards the Japanese. When they got near , Japanese sailors threw ropes and hailed up the two dare devil swimmers . The two submarines continued the north easterly voyage for another 12 hrs or so and April 28 dawned on the horizon. A rubber raft was thrown from the German submarine on which Netaji and his adjutant rode the raft and clung to the rope. Through the entire annals of WWII, this was the only known submarine-to-submarine transfer of passengers. This shipment took place on 28April, 1943.
Aboard the submarine were a group of Japanese naval officers , including commander JuichiIzu, who greeted Netaji warmly. The submarine sailed straight for Sabang without returning to Penang.
On arrival at Sabang on 6 May, 1943Netaji was greeted by his old friend Col.Satoshi Yamamoto who was the Military Attache at the apanese Embessy in Berlin. He informed Netaji that the Iwakuro Kikan which had responsible for embroiling Japan's relation with the INA men had been superseded by a new organisation Hikari Kikan ( The Hikari Kikan was the Japanese liaison office responsible for Japanese relations with the Azad Hind Government that replaced the I Kikan. It was initially headed by Colonel Bin Yamamoto, later replaced by Major-General Saburo Isoda.)

It recruited Sri Lankans, Indians and other South Asians domiciled in Malaya and Singapore for spying missions against the Allies.

A plane came to Sabang to pick up Netaji and his aide five days later.  Bose was supposed to be a Japanese VIP named Matsuda.
It took him full 19 days to reach Tokyo from Sabang . He was kept waiting there for five days on the grounds that he must be very tired. Netaji protested that he was not tired and could bear journey. Five days were spent on transporting him to Tokyo in six stages and each of gthe stages he had to stop overnight. He had to stop at Penang, Saigon, Manila, Taipei, and Hemamatsu. For security Netaji's identity was kept secret. during the journey. He travelled under the assumed japanese name Matsuda. On 16th May he reached  tokyo. and proceeded directly to the Imperial hotel.
Netaji wrote, " It was great pleasure to sail aboard this submarin. "  
Tojo finally decided to see Netaji on 19 June 1943.

Subhas Chandra to Japan (1943-45) - Submarine voyage

( Blue line - route from North Germany to Japan)

The understanding between Germany and Japan was that the German submarine carrying Netaji would cover the longer distance between the coast of northern Germany and the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, and from there a Japanese submarine would take  Netaji across the Indian Ocean to the vicinity of Malay and Singapore. Netaji would leave the German vessel and embark on the Japanese submarine at a point off the African coast near Madagascar.

The details of Bose's departure was finalised only in Jan1943 and Japan agreed to supply a submarine on 2 Feb 1943, and Japan agreed to supply a submarine on 2 Feb 1943, to receive Bose . Bose could leave by a German submarine with one companion on 8 Feb 1943. when the war situation showed that both Germany when the war situation showed that both Germany and Japan had begun losing at all vital points.

 The submarine was due to leave the port of Kiel early early in the morning of 8 feb 1943 . Netaji was to be accompanied on the trip by a young man clled Abid Hasan Safrani (A young enthusiastic and courageous man from Hyderabad also joined this force. His name was Zain-al-Abdin Hasan. He preferred to be called Abid Hasan and later became known as Abid Hasan Safrani.
Abid Hasan's mother Hajia Begum was anti-British, so her children were sent to Germany for higher studies. And Abid went to do a degree in engineering.) He  was taking military training in the Indian Legion .  

For reasons  of security the German as well as Netaji were tight lipped about the trip and no one except A.C.N.Nambiar knew about it. Netaji had ended his sojourn in Germany by doing his own packing and burning his papers. Werner Musenberg, the Commander of the U-Boat welcomed Netaji to aboard the boat. This was the Netaji's abode for the next 93 days.

