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Deathon18August1945
Mainarticle:DeathofSubhasChandraBose

Thelastaeroplane
journeysofSubhas
ChandraBose.

TheMitsubishiKi21twin
engineheavybomberthat
BoseboardedatSaigon
airportaround2PMon17
August1945.

ClippingfromJapanese
newspaper,publishedon
23August1945.

AmemorialtoSubhas
ChandraBoseinthe
compoundoftheRenkji
Temple,Tokyo.

Intheconsensusofscholarlyopinion,SubhasChandraBose'sdeathoccurredfromthirddegreeburnson18
August1945afterhisoverloadedJapaneseplanecrashedinJapaneseruled
Formosa(nowTaiwan).[1][23]However,manyamonghissupporters,especiallyinBengal,refusedatthetime,and
haverefusedsince,tobelieveeitherthefactorthecircumstancesofhisdeath.[1][24][25]Conspiracytheories
appearedwithinhoursofhisdeathandhavethereafterhadalongshelflife,[1][r]keepingalivevariousmartial
mythsaboutBose.[6]
InTaihoku,ataround2:30PMasthebomberwithBoseonboardwasleavingthestandardpathtakenbyaircraft
duringtakeoff,thepassengersinsideheardaloudsound,similartoanenginebackfiring.[64][65]Themechanics
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onthetarmacsawsomethingfalloutoftheplane.[66]Itwasportsideengine,orapartofit,andthe
propeller.[66][64]Theplaneswungwildlytotherightandplummeted,crashing,breakingintotwo,andexploding
intoflames.[66][64]Inside,thechiefpilot,copilotandLieutenantGeneralTsunamasaShidei,theViceChiefofStaff
oftheJapaneseKwantungArmy,whowastohavemadethenegotiationsforBosewiththeSovietarmyin
Manchuria,[67]wereinstantlykilled.[66][68]Bose'sassistantHabiburRahmanwasstunned,passingoutbriefly,and
Bose,althoughconsciousandnotfatallyhurt,wassoakedingasoline.[66]WhenRahmancameto,heandBose
attemptedtoleavebythereardoor,butfounditblockedbytheluggage.[68]Theythendecidedtorunthroughthe
flamesandexitfromthefront.[68]Thegroundstaff,nowapproachingtheplane,sawtwopeoplestaggering
towardsthem,oneofwhomhadbecomeahumantorch.[66]ThehumantorchturnedouttobeBose,whose
gasolinesoakedclotheshadinstantlyignited.[68]Rahmanandafewothersmanagedtosmothertheflames,but
alsonoticedthatBose'sfaceandheadappearedbadlyburned.[68]AccordingtoJoyceChapmanLebra,"Atruck
whichservedasambulancerushedBoseandtheotherpassengerstotheNanmonMilitaryHospitalsouthof
Taihoku."[66]TheairportpersonnelcalledDr.TaneyoshiYoshimi,thesurgeoninchargeatthehospitalataround3
PM.[68]Bosewasconsciousandmostlycoherentwhentheyreachedthehospital,andforsometime
thereafter.[69]Bosewasnaked,exceptforablanketwrappedaroundhim,andDr.Yoshimiimmediatelysaw
evidenceofthirddegreeburnsonmanypartsofthebody,especiallyonhischest,doubtingverymuchthathe
wouldlive.[69]Dr.YoshimipromptlybegantotreatBoseandwasassistedbyDr.Tsuruta.[69]Accordingto
historianLeonardA.Gordon,whointerviewedallthehospitalpersonnellater,
Adisinfectant,Rivamol,wasputovermostofhisbodyandthenawhiteointmentwasappliedandhe
wasbandagedovermostofhisbody.Dr.YoshimigaveBosefourinjectionsofVitaCamphorandtwo
ofDigitamineforhisweakenedheart.Theseweregivenaboutevery30minutes.Sincehisbodyhad
lostfluidsquicklyuponbeingburnt,hewasalsogivenRingersolutionintravenously.Athirddoctor,Dr.
Ishiigavehimabloodtransfusion.Anorderly,KazuoMitsui,anarmyprivate,wasintheroomand
severalnurseswerealsoassisting.BosestillhadaclearheadwhichDr.Yoshimifoundremarkable
forsomeonewithsuchsevereinjuries.[70]
Soon,inspiteofthetreatment,Bosewentintoacoma.[70][66]Afewhourslater,between9and10PM(localtime)
onSaturday18August1945,SubhasChandraBose,aged48,wasdead.[70][66]
Bose'sbodywascrematedinthemainTaihokucrematoriumtwodayslater,20August1945.[71]On23August
1945,theJapanesenewsagencyDoTrzeiannouncedthedeathofBoseandShidea.[66]On7Septembera
Japaneseofficer,LieutenantTatsuoHayashida,carriedBose'sashestoTokyo,andthefollowingmorningthey
werehandedtothepresidentoftheTokyoIndianIndependenceLeague,RamaMurti.[72]On14Septembera
memorialservicewasheldforBoseinTokyoandafewdayslatertheasheswereturnedovertothepriestof
theRenkjiTempleofNichirenBuddhisminTokyo.[73][74]Theretheyhaveremainedeversince.[74]
AmongtheINApersonnel,therewaswidespreaddisbelief,shock,andtrauma.Mostaffectedweretheyoung
TamilIndiansfromMalayaandSingapore,bothmenandwomen,whocomprisedthebulkofthecivilianswhohad
enlistedintheINA.[26]TheprofessionalsoldiersintheINA,mostofwhomwerePunjabis,facedanuncertain
future,withmanyfatalisticallyexpectingreprisalsfromtheBritish.[26]InIndiatheIndianNationalCongress'sofficial
linewassuccinctlyexpressedinaletterMohandasKaramchandGandhiwrotetoRajkumariAmritKaur.[26]Said
Gandhi,"SubhasBosehasdiedwell.Hewasundoubtedlyapatriot,thoughmisguided."[26]Manycongressmenhad
notforgivenBoseforquarrellingwithGandhiandforcollaboratingwithwhattheyconsidered
wasJapanesefascism.TheIndiansoldiersintheBritishIndianarmy,sometwoandahalfmillionofwhomhad
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foughtduringtheSecondWorldWar,wereconflictedabouttheINA.SomesawtheINAastraitorsandwanted
thempunishedothersfeltmoresympathetic.TheBritishRaj,thoughneverseriouslythreatenedbytheINA,tried
300INAofficersfortreasonintheINAtrials,buteventuallybacktracked.[26]

