Netaji and Japan

In the world war 2, Japan convincingly defeated Britain and liberated most of Asia from the clutches of the European power. Japan was the only power that could have driven out British from India. It had done so in Singapore, in Burma, in Malaya. On India Japan had no big plans, despite attempts of Rashbehari Bose, because they were not sure of what they were supposed to do. There was Mutaguchi plan to occupy Imphal through a rapid attack from Burma. But Tojo was not convinced. Not until he met Subhas Chandra Bose. This man’s conviction, vision and wisdom fascinated Tojo so much that he was committed to the liberation of India. Subhas Chandra Bose, having exhausted all options of help from Russia and Germany, finally turned to Japan as to raise an army money and equipment were needed that could not be obtained otherwise. However he also demanded equal treatment from Japan, that alienated the Hikari Kikan, the liaison agency that had treated INA derisively and wanted Japanese army to be the main combative force. Generals like Kawabe and Kitabe were dismissive of the fighting power of the Indian army. Also Mutaguchi’s plan to block Kohima-Dimapur road so that British troops could not escape would prove disastrous in the long run. But Subhas Chandra Bose had unstinting support from Japanese HQ - Sugiama, Shigamitsu, Tojo himself, Field Marshall Count Terauchi, were all his big fans. They appreciated Bose’s sincerity, his Samurai like fighting spirit, his Buddha like demeanor and his determination to sacrifice everything to free his motherland. They were ready to provide any help and apart from German foreign office of von Trott, the Japanese provided the maximum help - including supporting setting up the provisional Government, lending money and equipment and also approving the most dangerous plan that would eventually lead to the decimation of 50,000 Japanese soldiers on Indo Burmese soil. Its true that Japanese did not provide the best of equipment, clothes and other necessities to INA. It was also true that the faulty plan of the Japanese and communication and language barriers contributed to many hardships for the INA soldiers, but the intent of the Japanese to help India in getting liberation and their appreciation for Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were beyond any doubt. Had the circumstances been more favourable INA would have driven out the British from Indian soil (which they eventually did anyway).