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Battle of Chamb 1971
註釋The 23 Division was the only formation whose performance was appreciated even by the enemy.Thus the following was the opinion of various Indians about the war performance of 23 Division and General Eftikhar: -"Major General Iftikhar Khan, the Divisional Commander, showed skill and determination in carrying out his misison. (58) "The enemy commander showed commendable flexibility. Having achieved surprise by using the northern approach, he switched to the south when he found himself firmly checked at Mandiala crossings" (59)"The permanent loss of tactically and economically valuable territory on the west bank of Munawar Tawi was the most serious reverse suffered in the 1971 war" (60)In the Second World War one percent of the pilots of the US Air Force were responsible for shooting down in air fights some 40% of enemy war planes. (61)During the decisive battle of Assaye the British Infantry Regiment 74th Foot did bulk of the fighting and its casualties amounted to 501 whereas the other European casualties of all other units were just 143. (62)In 1857 the British casualties at the siege of Delhi exceeded British casualties at all other battles in 1857 totalled by some 200 additional casualties. (63)it is a fact of history that very often bulk of the fighting is done by a qualitatively superior force; as we have seen in the above mentioned instances. For 1971 war also strictly keeping the facts in mind almost half of casualties sustained by the army on the western front were borne by the valiant 23 Division.Thus while the total army casualties on the western front were 4958 (64)those of 23 Division alone were 2216 (65)On the other hand at times it has been stated that 23 Division could not have captured Palllanwala since the Indians were too strong east of Tawi.These are writers about whom Clausewitz warned us long go when he said: - Not to be led astray and intimidated by the danger of which thirty years later people still wrote and spoke". (66)