Aftermath
Conspiracytheoriesbeganimmediatelyafterhisdeath,believingthatBosehadnotactuallydiedbutlivedon
instead.[1][75]ThesetheoristsalsodemandedalsothedeclassificationofvarioustopsecretfilesintheIndian
governmentabouthisdeathcalledthe"Netajifiles".SubsequentIndiangovernmenthavedeclined
declassification,arguingthatitwouldcause"lawandorderproblems"inIndia,alongwithapotential"spoiling"
Indianrelationswithothernations.[75]InDecember2014,thegovernmentofNarendraModicontinuedtodecline
declassification,droppingthelawandorderrationale,butduetoconcernsoverIndianinternationalrelations.[75]
InApril2015,variousdeclassifiedfilesfromtheIndiangovernmentrevealedthatBose'sfamilymemberswere
"intensive[ly]surveill[ed]"bytheauthoritiesfrom1948until1968.[75]Bose'sfamilymemberswasincensedatthe
revelations,arguingthathisfamilywastriedmoreakintothatofaterroristthanthefreedomfighterthatBosewas
anddemandedthecompletedeclassificationoftheNetajifiles.[75]AsofApril2015,fivefilesremainsosecretthat
eventheirnameshavenotbeendisclosedundertheRighttoInformationAct.[75]

