16 December 1971 is commemorated as Vijay Diwas in India, to mark the end of the India-Pakistan war that resulted in the unilateral and unconditional surrender of the Pakistan Army and the subsequent formation of the erstwhile East Pakistan as the new nation of Bangladesh.
Lasting just 13 days, it is one of the shortest wars in history. It was also the largest military surrender after World War II. During the war, Indian and Pakistani militaries simultaneously clashed on the eastern and western fronts; but India fought back decisively and overwhelmed the Pakistan military, forcing a public surrender in Dhaka.
The 1971 war is a story of India’s victory, Pakistan’s surrender and the birth of Bangladesh.
