Battle of Rezang La

Battle of Rezang Lah (hill in Tibetan/Ladakhi language)
Part of Sino-Indian War
Memorial for the battle at Rezang La
Date 18 November 1962 Location Rezang La, Ladakh, India Result Chinese victory Territorial changes Eventual Chinese capture of Rezang Lah
Belligerents
Republic of India	People's Republic of China
Commanders and leaders
Major Shaitan Singh   †	Unknown
Units involved
Charlie C Company, 13th Kumaon Regiment [1]	10th Infantry Regiment: [1] 9 x Companies
Strength
~120 soldiers [1]	~3,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
114 killed [1]	Government of India's number: 1,400 killed [1]

The Battle of Rezang La ("la" meaning hill in Tibetan/Ladhaki language) was a major military engagement that took place on 18 November 1962, during the Sino-Indian War between the Indian Army's 13th Kumaon Regiment and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). 120 Indian soldiers faced more than 3,000 Chinese soldiers and successfully defended the strategic mountain pass of Rezang Lah in Ladakh. Fought at an altitude of 16,000 ft (4,900 m), against overwhelming Chinese forces, the battle saw one of the greatest last stands, with Indian sources documenting more than 1400 Chinese casualties. Major Shaitan Singh, who led the defense, was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor, for his extraordinary bravery. Several other decorations were awarded posthumously to many officers and soldiers of the company. ^[2]

Background

In October 1962, China launched a large-scale offensive against Republic of India in the disputed border areas of Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh (then NEFA). The Indian Army, under-prepared and outnumbered, was tasked with defending these high-altitude regions. Rezang La, a pass located in the Chushul sector of Ladakh, became a key defense point as it guarded the vital airstrip at Chushul. ^[3]

The defense of Rezang La was entrusted to the 13th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment, under the command of Major Shaitan Singh. The battalion was positioned on the barren, exposed ridges of the pass, without adequate artillery support or reinforcements. ^[4]

Battle

During the Sino-Indian War in 1962, Rezang La was the site of the last stand of the Charlie "C" company ^{[5] [6] [7]} of 13 Kumaon, consisting of 120 Indian soldiers. According to the official Indian history of the war, the Rezang La picket of Charlie company made up entire of Ahir from Ahirwal region was stationed at an elevation of 5,500 metres (18,000 ft), 11 km south of the Spanggur Gap, on the same ridge line as Rezang La. ^[8] Rezang La had the drawback that an intervening feature blocked artillery operation, so that the Indian infantry had to do without artillery cover. ^[9] The Indian side was led by Major Shaitan Singh, ^[10] who perished in battle and posthumously won India's highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, for his actions. ^{[11] [12] [9]}

The Chinese employed human wave tactics, sending up to eight waves against the Indian troop positions. ^{[13] [14] [15]} Eventually, the Indian position was overrun, and Indian troops were forced to withdraw to high mountain positions. After the conclusion of battle, their valor was recognized by the Chinese, who had covered the bodies of the Indian soldiers with blankets and even placed bayonets over them so that the makeshift covers did not fly off. This mark of respect is exceptional and atypical of practices of that time. ^[16]

Both sides took overwhelming casualties, though both countries disagree over how many were killed. It is generally accepted 114 Indian soldiers out of a total of 120 lost their lives. ^{[17] [18]} However, Indian sources claim upwards of 1,300 Chinese troops were killed in Rezang La alone. ^{[18] [19] [20]}

Eventually, the Chinese captured Rezang La and Gurung Hill, but was unable to advance further due to Indian reorganization. ^[1]

Aftermath

The defense by the Kumaon Regiment at Rezang La has been cited as an important moment in Indian military history. Major Shaitan Singh was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his leadership and actions during the battle. ^[21] The engagement is sometimes described as a notable example of a last stand in modern warfare.^{[ citation needed ]}

Legacy

The Battle of Rezang La remains a symbol of Indian courage and determination. Memorials have been erected at Rezang La and at various places in India to commemorate the bravery of the soldiers who fought and died in the battle. ^[2]

In 2012, on the 50th anniversary of the battle, veterans and military historians gathered to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers, and the battle continues to be studied as a lesson in mountain warfare. ^[22]

How can a man die better,

than facing fearful odds,

for the ashes of his fathers,

and temples of his gods.

