BOSE, INA AND SOUTH – EAST ASIA

Suja Sugathan – The author is with the Dept. of History, University of Kerala,
Kariavattom Campus for her M. Phil in History.

The following excerpt has been taken from the scholarly paper that Ms. Sugathan
presented at the History Seminar organized by Netaji Study Circle on October 21st 2003,
on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of Azad Hind Government.

“When India becomes free, the rest of South East Asia will also become free” – these
were the prophetic words of India’s greatest revolutionary leader, Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose. The World War II presented the rare opportunity for many of the colonies of Asia
to fight against their colonial masters. Many leaders of Asia joined hands with Japan
against the British, with the motto “enemy’s enemy our friend”. Most famous among
these leaders were Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose of India, Ba Maw of Burma, Roxas and
Laurel of Philippines and Sukarno of Indonesia.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose stood as a distinct entity in Indian politics with his radical
and leftist ideology. His aims and strategies came in close conflict with the already
existing norms of Gandhi and the rightist wing in the Congress. Among Netaji’s radical
ideas the most important was his supreme faith in an armed rebellion to free India from
the clutches of the British colonialism, international propaganda for the sake of attracting
foreign attention in India’s favour and his interest in the colonial struggle in other parts of
South-East Asia and Africa. The congress which was under the spell of Gandhian
idealism, opposed his radical ideas thus forcing him to leave the country first to Germany
and to South-East Asia.

Netaji’s long awaited arrival to South-East was hailed as an epoch-making event not only
by the Indians but the Japanese, Chinese, the Burmese etc. They were mesmerized by the
magnetic personality of Netaji and joined hands with the Indians to welcome him.
Letter’s of Congratulations rushed in and the first letter he received was from the
Burmese leader Ba Maw, who wrote: “…Both Indian and the Burmese have long awaited
this opportunity. The time has come for us to rise. Burma hereby pledge herself to fight in
your side in the event of your fight for national honour and independence…” (Cited in
Tatsuo Hayashida, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose – His Great Struggle and Martytdom,
Allied Publishers, Bombay, 1970, p.43)

Netaji’s arrival in the South-East had an electrifying effect on the Indian independence
movement. Netaji set about recognizing the IIL and the INA thus making it a truly
revolutionary body in every sense. He gave Indian’s the war cry ‘Chalo Delhi’ and
introduced a new formula for Indian unity, the call for total mobalisation of men, money
and resources of Indians in South-East Asia, for the sake of India’s independence.

By the declaration of ‘Provincial Government of Free India’, 21st October 1943 became a
prideful day for the Indians in the region, thus raising the status of the Indian
Independence movement to new heights. These developments of South-East Asia spread
a wave of optimism not only among the Indians but among the different nations of the
region too…They were stirred to the depth of their being at the spectacle of the
revolutionary Indian independence movement under Netaji. “The Burmese, Chinese,
Vietnamese, Indonesians etc., took the solemn pledge that they would never again allow
the ex-rulers to return and will fight tooth and nail against European imperialism.
(S.A.Ayer, Introduction, West Bengal Government Forthnightly – Netaji Birth Centenary
Volume, Vol. Xxxix, January 16-February 1997, p.90) The Burmese and the Indonesians
formed their own associations to fight for their own freedom. In Indonesia the Dutch East
Indies was replaced by an organization called ‘Hazbullah’ which established its own
government on the same lines as the Azad Hind Government, even though it fought
separately and had little connections with the IIL, the inspiration, which the later gave to
the former, was tremendous. (Motilal Bhargava,Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in East
Asia, Viswa Vidya Publishers; Kalady, 1982, pp.113-115)

The inspiration that Netaji gave to the freedom movement in South-East Asia changed his
stature from a leader of India to a leader of importance in International scenario. Tojo, the
hardcore militarist Prime Minister fo Japan impressed by the personality and organizing
capacity of Netaji commented: “Subhas Chandra Bose was not just an Indian leader but a
leader of Asia.” (M. C. Gupta(ed), Subhas Bose: The Man and His Mission, Indian
Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, 1999, p.6)

In fact South-East Asia helped Netaji to develop into a matured politician and his ideas
and ideologies were slowly transforming. His India – centered dreams and visions were
broadening and he dreamt not only for a free India but also a free Asia. Indian
Independence now assumed greater dimensions for Netaji. He felt that the added
responsibility to help the European dominated Asiatic race to shake off the shackles of
colonialism. This is well reflected in Netaji’s speech just before the declaration of the
Provincial Government of Free India on 21st October, 1943 where he tried to remind the
Indians about this added responsibility. He pointed out: ‘…you should realize more
keenly than ever before the added responsibility which has now fallen on the Indian
people to bring about the final emancipation of Asia by espelling the British and her
allies from Indian soil…” (INA records, F.No.300/INA, National Archives of India, New
Delhi, Netaji’s speech at the morning session of the IIL Conference, Syonan on 21 Oct.
1943.)