Ideology
BoseadvocatedcompleteunconditionalindependenceforIndia,whereastheAllIndiaCongress
Committeewanteditinphases,throughDominionstatus.FinallyatthehistoricLahoreCongressconvention,the
CongressadoptedPurnaSwaraj(completeindependence)asitsmotto.Gandhiwasgivenrousingreceptions
whereverhewentafterGandhiIrwinpact.SubhasChandraBose,travellingwithGandhiintheseendeavours,
laterwrotethatthegreatenthusiasmhesawamongthepeopleenthusedhimtremendouslyandthathedoubted
ifanyotherleaderanywhereintheworldreceivedsuchareceptionasGandhididduringthesetravelsacrossthe
country.HewasimprisonedandexpelledfromIndia.Defyingtheban,hecamebacktoIndiaandwasimprisoned
again.[citationneeded]
BosewaselectedpresidentoftheIndianNationalCongressfortwoconsecutiveterms,buthadtoresignfromthe
postfollowingideologicalconflictswithMohandasK.GandhiandafteropenlyattackingtheCongress'foreignand
internalpolicies.BosebelievedthatGandhi'stacticsofnonviolencewouldneverbesufficienttosecureIndia's
independence,andadvocatedviolentresistance.Heestablishedaseparatepoliticalparty,theAllIndiaForward
BlocandcontinuedtocallforthefullandimmediateindependenceofIndiafromBritishrule.Hewasimprisoned
bytheBritishauthoritieseleventimes.
HisstancedidnotchangewiththeoutbreakoftheSecondWorldWar,whichhesawasanopportunitytotake
advantageofBritishweakness.Attheoutsetofthewar,heleftIndia,travellingtotheSovietUnion,Nazi
GermanyandImperialJapan,seekinganalliancewitheachofthemtoattacktheBritishgovernmentinIndia.With
ImperialJapaneseassistance,hereorganisedandlaterledtheAzadHindFaujorIndianNationalArmy(INA),
formedwithIndianprisonersofwarandplantationworkersfromBritishMalaya,Singapore,andotherpartsof
SoutheastAsia,againstBritishforces.WithJapanesemonetary,political,diplomaticandmilitaryassistance,he
formedtheAzadHindGovernmentinexile,andregroupedandledtheIndianNationalArmyinfailedmilitary
campaignsagainstthealliesatImphalandinBurma.
HispoliticalviewsandtheallianceshemadewithNaziandothermilitaristregimesatwarwithBritainhavebeen
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thecauseofargumentsamonghistoriansandpoliticians,withsomeaccusinghimoffascistsympathies,while
othersinIndiahavebeenmoresympathetictowardstherealpolitikthatguidedhissocialandpoliticalchoices.
SubhasChandraBosebelievedthattheBhagavadGitawasagreatsourceofinspirationforthestruggleagainst
theBritish.[76]SwamiVivekananda'steachingsonuniversalism,hisnationalistthoughtsandhisemphasisonsocial
serviceandreformhadallinspiredSubhasChandraBosefromhisveryyoungdays.Thefreshinterpretationof
theIndia'sancientscriptureshadappealedimmenselytohim.[77]ManyscholarsbelievethatHinduspirituality
formedtheessentialpartofhispoliticalandsocialthoughtthroughouthisadultlife,althoughtherewasnosense
ofbigotryororthodoxyinit.[78]Subhaswhocalledhimselfasocialist,believedthatsocialisminIndiaowedits
originstoSwamiVivekananda.[79]AshistorianLeonardGordonexplains"Innerreligiousexplorationscontinuedto
beapartofhisadultlife.Thissethimapartfromtheslowlygrowingnumberofatheisticsocialistsandcommunists
whodottedtheIndianlandscape.".[80]
Bose'scorrespondence(priorto1939)reflectshisdeepdisapprovaloftheracistpracticesof,andannulmentof
democraticinstitutionsinNaziGermany:"TodayIregretthatIhavetoreturntoIndiawiththeconvictionthatthe
newnationalismofGermanyisnotonlynarrowandselfishbutarrogant".[81]However,heexpressedadmiration
fortheauthoritarianmethods(thoughnottheracialideologies)whichhesawinItalyandGermanyduringthe
1930s,andthoughttheycouldbeusedinbuildinganindependentIndia.[45]
BosehadclearlyexpressedhisbeliefthatdemocracywasthebestoptionforIndia.[82]TheproBosethinkers
believethathisauthoritariancontroloftheAzadHindwasbasedonpoliticalpragmatismandapostcolonial
doctrineratherthananyantidemocraticbelief.[citationneeded]However,duringthewar(andpossiblyasearlyasthe
1930s),BoseseemstohavedecidedthatnodemocraticsystemcouldbeadequatetoovercomeIndia'spoverty
andsocialinequalities,andhewrotethatasocialiststatesimilartothatofSovietRussia(whichhehadalsoseen
andadmired)wouldbeneededfortheprocessofnationalrebuilding.[s][83]Accordingly,somesuggestthatBose's
alliancewiththeAxisduringthewarwasbasedonmorethanjustpragmatism,andthatBosewasamilitant
nationalist,thoughnotaNazinoraFascist,forhesupportedempowermentofwomen,secularismand
otherliberalideasalternatively,othersconsiderhemighthavebeenusingpopulistmethodsofmobilisation
commontomanypostcolonialleaders.[45]
Hismostfamousquote/sloganwas"GivemebloodandIwillgiveyoufreedom".[citationneeded]Anotherfamous
quotewasDilliChalo("OntoDelhi)!"ThiswasthecallheusedtogivetheINAarmiestomotivatethem.JaiHind,
or,"GlorytoIndia!"wasanothersloganusedbyhimandlateradoptedbytheGovernmentofIndiaandtheIndian
ArmedForces.Anotherslogancoinedbyhimwas"Ittefaq,Etemad,Qurbani"(Urdufor"Unity,Agreement,
Sacrifice").INAalsousedthesloganInquilabZindabad,whichwascoinedbyMaulanaHasratMohani.[84]

