Subhas Chandra Bose (original) (raw)
Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945) was a Indian leader who fled to Germany at the start of World War II in order to get support for Indian independence from Hitler. When this failed, he travelled to Japan. Bose helped organize and later lead the "Indian National Army" put together with Indian prisoners-of-war from Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Some of these troops which participated in the Japanese conquest of Burma did reach India but pulled back with Japan's retreat.
Bose and the unit's heroism is still remembered among many nationalist Indians and is also fondly remembered by apologist Japanese historians who see Japanese efforts to support Bose as proof that it was fighting a war on behalf of the oppressed peoples of Asia.
Bose had once been president of the Indian National Congress, but stood a second term against the wishes of Gandhi, who supported Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Although he won the election, Gandhi's continued opposition led to the resignation of the Working Committee which further put pressure on Bose to finally resign.
Bose died in a plane crash over Taiwan while flying to Tokyo.