This inscription also appears on the Rezang La Memorial at Rewari.

See also

• Battle of Bum La Pass
• Battle of Walong

References

Citations

1. "Battle of Rezang La– 2023-11-18" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
2. Singh 2016, p. 203.
3. Palit 1991, p. 275.
4. Singh 2016, p. 198.
5. Brig Chitranjan Sawant (2021). Living Life Loving Life. Prabhat Prakashan. pp. 150–151. ISBN   9788184303995.
6. Bisht, Rachna (2014). The Brave Param Vir Chakra Stories. Penguin Books Limited. p. all. ISBN   9789351188056 . Retrieved 15 August 2014.
7. Arora, Dr. N. D. (2017). Political Science for Civil Services Mains. McGraw-Hill Education. p. all. ISBN   9789352604906 . Retrieved 15 March 2017.
8. Sinha & Athale 1992, p. 334.
9. Mohan Guruswamy (20 November 2012). "Don't forget the heroes of Rezang La". The Hindu.
10. Raj, Neha (1 December 2023). "Remembering Major Shaitan Singh Bhati: The Hero of Rezang La". PUNE.NEWS. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
11. Press Information Bureau, Government of India (7 January 2007). "Remembering Rezang La heroes". Sainik samachar.
12. Col Dilbag Dabas (Retd) (15 December 2018). "Heroes of Rezang La 1962". The Tribune.
13. "Soldier who won respect of enemy; tale of Rezang La 1962 battle". TOI. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
14. "The 1962 War at Rezang La: A Story of Raw Courage and Spirit". Quint. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
15. "Rezang La, 1962: When 120 Indian soldiers fought to the end & wiped out over 1,000 Chinese troops". Print. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
16. "BHARAT RAKSHAK MONITOR Volume 3(3)". 9 February 2001. Archived from the original on 9 February 2001. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
17. Gen Dalbir Singh (20 November 2014). "Coas Paid Homage to Heroes of Battle of Rezangla". Indian Army.
18. Shekhar Gupta (30 October 2012). "'Nobody believed we had killed so many Chinese at Rezang La. Our commander called me crazy and warned that I could be court-martialled'". The Indian Express.
19. Wortzel 2003 , pp. 340–341
20. Feng, Cheng; Wortzel, Larry M. (2003). "PLA Operational Principles and Limited War". In Ryan, Mark A.; Finkelstein, David Michael; McDevitt, Michael A. (eds.). Chinese warfighting: The PLA experience since 1949. M. E. Sharpe. pp. 188–. ISBN   978-0-7656-1087-4. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
21. Palit 1991, p. 278.
22. Palit 1991, p. 279.

Bibliography

• Maxwell, Nevill (1970). India's China War. London: Jonathan Cape. doi:10.2307/40201086. JSTOR   40201086. S2CID   151886230.
• Palit, D.K. (1991). War in High Himalaya: The Indian Army in Crisis, 1962. Lancer International. ISBN   978-0-312-06147-0.
• Singh, Amarinder (2016). The Monsoon War: Young Officers Reminisce – 1962 India-China War. Roli Books. ProQuest   1790518802.
• Sinha, P.B.; Athale, A.A. (1992), History of the Conflict with China, 1962 (PDF), History Division, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
• Wortzel, Larry M. (July 2003), "Concentrating Forces and Audacious Action: PLA lessons from the Sino-Indian War" (PDF), in Laurie Burkitt; Andrew Scobell; Larry M. Wortzel. (eds.), The Lessons of History: The Chinese people's Liberation Army at 75, Strategic Studies Institute, pp. 340–341, ISBN   978-1-58487-126-2, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2012.