Legacy
On23August2007,JapanesePrimeMinister,ShinzoAbevisitedtheSubhasChandraBosememorial
hallinKolkata.[85][86]AbesaidtoBose'sfamily"TheJapanesearedeeplymovedbyBose'sstrongwilltohaveled
theIndianindependencemovementfromBritishrule.NetajiisamuchrespectednameinJapan.[85][86]
Thefollowingwordsareinscribedonabrassshieldinfrontofthechair.
"NetajiSubhashChandraBoseinordertofreeIndiafromtheshacklesofBritishimperialism
organizedtheAzadHindGovernmentfromoutsidethecountryonOctober21,1943.Netajisetupthe
ProvisionalGovernmentofIndependentIndia(AzadHind)andtransferreditsheadquarterat
RangoononJanuary7,1944.Onthe5thApril,1944,the"AzadHindBank"wasinauguratedat
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Rangoon.ItwasonthisoccasionthatNetajiusedthischairforthefirsttime.Laterthechairwaskept
attheresidenceofNetajiat51,UniversityAvenue,Rangoon,wheretheofficeoftheAzadHind
Governmentwasalsohoused.Afterwards,atthetimeofleavingBurma,theBritishershandedover
thechairtothefamilyofMr.A.T.Ahuja,thewellknownbusinessmanofRangoon.Thechairwas
officiallyhandedovertotheGovernmentofIndiainJanuary1979.ItwasbroughttoCalcuttaonthe
17thJuly,1980.IthasnowbeenceremoniallyinstalledattheRedFortonJuly7,1981."

Inpopularmedia
In2004,ShyamBenegaldirectedthebiographical,NetajiSubhasChandraBose:TheForgottenHerodepictingthe
lifeoftheIndianindependenceleaderSubhasChandraBoseinNaziGermany:19411943,andInJapanese
occupiedAsia19431945,andtheeventsleadingtotheformationofAzadHindFauj.[87]Thefilmreceivedwide
criticalacclaimattheBFILondonFilmFestival,andhasgarneredtheNationalFilmAwardforBestFeatureFilm
onNationalIntegration,andtheNationalFilmAwardforBestProductionDesignforthatyear.[88][89]

