What major historical events do you remember?
Standing on the bank of a pond, unconsciously picking up a small, broken flat pot shard threw it in the water. It ricocheted for a while and vanished in the water. While doing so, it left ripples in the still water of the pond. I kept staring at the moving potsherd on the water’s surface, and ripples, which grew gradually before dying down. The incident was a playful thing, but it resembles the history and its happenings closely, much like how historical events send ripples through time and shape our world.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- Human history is marked by wars driven by the desire for supremacy and expansion.
- Notable figures like Ashoka the Great and Hitler significantly impacted history through their violent actions and ideologies.
- Post-WWII, India faced complications leading to its independence amid chaos and communal violence.
- The Kargil War in 1999 exemplifies treachery in geopolitics, as Pakistan attacked India despite diplomatic efforts.
- Historical events teach us lessons that shape the future of nations and their people.
Victory of One
Since Aeon, humans have fought wars, some fierce ones, to build supremacy over one another. These wars shaped history in various ways. The lust for more led to expansionist tendencies and, ultimately, imperialism. Growing demand for raw materials and markets to sell the finished goods led to more bloody wars, manoeuvring, treachery and deceit. They did not hesitate to remove their brothers and sisters to grab the throne and jail their father. The pages of the annals are red with stories of gory acts and wars. Thousands slain for the “Victory” of one. The human journey is the collection of historical events that sculpted the race.
Expansion of Empire
It was mandatory and viewed with respect to expand the empire. The newly accented king was to wage wars and annex the boundaries of the vanquished king under their throne. It was necessary to expand the scope of revenue collection and increase the state coffers.
Ashok The Great
In his quest for the throne, Ashok the Great mercilessly eliminated all his brothers. He forced neighbouring kingdoms into submission. After bringing all kingdoms under his dominion, he waged war against Kalinga, the sole kingdom resisting his rule. The war resulted in a massive loss of life, and although Ashoka emerged victorious, the sight of the carnage profoundly affected him. This led to a transformation of his heart, and he embraced Buddhism, advocating and spreading the message of nonviolence.
Hitler and Nazi
As the journey progressed, momentous historical events took place, adding pages to the annals of time. The winners have always had an upper hand over those of subjugated. With the compromised sovereignty of the nation, the defeated one would become a slave of Victor. This changes a whole lot of geopolitical scenarios. One such was the rise of the Nazi Party as the only party which emerged as the most powerful organisation in Germany with Hitler as its absolute leader.
Holocaust
Hitler had an open hatred of Jews. He ordered the systematic elimination of Jews, and thus, the holocaust of millions of Jews took place. En masse killed in cold blood, treacherously crammed into gas chambers, innocent people faced a horrendous torture. The most heinous crime against humanity in the history of human beings went on unabated in the most notorious concentration camps, Auschwitz-Birkenau till the end of WWII.
WWII and India
Situations started changing fast post WWII. In India, historical events took a new shape. Things were becoming difficult for the British. As the pressure mounted, the British decided to free India, but only after vivisecting the country. India was freed on 15 August 1947 amidst riots, arson, loot and conflagration. Forced to leave their land and property, homeless and desperate people migrated. The mass exodus involved millions of people. No less than the holocaust, during exodus many died of starvation, disease, and brutally murdered by a frenzied crowd during the transmigration. History has observed many instances of heartless persecution and the killing of large numbers of people.
imposed Wars
1962 and 1965
India suffered a lot from invaders and foreigners. The country had to face several imposed wars. The first one was in 1948. China backstabbed India in 1962 by forcing a humiliating full-fledged war. Two years later, in 1965, Pakistan forced a war on India. Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away in Tashkent after the signing of a peace agreement.
1971: Bangladesh Born
Twenty-four years after the British said adieu to the Indian subcontinent, the neighbouring eastern part had a heavy upsurge, and a civil war started. Refugees poured in, causing a great economic burden. Pakistan imposed yet another war in 1971. The vanquished enemy had to surrender. About a lakh soldiers disarmed and surrendered before the Indian Army. The war culminated in the creation of a new country, Bangladesh. These incidents are a landmark in the annals of modern Indian history.
