Subhash Brigade was chosen for the task because it was made up of best soldiers chosen from other three brigades.
4th February, 1944—Shahnawaz Khan set out with his brigade for Pom. Braving bombs and firing the brigade made headway and took position on the bank of Kaladam river. The brigade pressed on and reached Paletwa and Deletmay. The soldiers waited for the night to fall.
At night the brigade stormed Modak enemy post and captured it. The soldiers were greatly elated. It was their real battle victory. Amid thunderous slogans and war cries Azad Hind flag was hoisted on the post.
The Modak post was situated in a tricky terrain. It was not easy to maintain the supply lines to that post. Japanese captain advised retreat to logistically safer base.
But Indian soldiers refused to pay heed. The victory was a heady experience for them. They emotionally considered it a first step towards the liberation of their motherland.
The soldiers were too charged up. They bravely said, “There is no going back for us. We must march to Delhi at any cost. ‘Dilli Chalo’ is our Commander-in-Chief’s orders.”
Meanwhile rest of the battalions took positions with Japanese army at Falam and Daka area. They charged on and captured Kohima.
On 19th March, 1944 Azad Hind soldiers had crossed into the territory of their motherland. The liberation of India had really begun. Very soon 1500 sq. Kms of the motherland was under the control of Azad Hind Fauz. Kohima and Manipur had been won after a grim battle. Gandhi brigade had hoisted Azad Hind flag on Imphal.
Gandhi Brigade stormed into Imphal. In the month of June, 1944 a small band of 600 Azad Hind soldiers battled with 3000 British soldiers.
Then the tide began to turn. The news arrived that American forces were heading by sea towards Asia in a full invasion strength. Now the Japanese army had to defend their fortifications. It could not afford to squander its resources and manpower in Netaji’s ‘Dilli Chalo’ campaign. They will be fighting for their own survival. To make matters worse Allies were winning and marching ahead all over Europe. Italy was in hopeless situation and the Germans were on the retreat on all fronts. No help was coming from that front.
The Japanese army withdrew from the Indian front leaving Azad Hind Fauz to fend for itself. Meanwhile in December, 1944 British army had arrived in Burma and reached the banks of Iravadi river. Japanese were yet to withdraw from that sector. So, a joint force of Japanese and Azad Hind Fauz faced the enemy and lost the battle. It was inevitable because Azad Hind soldiers were fighting on empty stomachs and were fast running out ammunition.
The Japanese soldiers surrendered.
Netaji Subhash Bose thundered, “Japanese may have surrendered but not Azad Hind Fauz. We shall fight to the last drop of our blood.”
He had already given a call to the countrymen and the soldiers, ‘Give me your blood—I will give you freedom.’
He issued orders to shoot any Azad Hind soldier trying to surrender to the enemy. The defeat and the surrender were not the words in the dictionary of Netaji Subhash Bose.
Azad Hind soldiers carried on the battle without food and adequate arms supplies. But how long could this go on? It was simply unrealistic. Emotions can’t win battles. To fight soldiers need food, clothing, arms and ammunitions besides logical battle plans.
Then the dreadful news of the total defeat of Nazi Germany came and the soldiers were further demoralised. The soldiers were already in desperate situation. All kinds of supplies had completely choked off.
Meanwhile, British forces were rapidly advancing on all fronts. There was no stopping them. They were on the victory run.
There was no hope left for Azad Hind Fauz soldiers. By May, 1945 they were badly trapped by British forces and had to surrender.
The Fauz High Command still hoped to regroup and renew the battle with freshly raised brigades or at least hope for the countrymen to rise against the colonial rule.
Then came the crippling blow. On 6th August, 1945 America dropped atom bomb on Hiroshima. Two days later another bomb devastated the city of Nagasaki. The back of Japan had been broken. It surrendered to American forces.
Azad Hind Commanders were in quandary. All the grounds had been lost. There was no place to go to and no friend left to turn to.
