Senselessness, horror and futility of war not really discussed on Remembrance Day

War should be remembered for the utter horror that it is, the fact that politicians have sent other people's children off to die, and that Remembrance Day also commemorates a very ugly history.

By Fareed Khan 

 

Today, November 11th, the nation marked another Remembrance Day – a day to remember the soldiers sent off to fight wars far from home who never returned.  However, since the 9/11 terrorist attacks politicians in Canada and other Western nations have made a spectacle of the occasion.  While on its surface the day is used to acknowledge Canadian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, it is now also used to instill nationalism and sentimentality in the populace, and for political gain by glossing over the ugly history behind this tradition.

War should be remembered for the utter horror that it is, and the fact that politicians have sent other people's children off to die. The red poppy and Canada’s national cenotaph represent sacrifice but they do not convey the true horror of what war is.  As the veterans of the most horrific wars of human history dwindle the carnage and brutality they witnessed fades into the past and out of the public’s consciousness.  When the last veteran of World War 2 is no more the true insanity of what war is will likely also fade and be forgotten.

The First World War need not have happened. It was the result of foolhardy European politicians, men with egos from both sides, who for reasons of imperial ambition broke a decades-long peace and sent men off to be slaughtered in the killing fields of Europe, and to the colonial outposts of European empires in Africa, the Middle-East and the Far East.  “The Great War” inflicted death and carnage on an unimaginable scale with industrial efficiency.  And estimated 17 to 22 million people died, of which more than 10 million were innocent civilians, and over 25 million were among the injured.

The outcome of that war and the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, where the winners sought outrageous amounts of reparations from the losing side, is what laid the foundations for World War Two.  The dead in that conflict numbered more than 70 million by conservative estimates. The civilian dead in that war numbered more than 50 million.  When the world went to war for a second time in the 20th Century there was a real enemy bent on evil and world domination.  However, it was an evil whose seeds were planted by the actions and politics of the First World War's allied powers.

Only five short years after the end of World War 2, a collection of nations were at war again in the Korean peninsula after North Korea and China supported by the Soviet Union invaded South Korea.  The Korean War was the first major conflict of the Cold War and had the potential to morph into a nuclear conflict.  It too was a war of empire between the United States and the Soviet Union, the two strongest military powers in the world at the time. Over 3.5 million people died in the Korean War from both sides, with civilians making up 2,000,000 of that total.

There is no honour in war. It is senseless slaughter primarily for economic or political gain. That is what the majority of wars of the last century have been, with civilians comprising an increasing number of the dead because governments have found more lethal ways of indiscriminately killing, despite whatever they might say about trying to avoid civilian casualties.

Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks approximately one million innocent civilians (the population of Ottawa) have been killed by Western nations (primarily the US) in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, with one estimate putting the number of deaths as high as 6 million.  But there are never any ceremonies to remember them, and the illegal war in Iraq, which Canada wisely refused to join, created the horror of ISIS that is now resulting in more innocent lives being lost.

So as Canada remembers the fallen today we should remember the ugly history behind why this day is commemorated.

We should remember that those who served and died were for the most part honourable, and many died needlessly for the sake of ego, greed, ambition and politics.  Those who sacrificed believed they were fighting to protect democracy and freedom at home and innocents abroad because that is what the politicians who sent them off to fight told them.

Additionally, if we are going to honour the memory of the fallen we should do so not just by remembering them with pomp and circumstance on one day of the year.  The best way that we can remember and honour them is to fight at home against hateful ideologies like fascism and white supremacy, to ensure that the rights and liberties which they were willing to die for are not taken away from us, and to ensure that the freedoms we value are not slowly stripped away by governments and politicians through instilled fear and stealth.

If we fail to do that, if we do not hold our politicians to account and stand up in defence of our rights, we are spitting on the memory of the fallen, and dishonouring the sacrifices they made to give us the freedoms and liberties many of us take for granted.  We can do much better and we should.

 

 © 2021 The View From Here.  © 2021 Fareed Khan.  All Rights Reserved.

OP-ED -- Acknowledge and honour the vital role of South Asian troops in WW1 and WW2

During crucial periods of both World Wars, when they were needed most, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu soldiers were deployed to every theatre of the war in support of Allied efforts. They were vital to western victory. 