Netaji pointed before the youth of Asia a dream and a vision – a new world order in
which Asia would emerge as a great power. On the occasion of Burmese Independence
he made an emotional speech ‘… after the Independence of Burma, will come the
independence of Philippines. Asia now stands on the threshold of a new era in history.
Now is the time for all the oppressed people of Asia to raise and fight for emancipation…
it is incumbent upon the Indian people to raise and shake themselves free from the British
yoke and then help to emancipate other Asians…”

Netaji toured all over South-East Asia with the express purpose of mobilizing the
Indian’s to fight for India’s liberation. But directly or indirectly he was unifying the
whole of South-East Asia against the European Imperialism. During his visit to Burma,
China, Philippines and many other South-East Asian countries, he stressed the need for a
united stand of these region against the European imperialism. His visit to Nanking in
China was hailed as ‘an epoch making event’ in the Chinese nationalist papers. During
his visit he addressed mass rallies organized by the Chinese youth where he exhorted
them to campaign for a United China which he declared, would not only bring domestic
peace to China but would also help to check European imperialism in the east.

Netaji, during these tours, also convinced these nations that India’s independence
movement was not an isolated affair but it was a part of their struggle against
colonialism. There were many things in common between Indian and South-East Asian
nations’ colonial struggle. Netaji in his speeches never failed to compare their sufferings
with that of the Indian people. This created a strong bond of friendship among the
concerned nations.

Netaji diplomatically made them realize that unless India, the British stronghold, attained
independence they could not realize their own. He thus rallied their support for India’s
freedom struggle. Fully understanding this message, Chinese leader Wang Ching Wei
declared: ‘To overthrow the British tyranny we must first of all achieve Independence
and sovereignty for India…India’s freedom is not only her own freedom. It is the
freedom of entire East Asia, it is the freedom of the world.’

Attainment of India’s independence became the urgent need for the whole of South-East
Asia. Burmese Prime Minister Ba Maw at the opening session of the Greater East Asia
Conference declared: ‘…if we wish to destroy anti-Asiatic powers we must turn and
drive them out of their Asiatic stronghold and that stronghold is India…’ Minister of
Foreign affairs of Japan Shingemistu also echoed the same idea when he stated: ‘…the
emancipation of India is the key to emancipation of Asia…’

The new consciousness that these countries derived formed the base of the Greater-East
Asia Conference, where the subdued nations pledged to jointly fight European
imperialism. Even though Netaji participated in this conference only as an observer, he
was instrumental in bringing about a five point declaration which was much appreciated
by the members of the conference. Netaji’s ideas of international societies and what they
should stand for is well reflected when he suggested that they should aim at elimination
of racial discrimination, help to foster equality and mutual respect among the Asiatic
nations, close economic cooperation based on the principle of reciprocity, enhancement
and interchange of culture among Asiatic nations and join together for a common defence
of Asia.

Greater East Asia Conference assumed the shape of an international society. Its aim was
not only a united fight against European domination but also to prepare the ground for
better diplomatic relations between Asiatic nations in future. It could be considered as the
predecessor of many later international organizations like ASEAN, SAARC etc. Critics
have pointed out that this conference was aimed at fostering that imperialistic designs of
Japan over South-East Asia but so far as the role of this conference in unifying the whole
of South East Asia is concerned, it cannot be overlooked or neglected. Netaji used it as a
platform to gain support for India’s cause and to propagate his idea of a world order free
from bondage, racial discrimination and exploitation and to foster equality and mutual
respect among member nations. Later Netaji in a press conference declared about this
conference: ‘…it will prove to be a charter of liberty for nations of East Asia and I may
venture to prophesy that the world at large will hear more of this charter in future and
will also need it when the times comes to attempt once again the formation of an
international society of Nations.”

Netaji inspired the nations of South-East Asia to join hands with the Japanese and liberate
their respective countries. Even though Netaji gradually was convinced that Japan was
losing in the war he carried on the struggle with all earnestness. He was no pleader of the
Axis policies but it was beyond doubt that he was much impressed at the goodwill
gesture of Japan granting independence to Burma, Philippines as well as ceding
Andaman-Nicobar islands to Azad Hind Government. He continued the struggle as he
had firm faith that at the end of the war India would definitely attain independence. This
was inspiring both to the Indians as well as the other countries of South-East Asia to
carry on the struggle for freedom till they achieved their end.

Netaji’s INA failed to produce immediate results in India but it created a strange
revolutionary fervour within the country at a time when India lay prostrated after the Quit
Indian Movement. The country rose up again, the wave of revolutionary fervour swept
the length and breadth of the country and even brought for the first time the British Indian
Armed forces within its ambit. The British gradually realised that their greatest colonial
empire was crumbling down.

Same was the effect in South-East Asia. After the failure of the Imphal Campaign the
British advanced rapidly into South-East Asia, thus bringing once again the whole area
under their colonial regime. The war ended but the revolutionary ideas did not die out.
People who had tasted freedom at least for some time got addicted to it. The inspiration
of Netaji to fight till the last continued to inspire them long after he had disappeared.
They united for their own freedom and finally succeeded.

Netaji’s prophecy that Asia would also attain independence once India became free
proved to be right. Philippines became independent in 1946, Burma in 1948, South Korea
became a republic in 1948, People’s Republic of China in 1949, Indonesia in 1949,
Malaya in 1957 and Singapore a separate state from Malaya in 1965. Thus one by one
these Asiatic nations attained independence. Mahatma the father of the Nation paid a
glowing tribute to Netaji when he remarked ‘Subhas Chandra Bose has passed into
history, but he has been recognized as the pioneer of the process of decolonization, the
emergence of many new national states…particularly in Asia and Africa”