From Kiel, some seven or eight submarines emerged in a row and entered the waters of Denmark . The convoy had to pass between the island on which Copenhagen was situated and the  Swedish coast. The submarines sailed on the surface because in the area there was complete supremacy of the German navy and air force. The submarine traveled northward among the Norwegian coast which was then under German occupation and then entered the North  Sea.   Till then the submarines had been escorted by a mnesweeper sailing ahead of them to clear the way.       

The subnarines sailed on the surface but dived at high risk places. At night , the vessels usually took to the surface and used their diesel oil engines. Hasan had one bunk among the non-commissioned officers . Netaji was given was one bunkin the officer's quarters which again was only a recess in the passage.There was only one table for six people at which the officers could sit and have their meals. the rest could sit on their own bunks and eat.Abid began to prepare Khichuri from the first day.during this time in the submarine Netaji preparing plans for his organisation in the East and the Provisional Govt.

Subhas Chandra to Japan (1943-45) - Invitation of Bose to East Asia

Japan is a stratovolcanic archipelago of 6,852 islands. The four largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku, which make up about ninety-seven percent of Japan's land areaInfluence from other regions, mainly Imperial China, followed by periods of isolation, later from Western European influence, has characterized Japan's history. From the 12th century until 1868, Japan was ruled by successive feudal military shoguns who ruled in the name of the Emperor. Japan entered into a long period of isolation in the early 17th century, which was only ended in 1853 when a United States fleet pressured Japan to open to the West. Nearly two decades of internal conflict and insurrection followed before the Meiji Emperor was restored as head of state in 1868 and the Empire of Japan was proclaimed, with the Emperor as a divine symbol of the nation. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, victories in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War and World War I allowed Japan to expand its empire during a period of increasing militarism.. 
Japan entered the WWII in Dec  1941. After the battle of Stalingrad Bose was sure that German Collapse was nearer and he realised the futility of staying in Germany.
By Feb 1942,  Japanese had taken over the countries in south East Asiaand were helping the Indian nationalists in the formation of Indian National Army.(INA)
Both at the Tokyo and Bangkok conferences, the name of Subhas as the Inian Leader who should be invited to lead the Indian Independence movement in East Asia and the request was conveyed to the German Govt. . The Japanese Prime minister Tojo made an official declarationon 16 Feb 1942, in which he made an appeal to the Indian people to cooperate with Japan to make themselves free from the ruthless despotism of Great Britain and contribute to the creation of Co-prosperity Sphere.
Bose was pleased with the announcement.
In Thailand , Indian Nationalists with the japanese help were doing their bst to establish a strong anti-British base and were keen to have Bose as their leader in East Asia to launchthe movement.The request to Bose to comee to East Asia came at the right moment. Bose was aware that his success in Germany was dependent on a German victory in Russia and the willingnes of the German Govt. to issue a Free India Declaration.Both prospects seemed bleak. On 23 May 1942, Bose expressed his desire to Dr. Ernst Woerman , the under Secretary of State for political affairs go to East Asia. 

The Indians of East asia was not happy with Rashbehari Bose.  Rashbehari Bose ( 25 May 1886 – 21 January 1945) was a revolutionary leader against the British Raj in India and was one of the key organisers of the Ghadar Revolution and later, the Indian National Army.    
Bose had a discussion with Oshima, Japanese Ambassador to Berlin, had given him encouraging signsthat he would be welcomedby the Japanese Govt. 
German and Italy were willing to do everything possible for him to proceed to East Asia  The Japanese had decided to invite Bose after the Bangkok conference. Following the crisis in Dec 1942 which developed between Mohan Singh and Rashbehari Bose. , The Japanese applied force on the German Govt. to send Bose of East asia to lead the movement against the British.

The details of Bose's departure were finalised only in Jan 1943, and Japan agreed to supply a submrine on 2 Feb 1943 to receive Bose. Bose could leave by a germansubmarine with one companion Abid Hasan on 8 Feb 1943. Bose reached Sabangh safely on 6 May and reached left for Tokyo on 16 May. he assumed the leadership of the movement in the first week of July 1943.  