References
Notes
a.^"Ifallelsefailed(Bose)wantedtobecomeaprisoneroftheSoviets:'TheyaretheonlyoneswhowillresisttheBritish.
Myfateiswiththem.ButastheJapaneseplanetookofffromTaipeiairportitsenginesfalteredandthenfailed.Bose
wasbadlyburnedinthecrash.Accordingtoseveralwitnesses,hediedon18AugustinaJapanesemilitaryhospital,
talkingtotheverylastofIndia'sfreedom.BritishandIndiancommissionslaterestablishedconvincinglythatBosehad
diedinTaiwan.Thesewerelegendaryandapocalyptictimes,however.HavingwitnessedthefirstIndianleadertofight
againsttheBritishsincethegreatmutinyof1857,manyinbothSoutheastAsiaandIndiarefusedtoacceptthelossof
theirhero.RumoursthatBosehadsurvivedandwaswaitingtocomeoutofhidingandbeginthefinalstrugglefor
independencewererampantbytheendof1945. [1]
b.^"ThemosttroublingaspectofBose'spresenceinNaziGermanyisnotmilitaryorpoliticalbutratherethical.His
alliancewiththemostgenocidalregimeinhistoryposesseriousdilemmaspreciselybecauseofhispopularityandhis
havingmadealifelongcareeroffightingthe'goodcause'.Howdidamanwhostartedhispoliticalcareeratthefeetof
GandhiendupwithHitler,Mussolini,andTojo?EveninthecaseofMussoliniandTojo,thegravityofthedilemmapales
incomparisontothatposedbyhisassociationwithHitlerandtheNazileadership.Themostdisturbingissue,alltoo
oftenignored,isthatinthemanyarticles,minutes,memorandums,telegrams,letters,plans,andbroadcastsBoseleft
behindinGermany,hedidnotexpresstheslightestconcernorsympathyforthemillionswhodiedintheconcentration
camps.NotoneofhisBerlinwartimeassociatesorcolleagueseverquoteshimexpressinganyindignation.Noteven
whenthehorrorsofAuschwitzanditssatellitecampswereexposedtotheworlduponbeingliberatedbySoviettroopsin
early1945,revealingpubliclyforthefirsttimethegenocidalnatureoftheNaziregime,didBosereact."[4]
c.^"Tomany(Congressleaders),Bose'sprogrammeresembledthatoftheJapanesefascists,whowereintheprocessof
losingtheirgambletoachieveAsianascendancythroughwar.Nevertheless,thesuccessofhissoldiersinBurmahad
stirredasmuchpatrioticsentimentamongIndiansasthesacrificesofimprisonedCongressleaders. [5]
d.^"MarginalizedwithinCongressandatargetforBritishsurveillance,Bosechosetoembracethefascistpowersasallies
againsttheBritishandfledIndia,firsttoHitler'sGermany,then,onaGermansubmarine,toaJapaneseoccupied
Singapore.Theforcethatheputtogether...knownastheIndianNationalArmy(INA)andthusclaimingtorepresent
freeIndia,sawactionagainsttheBritishinBurmabutaccomplishedlittletowardthegoalofamarchonDelhi....Bose
himselfdiedinanaeroplanecrashtryingtoreachJapaneseoccupiedterritoryinthelastmonthsofthewar.Hisromantic
saga,coupledwithhisdefiantnationalism,hasmadeBoseanearmythicfigure,notonlyinhisnativeBengal,butacross
India.Itisthisheroic,martialmyththatistodayremembered,ratherthanBose'swartimevisionofafreeIndiaunderthe
authoritarianruleofsomeonelikehimself."[6]
e.^"Anothersmall,butimmediate,issuefortheciviliansinBerlinandthesoldiersintrainingwashowtoaddressSubhas
Bose.Vyashasgivenhisviewofhowthetermwasadopted:'oneofour[soldier]boyscameforwardwith"Hamare
Neta".Weimproveduponit:"Netaji"...Itmustbementioned,thatSubhasBosestronglydisapprovedofit.Hebeganto
yieldonlywhenhesawourmilitarygroup...firmlywentoncallinghim"Netaji"'(Alexander)Werthalsomentioned
adoptionof'Netaji'andobservedaccurately,thatit'...combinedasensebothofaffectionandhonour...'Itwasnot
meanttoecho'Fuehrer'or'Duce',buttogiveSubhasBoseaspecialIndianformofreverenceandthistermhasbeen
universallyadoptedbyIndianseverywhereinspeakingabouthim."[7]

