Danger in Kashmir: Josef Korbel

Danger in Kashmir
Josef Korbel
Published by Princeton University Press
Korbel, Josef.
Danger in Kashmir.
Princeton University Press, 2015.
Project MUSE. muse.jhu.edu/book/43710.
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By C. W. Nimitz, Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy
ONE hundred and seventy-three years ago on the North

American continent, thirteen rebellious colonies won their
independence from their mother country after six years of
hard and desperate warfare. Seven years ago, on August 15,
1947, on another continent two great countries, India and
Pakistan, had their independence thrust upon them by that
same mother country in a somewhat urgent and not com
pletely orderly manner.
It was not that the peoples of these two new-born coun
tries had not been agitating for independence—as indeed
they had for many years, sometimes with open violence, but
mostly with passive resistance. When suddenly independ
ence came with a rush, these new countries, whose com
bined numbers approximate one-fifth of the world's popu
lation, were ill-prepared for the peaceful settlement of the
many knotty problems that such a hasty separation entailed.
The existing situation, complicated by deep-seated antago
nisms between the two most interested parties, called for a
judicial procedure somewhat similar to that employed in a
present-day settlement of an important estate. However, the
mother country, instead of presiding as a probate court, left
the two principal heirs more or less on their own to settle
the division of the estate as best they could.
It was, of course, inevitable that there would be many
matters on which the interested parties could reach no
agreement without outside help. Among these residual prob
lems, perhaps the most important that separates India and
Pakistan today is their dispute over the ownership of the
Princely State of Kashmir. This is the most important be
cause it has flared into open, though undeclared, war, which
has involved troops of both countries in fighting in Kashmir.
Foreword
It is important also because a continuation of such fighting
might develop into a world conflagration. To the casualties
resulting from the fighting between the opposing troops
must be added some ten million refugees and one million
dead as a result of the disorderly rioting which accom
panied or followed the inadequately prepared separation of
the Indian subcontinent into two countries.
It was into this tense and dangerous situation that the
youthful three-year-old United Nations moved in early 1948
to bring an end to the fighting, and to seek a peaceful so
lution to the basic dispute as to whether Kashmir should
belong to India or to Pakistan. By January 1, 1949, a
five-member United Nations Commission on India and
Pakistan (UNCIP) had succeeded in stopping the fighting
and had secured a cease-fire which became effective on Jan
uary i, 1949, and which to this date constitutes the high-
water mark of agreement between the two contending coun
tries. This cease-fire stands to the credit of the United Na
tions as one of its early and important successes. Then fol
lowed the long, patient (and to date, unsuccessful) efforts
of the United Nations through its Commission, and later
by employment of single mediators, to find a fair and peace
ful settlement of the Kashmir dispute, a dispute which con
cerns not only India and Pakistan but the whole world
as well.
The recording of this chapter of contemporary history
has been undertaken by Dr. Josef Korbel, who is eminently
qualified to present an accurate and impartial account of
the Kashmir crisis down to the present. Dr. Korbel served
as a member of the Commission (UNCIP) during its early
and critical days, and in that capacity visited India, Pak
istan, and Kashmir and conferred with their leaders and
met their people. In the pages which follow, he makes a
very important contribution to history. In our rapidly
shrinking world there are very few people left unaffected
Foreword
by disturbances in other areas, even though such upheavals
are remote or far removed. Certainly a dispute that in
volves one-fifth of the world's population, and that can
erupt into a world war, bears careful watching. To all read
ers, then, I commend this authoritative account.
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 19, 1954

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Danger in Kashmir

Published by Princeton University Press

For additional information about this book

ONE hundred and seventy-three years ago on the North

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