A History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections [Hardcover]

Brian Cloughley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195793749 | ISBN-13: 978-0195793741 | Publication Date: April 20, 2000 | Edition: 2

The author gives a candid, no-holds-barred account of the Pakistan army. He describes its evolution, its brutal suppression of the former East Wing (now Bangladesh), the events leading to the overthrow of Prime Minister Bhutto in 1977, and other dramatic episodes. This new edition contains an additional chapter which describes the dramatic resignation of the Army Chief in 1998 (giving his hitherto unpublished reasons), and the intrusion into Indian-administered territory in Kashmir by Pakistan-backed militants in 1999. The author makes use of information provided by senior foreign officials as well as highly-placed Indian and Pakistani sources.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Those who are looking for a reasonably balanced book on the Pakistan Army would do well to read this one...[the author] is able to provide several insights into its functioning as well as a useful assessment of its cultural and political ethos."--Manoj Joshi, India Today

About the Author

Brian Cloughley is a commentator on political and military affairs, specialising in South Asia, and is South Asia defence, security, terrorism and strategy analyst for Jane's Sentinel. He served in the British and Australian Armies and spent nine years as an artillery officer on regimental duty, mainly as a Forward Observer.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 460 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (April 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195793749
• ISBN-13: 978-0195793741
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,893,430 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #55 in Books > History > Asia > Bangladesh

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem of a book for the student of military history, October 7, 1999

By 

yhussain "yhussain" (Islamabad, Pakistan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections (Hardcover)

The book is distinguished by at its balance. Strengths and weaknesses in commanders, strategies, training, organization, intelligence gathering, and tactics are well critiqued in both the Pakistani Army and in its main adversary - the Indian Army. The post mortem of the 1965 War was splendid as were the actual accounts of battle. The establishment of the political and international context was another strength. The evolution of the Army through the years was well tracked. However, I feel, that the description and evaluation of the role of COAS after Aslam Beg did not perhaps receive due attention. (Though the personalities of the COAS were discussed.) A couple of almost insignificant factual mistakes: a) The author states that General Ayub Khan was 42 in 1958 when he assumed power - he was actually around 52, b) The author states that General Rahim Khan was the son-in-law of Gen Zia ul Haq - actually the former's daughter is married to the latter's son. I think that, despite the pervading objectivity, the author's regard and warmth for the institution and several of its commanders shine through. This adds the necessary animation to a commendable work of scholarship. I relished the book and could not put it down.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A excellent book on a very important topic, March 14, 2000

By 

Asad M. Faizi (Mountain View, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections (Hardcover)

I've been looking for an unbiased and objective book written on this very important, but very under-reported, topic of Indian-Pakistani conflict - and I found it. It is an excellent book; very thorough, well researched, balanced, extremely readable, comprehensive, and very objective.

Anybody who wants to understand the political dynamics of the South Asia must read this book. It does not just narrate the history of the region, it also provides a great insight about the forces behind it and offers remarkable analysis. This book is a must read for anybody interested in understanding the nuclear flashpoint of Kashmir.

I think one Pakistani general summs it up quite well when, after reading the book, he tells the author, "what worries me is that how much you know about us".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Highly Recommended, June 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections (Hardcover)

This is a very serious and thought provoking book on not just the Pakistan Army but also Indo-Pak relations.