Emergency Imposed
Yet another incident that was an important point in historical events at the home front was that the election of the then PM, Mrs Indira Gandhi, was challenged, and the High Court gave its verdict against her. Fearing the loss of power, she declared a state of emergency in 1975, suspending every civic right; opposition members were arrested and imprisoned. During the emergency, the Constitution was vitally amended. Atrocious decisions were taken that caused widespread resentment. One such decision was the forceful mass vasectomy of people who were old and had surpassed the active reproductive age.
Mrs Gandhi Defeated
The government’s atrocities had to boomerang, and they did. The elections were declared, and the results were not unexpected. The Congress party lost the battle; even the “Iron Lady”, Mrs Indira Gandhi, lost the elections. The coalition of opposition parties, known as the “Janata Party,” was victorious and established a coalition government at the centre. Jai Prakash Narain played a pivotal role in government formation, through a much-hyped, gaudy process. The poor patchwork government headed by a sluggish and self-obsessed Morarji Desai as PM proved a poor performer. Infighting among the constituent parties of the government took its toll, and it started shaking jerkily. Ultimately, the government collapsed under the weight of infighting and ego clashes. The ineffective coalition of the opposition was defeated, paving the way for the resurgence of the Congress party under Mrs Gandhi’s leadership. (BBC)
Operation Blue Star
The most momentous historical incident in free India was “Operation Blue Star”, which took place in 1984. The ludicrous power game and clashes of titans resulted in the demeaning of institutions and the emergence of a heinous separatist cult of Sikhs under the leadership of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale. A section of Sikh activists vying for a separate homeland, Khalistan took to violence and gore. Target killing and desecration of the Golden Temple were rampant. The terrorists fortified the Golden Temple and Akal Takhat in a way as if preparing for a full-fledged war. To combat this, the government had to pump tanks and heavily armoured vehicles into the campus of Golden Temple. Significant loss was incurred to the holy shrine hurting the sentiments of Sikhs.
Mrs Gandhi Assassinated
31 October 1984; 09:20 AM.
Mrs Gandhi, accompanied by RK Dhawan, was about to cross the gate between 01 Safdarjung Road to visit 01 Akbar Road, where Peter Ustinov was waiting for her. She was to give an interview for the Irish TV. Soon after she reached the gate, Beant Singh fired at her with his service revolver, followed by Satwant Singh, who pumped several bullets in quick succession with a stun gun. Mrs Gandhi fell. She was rushed to AIIMS where she was operated upon. The chilling news of her death was made official at 02:20 PM. Soon after her death was officially declared, retaliatory anti-Sikh riots spread. Sikhs were subjected to mass killing, inflammation and riots in Delhi and other parts of India.
Treachery
Kargil War 1999
Wanting to have cordial relations with the neighbouring country, India makes a big move. Late PM Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in a historical event, took a bus to Pakistan in 1999 to ease the strained relationship between India and Pakistan. It was a great gesture, but Pakistan did not pay in the same token. On one hand, Pakistan was shaking hands with India, but it was treacherously attacking India at Kargil in Ladakh. Pak army, in the disguise of Mujahideen, trespassed into Indian territory and backstabbed India. After getting a hard blow, Indian forces hit back strongly, wiping out the enemy outposts, annihilating their bunker and winning back the area.
At the End
History shapes the future of a country and its subjects. Different incidents of the present become history for tomorrow. The past gives insight and lessons for tomorrow.
-END-
Kamal Kishore Srivastava
A retired government officer turned writer and photographer, Kamal Kishore Srivastava is a regular blogger and essayist who explores life’s deeper meanings through immersive reflections on nature, impermanence, and happiness. On his blog Nature’s Narrative, he blends philosophical storytelling with practical insights. Writing 1,200–1,500 words or more regularly, Kamal is committed to refining his craft, expanding his audience, and building a sustainable space where thought and feeling intersect.
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