By Fareed Khan 

 

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/khan-acknowledge-and-honour-the-vital-role-of-south-asian-troops-in-ww1-and-ww2
https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/khan-acknowledge-and-honour-the-vital-role-of-south-asian-troops-in-ww1-and-ww2/wcm/0aa18692-30f1-482b-99a5-69a70291f868
https://www.recorder.ca/opinion/khan-acknowledge-and-honour-the-vital-role-of-south-asian-troops-in-ww1-and-ww2
https://www.healthing.ca/opinion/khan-acknowledge-and-honour-the-vital-role-of-south-asian-troops-in-ww1-and-ww2
https://www.pressreader.com/canada/calgary-herald/20211110/281672553181597

Every year on Remembrance Day, we acknowledge the sacrifices made by soldiers who helped preserve freedom and democracy in Canada and other Western nations, particularly during the First and Second World Wars. In the days leading up to Nov. 11, there is much said about what soldiers from Canada and other Western democracies sacrificed to contribute to victory in Europe and the Pacific.

However, what we rarely hear is that those wars could not have been won without the significant contributions made by the non-white colonial troops from the British Empire. The immense role those soldiers played in helping the Allies seems to be ignored or forgotten.

The role of Canadian, South African, Australian and New Zealand troops in the First World War is well documented, with more than 1.2 million soldiers from these British dominions fighting in “The Great War.”  By comparison, the number of South Asian troops in the war was greater than these four nations combined. 

More than 1.5 million men — Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs — from what is present-day India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Nepal and Bangladesh played a vital role in the victory in that war. Sadly, their service and sacrifice in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Far East is barely acknowledged. They earned awards for valour and gallantry in battles etched indelibly into history: Neuve Chappelle, Ypres, Somme, Flanders, Vimy Ridge and Paschendale.  But they are barely mentioned in the history we are taught, the news stories that are written or broadcast, or the films and television shows that are produced about that conflict.

When the First World War broke out on Aug. 4, 1914, the British were ill-prepared to take on the German army, which tore through the northwest of continental Europe. With losses mounting to the British Expeditionary Force, and an inability to replenish their forces with fresh troops, the British sent out a call to the colonies. The arrival of the British Indian Army during the early days of the war effectively contained the German advance, and prevented the loss of critical ports on the English Channel and North Sea.

Unlike its British, Canadian and Australian counterparts, the British Indian Army was a uniquely multi-ethnic and multi-religious force. According to historians, the army was comprised of 700,000 Muslims, 150,000 Sikhs, and 650,000 Hindus and other South Asian religious groups.

The first British Indian Army regiment to land in France and enter the trenches was the all-Muslim Punjabi and Pathan, Duke of Connaught’s Regiment, which was the vanguard of South Asian troops fighting on the Western Front in Europe. When they left Europe after 12 months of service in the trenches, there were only nine officers and 20 soldiers remaining from the original contingent of 790.  By the end of the war, more than 113,000 South Asians were reported dead, wounded or missing.

During the Second World War, more than 2.5 million South Asians served in the British Indian Army in infantry, armour and air force battalions in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In the war against the Japanese, troops from Britain’s South Asian colonies formed the largest military force ever deployed by the British Empire.

During crucial periods of both World Wars, when they were needed most, South Asian soldiers were deployed to every theatre of the war in support of Allied efforts. Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck, commander-in-chief of British Indian Army from 1942, asserted that the British could not have come through the world wars without the presence of the British Indian Army.

The neglect by Canada and other Allied nations to acknowledge the key role played by South Asians in both wars speaks to racial ignorance in the political and military leadership of Western nations.

The contributions of South Asian Muslim, Sikh and Hindu soldiers in the two biggest wars in human history must be remembered. The magnitude of their sacrifice must be recognized by government and military leaders, and by journalists who tell the stories of these two periods in history.  We must do this if we are to honour the freedom we all take for granted, paid for with their blood. 

Fareed Khan is the founder of Canadians United Against Hate / Canadians Unis Contre la Haine. 

© 2021 The View From Here.  © 2021 Fareed Khan.  All Rights Reserved

The barely acknowledged contributions of South Asian Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus to the allied victory in World War 1

By Fareed Khan

 
The controversy preceding Canada's Remembrance Day observance in 2019 shifted the focus away from the sacrifice of veterans onto the ramblings of a man whose bigotry was evident when he said in a November 9th Hockey Night in Canada segment “You people that come here . . . whatever it is, you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy.”  The implication of Don Cherry’s statement was taken to mean that immigrants don’t honour the sacrifice of veterans sufficiently the way white Canadians do.  

 

The reaction and condemnation of the statement on social media was swift, and two days after making the remarks Cherry was fired from his job on Hockey Night In Canada – a job he had held since 1986.  The one positive that came out of this controversy was the discussion around the role that people from around the world (not just Canadians, American and Europeans) played in defending freedom and democracy in both World Wars.

One of the biggest contributions to the war effort in World War 1 came from British colonial troops, particularly Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs from what is present day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.  These soldiers played a vital role in the victory in that war, and the preservation of the British Empire.  Sadly, their service and sacrifice on the battlefields of the War is all but forgotten at annual Remembrance Day services in Europe and Canada.