Netaji Subhash Bose spoke to his Azad Hind confidants, officials, commanders and friends, “In the battle for the independence of the Motherland we have been trapped in a situation about which I had not even dreamt of ever. But do not think that we have been defeated. It is just a setback. 35 crores of our countrymen have their hopes pinned on us and our Azad Hind Fauz. There are many routes to Delhi and Delhi remains our final destination. No power on earth can keep India enslaved for long. Jai Hind!”
The British forces had taken all the soldiers and the field commanders of Azad Hind Fauz as prisoners. They were transported to Delhi and kept in Red Fort. In the Red Fort itself trial court was set up to try Azad Hind Fauz soldiers for treason and betrayal against the British crown. For all the Indians those soldiers were heroes who had fought for the independence of the country. Every day when trials were held crowds gathered infront of Red Fort shouting slogans against the colonial rulers and hailing Azad Hind soldiers as freedom fighters. Many carried placards and banners in support of the soldiers under trial. A battery of lawyers voluntarily defended the case of the soldiers. Prominent among the lawyers were Bhoola Bhai Desai who was a Congressmen. He was assisted by other lawyers like Asaf Ali.
The trial evoked a great interest in India. Through the statements of Azad Hind soldiers and the commanders the countrymen came to know of the valiant deeds of Azad Hind Fauz and their Commander-in-Chief, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The trial became a historic chapter of our story of independence.
Netaji Bose and his high command was in Bangkok awaiting evacuation. The speech of Netaji to his men was not a bravado. His spirit had not accepted defeat really. He had many alternate plans going through his mind.
His best shot was Russian Plan. He wanted to go to USSR. He had plans to raise fresh Azad Hind Fauz with the help of socialist Russia. He had correctly guessed that very soon America and Britain would be up against Russia. A battle would be fought between capitalist nations and communist block, he assessed. Netaji was looking for one more chance to lock horns with India’s old enemy, Britain. For him the way to India’s freedom led through the destruction of Britain.
Netaji Subhash Bose requested Japanese to transport him to Russia. But the Japanese refused as their country itself was in turmoil. There was confusion all over. The authority was in the process of disintegration. A defeated country had no control on its systems. Japan already had loaned 200 crore rupees to Azad Hind government and now it was almost bankrupt totally washed off by a lost war.
But Eastern Commander of Japanese armed forces Mr. Terachi intervened. During his association with Netaji Subhash in war for India he had grown a deep respect for Subhash. His indomitable spirit and passion for the cause of his country was as intense as Japanese had in the early years of war. Terachi had discovered Japanese spirit in Subhash. He wanted to use all his authority before it was taken over for the benefit of Netaji Subhash Bose.
Terachi used his influence and arranged a private getaway plane for Subhash that would take him to his destination—Russia.
Netaji Subhash was informed of this.
Before emplaning he spoke to his close confidants and officials, “I am not the one to accept defeat in any circumstances. I am entrusting you our flag, our honour and our glorious tradition. Please be optimist like me. It is darkness before dawn. Our India will be free and very soon it will be so. God bless you. Inquilab Zindabad! Azad Hind Zindabad!! Jai Hind!!”
The plane took off leaving behind tearful members of the Azad Hind government who had stood by him during all those explosive days of glorious uncertainty. His personal aide Habibur Rahman was travelling with him.
On 23rd August, 1945 Japan’s Tokyo News Agency released a grim news—‘The Chief of the Interim Government of Azad Hind, Mr. Subhash Chandra Bose was travelling in a plane along with his aide Habibur Rahman from Bangkok to Tokyo when the plane caught fire and crashed on a hill at Taihom near Formosa. Later, he died of burns in a hospital.’
Azad Hind officials confirmed the news. They had gone to the hospital and identified the charred bodies of Netaji and Habibur Rahman.
The news was so grave and shocking that the adoring masses of India refused to believe in the tragedy. The people lived in the delusion for decades that their beloved Netaji was alive and would arrive any day to liberate them from all their woes and miseries.
Out of the ashes of that crashed plane rose the legend of Netaji Subhash like a phoenix that will always keep flying high in the skies of the fond memories of Indian masses and the folklores.
