THE SECRET WAR IN TIBET

by Michel Peissel ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 26, 1973

Quite tightly Peissel claims that we in the U.S. know very little -- most of us nothing -- about the Tibetan political situation, except perhaps that Mao's China invaded the feudal country in the '50's and at some subsequent point the Dalai Lama, a figure of some mystery, fled to. . . ? Peissel improves our knowledge considerably, tracing the politico-military action of the past quarter of a century, detailing the genocidal intent of the Chinese aggression and the stout guerrilla resistance led by the plains people of Kham in eastern Tibet, a rebellion ""so ill-documented that many people even doubted the existence of the continuing struggle"" but one which still goes on successfully today. Indeed, according to Peissel, the Kham exile army has tied down the Chinese military for years, a fact which at least ""in part"" explains why the Sino-Indian war of 1962 ended as it did -- Chinese troops ""were still needed to fight the rebels inside Tibet,"" thus foiling Mao from pursuing his easy victory over the Indians. Many of course will disagree with this assessment of both China's intentions and the efficacy of the Tibetan rebels. The author, who was inside Tibet during this period engaged in ""anthropological studies,"" confesses a ""deep sympathy for the Tibetan cause"" and laments the Western powers refusal (? -- the CIA involvement in the Dalai Lama's journey to India was more than casual) to support the National Voluntary Defence Army, as the Kham force is called. We read this enormously intriguing book, therefore, aware of Peissel's political biases and, therefore, chary of some of his claims and judgments.

Pub Date: July 26, 1973

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1973

Categories: NONFICTION