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f.^"JawaharlalNehruandSubhasBosewereamongthosewho,impatientwithGandhi'sprogrammesandmethods,
lookeduponsocialismasanalternativefornationalisticpoliciescapableofmeetingthecountry'seconomicandsocial
needs,aswellasalinktopotentialinternationalsupport."[8]
g.^"AlthoughwemusttakeEmilieSchenklatherword(abouthersecretmarriagetoBosein1937),thereareafew
naggingdoubtsaboutanactualmarriageceremonybecausethereisnodocumentthatIhaveseenandnotestimonyby
anyotherperson....OtherbiographershavewrittenthatBoseandMissSchenklweremarriedin1942,whileKrishna
Bose,implying1941,leavesthedateambiguous.ThestrangestandmostconfusingtestimonycomesfromA.C.N.
Nambiar,whowaswiththecoupleinBadgasteinbrieflyin1937,andwaswiththeminBerlinduringthewarassecond
incommandtoBose.Inananswertomyquestionaboutthemarriage,hewrotetomein1978:'Icannotstateanything
definiteaboutthemarriageofBosereferredtobyyou,sinceIcametoknowofitonlyagoodwhileaftertheendofthe
lastworldwar...Icanimaginethemarriagehavingbeenaveryinformalone...'...Sowhatareweleftwith?...We
knowtheyhadaclosepassionaterelationshipandthattheyhadachild,Anita,bornNovember29,1942,inVienna....
AndwehaveEmilieSchenkl'stestimonythattheyweremarriedsecretlyin1937.Whatevertheprecisedates,themost
importantthingistherelationship."[2]
h.^"TojoturnedoverallhisIndianPOWstoBose'scommand,andinOctober1943Boseannouncedthecreationofa
ProvisionalGovernmentofAzad("Free")India,ofwhichhebecameheadofstate,primeminister,ministerofwar,and
ministerofforeignaffairs.SometwomillionIndianswerelivinginSoutheastAsiawhentheJapaneseseizedcontrolof
thatregion,andtheseemigreeswerethefirst"citizens"ofthatgovernment,foundedunderthe"protection"ofJapanand
headquarteredonthe"liberated"AndamanIslands.BosedeclaredwarontheUnitedStatesandGreatBritaintheday
afterhisgovernmentwasestablished.InJanuary1944hemovedhisprovisionalcapitaltoRangoonandstartedhis
IndianNationalArmyontheirmarchnorthtothebattlecryoftheMeerutmutineers:"ChaloDelhi!"[19]
i.^"AtthesametimethattheJapaneseappreciatedthefirmnesswithwhichBose'sforcescontinuedtofight,theywere
endlesslyexasperatedwithhim.AnumberofJapaneseofficers,eventhoselikeFujiwara,whoweredevotedtothe
Indiancause,sawBoseasamilitaryincompetentaswellasanunrealisticandstubbornmanwhosawonlyhisown
needsandproblemsandcouldnotseethelargerpictureofthewarastheJapanesehadto."[20]
j.^"GraceyconsoledhimselfthatBose'sIndianNationalArmyhadalsobeeninactionagainsthisIndiansandGurkhas
buthadbeenroughlytreatedandalmostannihilatedwhenthesurvivorstriedtosurrender,theytendedtofallfoulofthe
Gurkhas'dreadedkukri."[21]
k.^"ThegoodnewsWavellreportedwasthattheRAFhadjustrecentlyflownenoughofitsplanesintoManipur'scapital
ofImphaltosmashNetaji("Leader")SubhasChandraBose'sIndianNationalArmy(INA)thathadadvancedtoits
outskirtsbeforethemonsoonbegan.Bose'sINAconsistedofabout20,000oftheBritishIndiansoldierscapturedbythe
JapaneseinSingapore,whohadvolunteeredtoserveunderNetajiBosewhenheofferedthem"Freedom"iftheywere
willingtorisktheir"Blood"togainIndianindependenceayearearlier.TheBritishconsideredBoseandhis"armyof
traitors"nobetterthantheirJapanesesponsors,buttomostofBengal's50millionIndians,Bosewasagreatnational
heroandpotential"Liberator."TheINAwasstoppedbeforeenteringBengal,firstbymonsoonrainsandthenbythe
RAF,andforcedtoretreat,backthroughBurmaanddownitscoasttotheMalaypeninsula.InMay1945,Bosewouldfly
outofSaigononanoverloadedJapaneseplane,headedforTaiwan,whichcrashlandedandburned.Bosesuffered
thirddegreeburnsanddiedinthehospitalonFormosa."[22]
l.^"Theretreatwasevenmoredevastating,finallyendingthedreamofgainingIndianindependencethroughmilitary
campaign.ButBosestillremainedoptimistic,thoughtofregroupingaftertheJapanesesurrender,contemplatedseeking
helpfromSovietRussia.TheJapaneseagreedtoprovidehimtransportuptoManchuriafromwherehecouldtravelto
Russia.Butonhisway,on18August1945atTaihokuairportinTaiwan,hediedinanaircrash,whichmanyIndiansstill
believeneverhappened."[23]
m.^"TherearestillsomeinIndiatodaywhobelievethatBoseremainedaliveandinSovietcustody,aonceandfutureking
ofIndianindependence.Thelegendof'Netaii'Bose'ssurvivalhelpedbindtogetherthedefeatedINA.InBengalit
becameanassuranceoftheprovince'ssupremeimportanceintheliberationofthemotherland.Itsustainedthemorale
ofmanyacrossIndiaandSoutheastAsiawhodeploredthereturnofBritishpowerorfeltalienatedfromthepolitical
settlementfinallyachievedbyGandhiandNehru. [24]
n.^"On21March1944,SubhasBoseandadvancedunitsoftheINAcrossedthebordersofIndia,enteringManipur,and
byMaytheyhadadvancedtotheoutskirtsofthatstate'scapital,Imphal.ThatwastheclosestBosecametoBengal,
wheremillionsofhisdevotedfollowersawaitedhisarmy's"liberation."TheBritishgarrisonatImphalanditsairarm
withstoodBose'smuchlargerforcelongenoughforthemonsoonrainstodeferallpossibilityofwarfareinthatjungle
regionforthethreemonthstheBritishsodesperatelyneededtostrengthentheireasternwing.Bosehadpromisedhis
menfreedominexchangefortheirblood,butthetideofbattleturnedagainstthemafterthe1944rains,andinMay
1945theINAsurrenderedinRangoon.BoseescapedonthelastJapaneseplanetoleaveSaigon,buthediedin
FormosaafteracrashlandingthereinAugust.Bythattime,however,hisdeathhadbeenfalselyreportedsomanytimes
thatamythsoonemergedinBengalthatNetajiSubhasChandrawasaliveraisinganotherarmyinChinaorTibetor
theSovietUnionandwouldreturnwithitto"liberate"India. [25]
o.^"The(Japanese)FifteenthArmy,commandedby...Maj.GeneralMutuguchiRenyaconsistedofthreeexperienced
infantrydivisions15th,31stand33rdtotalling100,000combattroops,withthe7,000strong1stIndianNational
Army(INA)Divisioninsupport.ItwashopedthelatterwouldsubverttheIndianArmy'sloyaltyandprecipitateapopular
risinginBritishIndia,butinrealitythecampaignrevealedthatitwaslargelyapapertiger."[27]