 

The role played by troops from Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and the sacrifices they made are well documented in the history books.  More than 1.2 million soldiers fought in the Great War on the side of the Allies.  What Canadians don't know is that South Asia's contribution to World War 1 provided more soldiers than all of the above four British Empire nations combined, and it deserves to be acknowledged during coverage about Remembrance Day.

More than 1.5 million men from Britain's Indian colonies fought alongside the British and their fellow colonial soldiers from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean in all of the major theatres of war.  They earned awards for valour and gallantry in battles that are etched into Canada's military history – Vimy Ridge, Paschendale, Ypres, Somme and Flanders.

On August 4, 1914 – the outbreak of World War 1 – the British army was ill prepared to take on the German army, which advanced quickly and tore through the north west of continental Europe inflicting heavy casualties on British forces.  The British Expeditionary Force was in full retreat under Germany's military onslaught, and if left unchecked the German attack could flank the British taking them to the coast of the English Channel, allowing them to secure the strategic coastal ports of Nieuport, Calais and Dunkirk before the British.

As casualties mounted and unable to replenish their forces with fresh troops from Britain in a speedy manner, a call was sent to colonies across the Empire.  The first to answer and send troops to Europe was the British Indian Army.  Their arrival in the early days of the war prevented German forces from advancing further, and saved the French ports on the English Channel from falling into German hands.  Had that occurred it would very likely have altered the entire course of World War 1.

Unlike its counterparts from Britain, Canada and Australia, the British Indian Army was multi ethnic and multi religious force, being comprised of roughly 700,000 Muslims, 150,000 Sikhs, and 650,000 of Hindus and other South Asian religious groups, hailing  from present day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The first British Indian Army regiment to land in France and enter the trenches was the Punjabi and Pathan, Duke of Connaughts 129th Baluch Regiment, which was comprised entirely of Muslims.  The regiment continues to exist today as the 11th Battalion of the Baloch Regiment of the Pakistan Army.

The 129th were on the front lines of British Indian troops fighting on the Western Front in Europe.  The regiment became renowned for its courage, heroism, fearlessness and sacrifice.  When their tour ended after 12 months in the trenches of Europe only 9 officers and 20 soldiers remained from the original contingent of 790.  The casualties suffered by this one regiment is but one example of the sacrifices made on the European front lines by colonial troops, and is a testament to their contributions made in defence of their colonial masters.

One of the survivors from this regiment was Khudadad Khan, a 26 year old Punjabi Muslim, who received British Empire’s highest decoration for bravery, the Victoria Cross, which was placed on his chest by King George V.  He became the first British Indian soldier and first Muslim to receive this singular honour and he would not be the last.

 

World War 1 is filled with many little known stories of bravery, heroism and sacrifice by Canadian, British and Australian troops, as well as hundreds of thousands of troops from colonies across the British Empire, many of whom were Muslim, Sikh and Hindu.  The contributions of these brave men and women should be remembered and honoured with as much reverence as are those of the mainly white Christian troops from Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Canadians need to remember this important part of world history, the sacrifices of more than 1.5 million troops from the British Indian Empire with roots in current day Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, with the same respect and admiration that we remember Canadian and British troops.  More than 113,000 British Indian Army personnel were reported dead, wounded or missing by the end of the war.  They fought and died along with other Canadian, British and colonial soldiers in all theatres of World War 1.

It is long past time to create awareness and educate Canadians about the magnitude of the sacrifices made by South Asian soldiers, and the vital role they played in achieving victory in that horrible conflict.  During a critical time of the War, when they were needed the most, South Asian soldiers manned one third of the Western Front.  They stood toe to toe with the German army, fighting and dying side by side with Canadian and British troops in key battles of the War.

The two World Wars impacted every family in Canada and millions of families in colonies across the former British Empire. We should now take time to acknowledge the ancestors of those Muslim, Sikh and Hindu soldiers from South Asia, who did their duty as part of the Allied forces and made a major contribution to winning World War 1.  The ancestors of many of the South Asian soldiers from Pakistan and India currently live in Canada and it is important that Canada remembers and honours their sacrifices.

Acknowledging a shared history of families from opposite sides of the globe allows us to envision a shared future here in Canada, where people from different faiths and ethnicities more than a century ago showed that they could come together into a unified force to fight for a common goal.  Don Cherry (and Canadians in general) would be well advised to become educated about the history shared by people who come from other parts of the world, who do not fit into the predominantly white narrative around the two World Wars.  Because that is the only way to remember the sacrifices made on this most solemn of days, and it is the only way to honour those who shed blood in defence of a colonial empire that did not see them as equals.

© 2019 The View From Here.  © 2019 Fareed Khan.  All Rights Reserved.