Battle of Asal Uttar

Battle of Asal Uttar
Part of Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

Captured Pakistani tanks on display near Bhikhiwind, India
Date September 8–10, 1965
Location Asal Uttar (Tarn Taran Sahib, Punjab, India)
Result Decisive Indian victory.[1]
Belligerents

India

Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Maj. Gen. Gurbaksh Singh
Brigadier Thomas K. Theograj		 Maj. Gen. Nasir Ahmed Khan[2]

Brigadier A.R.Shami †[3][4]
Strength
45 Centurions,
45 Shermans,
45 AMX-13		 4 Cavalry(44*Patton[2])

5 Horse (44xPatton)[2]

6 Lancers (44xPatton)[2]

24 Cavalry (44xPatton)[2]

12 Cavalry (44xM24Chaffee)[2]

19 Lancers (44xPatton)[2]
Casualties and losses
12 tanks destroyed or damaged[5] 97 tanks destroyed or abandoned[1][6]
 
 

The Battle of Asal Uttar (Punjabi and Hindi for Battle of Definitive Reply or more appropriately Fitting Response) was one of the largest tank battles fought during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It was fought from September 8 through September 10, 1965, when the Pakistan Army thrust its tanks and infantry into Indian territory, capturing the Indian town of Khem Karan 5 km from the International Border[7]. The Indian troops retaliated, and after three days of bitter fighting, the battle ended with the Pakistani forces being repulsed near Asal Uttar. Factors that contributed to this were the conditions of the plains, better Indian tactics and a successful strategy[1].

War historians, including Dr. Philip Towle, regard the Indian resistance near Khem Karan as one of the key turning points of the war, one which tilted the balance of the war in favor of India.[6]. Peter Wilson states[8] that the defeat of Pakistan Army in the battle of Asal Uttar was one of the greatest defeats suffered by Pakistan forces in the course of Indo-Pak war of 1965[8].

Contents

Battle

Pakistan's invading force, consisting of the 1st Armoured Division and 11th Infantry Division, crossed the International Border and captured the Indian town of Khem Karan. After the seizure, the Indian Army regrouped and launched a counter attack. Indian troops flooded the area, which slowed the advance of the Pakistani tanks down and successfully brought them inside a horse-shoe formation, a trap where the advancing Pakistani troops were ambushed and repelled. 97 Pakistani tanks were either destroyed or captured while the Indians, by their account, lost only 12 tanks during this offensive.[5]

Conclusion

Despite the initial thrust of the Pakistani Army into Indian territory , the battle ended in a decisive Indian victory[8]. The commander of Pakistani forces Maj. Gen. Nasir Ahmed Khan himself was fatally hit in the battle[8]. However, the failure of Indian troops to regain Khem Karan and further losses in Sailkot led to a strategic stalemate and ultimately caused both parties to call for negotiations.[6] According to military historian Steve Zaloga, Pakistan admitted that it lost 165 tanks during the 1965 war, more than half of which were knocked out during the "debacle" of Asal Uttar.[5]

Pervez Musharraf, later Army Chief of Staff and President of Pakistan, participated in this battle as a lieutenant of artillery in the 16 (SP) Field Regiment, 1st Armoured Division Artillery. The battle also witnessed the personal bravery of an Indian soldier, Abdul Hamid, who was honoured with the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military award, for knocking out seven[9] enemy tanks with a recoilless gun.[10]

This battle led to the creation of Patton Nagar (or Patton City) at the site of the battle viz., Khemkaran. This is because a large number of Patton tanks fielded by the Pakistani forces were either captured or destroyed at the scene.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Wilson, Peter. Wars, proxy-wars and terrorism: post independent India. Mittal Publications, 2003. ISBN 8170998905, 9788170998907. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g History, Official. "All out war pg 39". Official History of 1965 war. Times of India. http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/History/1965War/PDF/1965Chapter06.pdf. Retrieved 16 July 2011. 
  3. ^ Amin, Agha Humayun. "The Battle of Lahore and Pakistans Main Attack in 1965". Military Historian. AH Amin. http://pakistan-army-interviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/battle-of-lahore-pakistans-main-attack.html. Retrieved 17 July 2011. 
  4. ^ Singh, Lt.Gen Harbaksh (191). War Despatches. New Delhi: Lancer International. pp. 108. ISBN 81-7062-117-8. 
  5. ^ a b c d Zaloga, Steve. The M47 and M48 Patton tanks. Osprey Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1855328259, 9781855328259. 
  6. ^ a b c Jaques, Tony. Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007. ISBN 0313335389, 9780313335389. 
  7. ^ R.D. Pradhan & Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan (2007). 1965 War, the Inside Story: Defence Minister Y.B. Chavan's Diary of India-Pakistan War.. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. pp. 47. ISBN 978-81-269-0762-5. http://books.google.com/books?id=ymYCJQjEGBUC&pg=PA47. 
  8. ^ a b c d Wilson, Peter. Wars, proxy-wars and terrorism: post independent India. Mittal Publications. pp. 83–84. ISBN 8170998905. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=qYK0BhcgwaQC&lpg=PA157&ots=8VGWdxPcuZ&dq=Wars%2C%20proxy-wars%20and%20terrorism%3A%20post%20independent%20India&pg=PA84#v=onepage&q=uttar&f=false. 
  9. ^ [Maj Gen Cardozo, Ian (2003). PARAM VIR. New Delhi: Lotus Collection. ISBN 8174362622]
  10. ^ The Param Vir Chakra Winners' home page for Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid

Resources

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