2000-12-23 Unbiased, dispassionate and compelling reading

I write this review as a Bangladeshi born after the 1971 conflict. My knowledge of the history of Bangladesh was primarily from my parents. Their accounts, rightly or wrongly, were intrinsically biased because of the nature of the conflict. Having an open and inquisitive mind I felt that I needed to research the subject for myself and formulate my own adult opinions. I began by searching through web sites with general c.1971 searches, but found that they lacked depth. However they were useful in the further reading links they provided. This is one such book found this way. The book itself is well written, researched and thought out. It works well because it uses primary evidence, first hand accounts and declassified reports to back up statements the authors make. Using this 'investigative journalism approach' it follows the principal movers and shakers and reconstructs events of the time in a dispassionate way. It also focuses on the international stage and the role of the USA, China and USSR. On a more critical note I felt that the humanitarian aspect of the war was not explored in any great depth. Perhaps this was in a bid to keep the book as dispassionate as possible? Undoubtably, I have gained by reading this book and next hope to consolidate my understanding by reading about the humanitarian aspect of this war.