White Paper VII on China (cont'd)

Someone commented on my previous posting that the Note from the Chinese Government sent on October 20, 1962 was propaganda.
I am posting here the answer of the Government of India. Note that it took 6 days for Delhi to react. The Nehru Government was probably so flabbergasted by the sudden and unexpected attack that it did not know what to answer. The fact that Beijing sent a detailed note a few hours after the attack shows once again that the attack had been premeditated for months, if not for years. One does not built the necessary infrastructure for such operation in a couple of months.
The Chinese are doing the same today north of Arunachal Pradesh, in case....


Note given by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, to the Embassy of China in India, 26 October 1962
The Ministry of External Affairs presents its compliments to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China and has the honour to refer to the Chinese Government's note dated 20th October, 1962, on the recent grave developments in the Eastern and Western sectors of India's northern border.
The Government of India take the strongest objection to the deliberate distortion of facts that is contained in the Chinese Government's note. The falsity of Chinese claims is only matched by the reckless cynicism with which they have begun large scale hostilities in which Indian posts in Indian territory have been attacked and air craft evacuating casualties have been shot down.
At 0500 hours on 20th October Chinese intruding forces mounted a fierce offensive with machine gun and heavy mortar fire against Indian defence positions along the Namkha Chu river and also at Khinzemane. The Indian post at Khinzemane was surrounded and wireless contact was lost with the post at 0700 hours the same day.
Subsequently the Indian posts at Dhola and Tsangdhar were overrun by Chinese troops in major battle offensives. Not only were Indian defence positions on the ground subjected to Chinese attack but Chinese forces also unscrupulously shot down two Indian helicopters which were engaged in evacuating casualties from the area.
It will be seen from the above facts that it is Chinese forces and not Indian forces that have "brazenly unleashed their massive general attacks". Even as recently as in their note dated 13th October the Chinese Government had been protesting against the existence of Indian defence positions at Tse Dong (91 42' E 27° 46. 5' N).
The fact that the fighting today is taking place far south of Tse Dong is dear evidence that Chinese forces are aggressively pressing forward into Indian territory. No prevarication by the Chinese Government can conceal this basic truth.
In the Western sector also, Chinese intruding forces similarly launched a series of planned attacks from the evening of 19th October. Fighting in this area has continued unabated from the 19th October and Chinese forces have to date over-run several legitimate Indian defence posts in the area. That Chinese attacking forces have been supported by heavy mortar and mountain artillery tire and by tanks indicates beyond doubt that these attacks too form part of a premeditated and large scale Chinese offensive into Indian territory.
The Chine se Government are aware that in spite of the initiative taken by the Government of India since July this year for talks and discussions on measures to reduce tensions prior to substantive discussions on the India-China boundary in the Western sector, the Chinese Government, both in their notes and by their aggressive military policies, had indicated their lack of interest in any civilized solution to differences between the two countries. On 3rd August 1962 the Chinese Foreign Minister, Marshal Chen Yi, unequivocally stated that no force in the world could oblige Chinese troops to with draw from their own territory either in the past or in the future. On the next day, in their note of August 4th, the Chinese Government had the effrontery to write that "it approves of the suggestion put forth by the Indian Government in its note for further discussions on the Sino-Indian boundary question on the basis of the report of the officials of the two countries." In plain words, they were ready to discuss on the clear understanding that they hold what they have taken by force over a period of years.
The hollowness of Chinese professions was soon patent once again when on 8th September, Chinese military forces committed fresh aggression in an area which had been comparatively quiet for some years. They marched across the Indian frontier-the Thagla Ridge in the north-western sector of the Eastern boundary-into undisputable Indian territory. This was followed by unscrupulous attacks on Indian posts in the NEF A on 20th September and 10th October.
While notes were being exchanged to correct the situation created by this further Chinese aggression, the Chinese satisfied with their assessment of the military situation from the result of their probing attacks on 20th September and 10th October, launched an all-out military offensive on the 20th October along the entire India-China boundary. This offensive still continues and Chinese forces are continuing to mount heavy attacks on Indian defence positions and are advancing into Indian territory.
The hypocrisy of the Chine se allegations in their note that the Indian Government for the third time flatly rejected the Chine se proposal for holding discussions is clearly established from the facts in the preceding paragraphs. The repeated professions of the Chinese Government reiterated even in the present note, that "the Chinese Government have always stood for a peaceful settlement of the Sino-Indian boundary question" are sheer hypocrisy and were only intended to deceive while massive preparations for invasion of India were being made by the Chinese. Obviously this hurling of Chinese military might against India's limited border defence forces had only one objective viz. to force India to accept a settlement on Chine se terms. The Government of India can never agree to talk or discuss under threat of force. They stand by their earlier position that before any talks can be considered there must be a restoration of the position that existed in early September 1962.
While rejecting the Chinese note under reference, the Government of India pro test most categorically against this blatant aggression by China which will be resisted at all cost.
The Ministry of External Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China the assurances of its highest consideration.