Inside - The truth about Subhash Chandra Bose - Full Episode

Bose from Germany to Japan (1943-1945)

(Stalin and Ribbentrop after the signature of the Soviet–Nazi German pact. August 23, 1939, pic-rt , Wilhelm -pic-rt, Keppler, pic-lt.

) Bose took assistance with the Italians who had arranged
one non-stop journey to Asia . Bose said his farewells to the brass of the German office including Ribbentrop, Keppler and Trott, and left for Rome on Oct 1942. But the flight was delayed, rescheduled , and canceled. Bose lingered in Rome for a month, hoping against hope that it go. At the end of the second week of November , all Italian                                                            

efforts to make such flights were put off for several months.

After visiting Czechoslovakia, France, and Belgium, Bose reached Vienna about mid-November. His Chosen Companion in life , Emilie Schenkl , was more than eight months pregnant. She had left Berlin, partly because the couple did not want her to be openly seen in the conclusion , and also because she wanted to give birth near his family, in her native city. Bose returned to Berlin about November 15, and Emilie Schenkl gave birth to Anita Bose on November 29.
Early in 1943, Woermann discussed Bose's  journey with Ambasador Oshima and plans for a long comlicated sea voyage and a rendezvous between a German and a jkapanese submarine somewhere near the trip of Africa were worked out .Alexander Werth mentions that in a question referred by German Embassy regarding of carrying non-military personals in their ship, Adam Von Trott replied that Subhas Chandra Bose was not a private person but Commander-in-chief of the Indian Liberation army.
A big independence day, as in 1942, was celebrated with more than  600 in attendance. Programs of Azad Hind Radio were pre-recorded. Only Nambiar and presumably Emilie Schenkl and some Foreign Office offials knew of the travel program. In late January, Bose had a scare when he had a bad reaction to one of Dr. Faroqi's glucose injections, but he recovered very soon.
Emilie Schenkl came to Berlin about January 20, to say good bye. Bose left a Bengali letter with her addressed to his Brother Sarat Bose. It was not clear that Bose had an opportunity to see his newly born daughter. Nambiar was left in charge of the Indian operation in Germany. Bose chose Abid Hasan who had worked on the military side , but had all the skills necessary to act as private secretary and assistant. hasan was not told of the voyage in advance. Hasan wrote that he was quite fascinated by the romance of having to travel by the submarine . But the moment he entered the submerine al, romance of it went away.

At dawn , February 8, 1943, Bose and Hasan climbed into German submarine U-180, captured by the Commander Werner Musenberg. The boat had four officers and fifty one sailors , was a bigger sub of the 9D type, and and had special E motor to enable it to go faster. It could travel at eighteen knots on the surface and seven and a half knots under the water. It moved along the British isles. it was likely that British knew Bose's trip but they either could not or did not intercept the submarine.on one occasion , on April 18, 1943, U-180sank the British merchant ship Corbis. on april 24 , they made their connection with the Japanese submarine I-29 in the Indian ocean, east  of Madagascar , at approximately 25 degrees south latitude and 60 degrees East longitude.  
 

 (The car used for great escape.)

Subhas and Emilie Schenkl (contd-2) - Some correspondence

After Bose reached Berlin, he asked German officials to contact her in Vienna and asked her to come to Berlin . She duly arrived in Berlin in April 1941and lived with Bose throughout his European period, first in Hotels and and then in a house provided by the Germans in Berlin. Most of German Foreign officegroup  - Trott, Alexander Werth, Freda Kretschmer - appear to have disliked her intensely. Conversely, Emilie Schenkl did not like Trott whom she accused of aristochratic snobbery. The relationship between Bose and Schenkl deepened with the pregnancy in Schenkl in 1942 and the birth of Anita in Vienna on November ,1942 . Bose acknowledged his family.