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p.^"Therealfault,however,mustattachtotheJapanesecommanderinchiefKawabe.Dithering,illanddecisive,
prostratedwithamoebicdysentery,heperiodicallyreasonedthathemustcancelOperationUGoinitsentirety,butevery
timehesummonedthecouragetodoso,acablewouldarrivefromTokyostressingtheparamountnecessityofvictoryin
Burma,tocompensateforthedisastersinthePacific.Twofacedalso,Kawabetriedtohedgehisbets,atonceurging
MutaguchiontoevengreatereffortsandaskingTokyoforpermissiontocanceltheImphaloperation.Evenmore
incredibly,hestillhopedforgreatthingsfromBoseandtheINA,despitealltheevidencethatbothwerebusted
flushes."[28]
q.^"TheclaimisevenmadethatwithouttheJapaneseinfluenced'IndianNationalArmy'underSubhasChandraBose,
Indiawouldnothaveachievedindependencein1947thoughthosewhomakeclaimseemunawareofthemoodofthe
Britishpeoplein1945andoftheattitudeofthenewlyelectedLabourgovernmenttotheIndianquestion."[29]
r.^"RumoursthatBosehadsurvivedandwaswaitingtocomeoutofhidingandbeginthefinalstruggleforindependence
wererampantbytheendof1945."[1]
s.^"TheFundamentalProblemsofIndia"(AnaddresstotheFacultyandstudentsofTokyoUniversity,November1944):
"Youcannothaveasocalleddemocraticsystem,ifthatsystemhastoputthrougheconomicreformsonasocialistic
basis.ThereforewemusthaveapoliticalsystemaStateofanauthoritariancharacter.Wehavehadsome
experienceofdemocraticinstitutionsinIndiaandwehavealsostudiedtheworkingofdemocraticinstitutionsin
countrieslikeFrance,EnglandandUnitedStatesofAmerica.Andwehavecometotheconclusionthatwitha
democraticsystemwecannotsolvetheproblemsofFreeIndia.Therefore,modernprogressivethoughtinIndiaisin
favourofaStateofanauthoritariancharacter"[83]

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