Indian National Army (INA)

Indian National Army (INA)

Guide Index

Introduction

This resource guide lists some resources on the Indian National Army (INA) and prominent INA leader, Subhas Chandra Bose, which are available in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library. The Indian National Army (INA) was formed in Singapore in February 1942. At the urging of their Japanese captors, almost 20,000 Indian prisoners-of-war had come together to form this army with the aim of freeing India from British colonial rule. Under the charismatic leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose, who led the INA from July 1943 until his sudden death in August 1945, the INA grew in strength and received significant support from the civilian Indian population in Malaya. After World War II, the British charged some of the captured INA soldiers with treason. This resource guide lists some resources on the INA and Subhas Chandra Bose that are available in the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library and on the internet.

Search Terms Call Numbers
Military, defense, public property, industrial law 343.0143
Politics and government – Southeast Asia 320.540954; 323.2; 959.053
South Asia military history, India military science 355.009540904, 355.30954, 940.541254
Japan and the Indian National Army 940.5354

Books

(listed in alphabetical order)

This book contributes to the understanding and appreciation of the relationship between these two mighty pillars of India’s freedom movement.

  • Ayer, S. A. (1997). Story of the I.N.A. New Delhi: National Book Trust.
    Call no.: RSING 954.035 AYE

Ayer presents a concise, faithful and lucid account of Indian independence movement in East Asia and a glimpse of one of the most glorious chapters in the history of India’s struggle for freedom.

The book presents a fascinating account of how individual lives and social relations changed from the heyday of the British raj to the rise and fall of Japan’s Asian empire.

The book focuses attention on the Tokyo Cadets and their trials and tribulations before and after the end of the War.

Presents reference to the activities of the Indian National Army during the World War, 1939-1945, and the subsequent trials.

The book tells story of independence movement and its’ will for freedom and contains a compilation of evidences and facsimile copies of Young India magazine, that provides a day-to-day look at a movement, that would shake the very foundations of British rule in Asia.

This volume collected Bose’s works that covers broad range of topics of the most difficult, daring and controversial phase in the life of India’s foremost anti-colonial revolutionary.

This volume 12 of Netaji’s Collected Works bring together all his speeches and writings as a leader of the Azad Hind movement from June 1943 to August 1945. His stirring speeches in Singapore, Malaya and Burma electrified massive audiences of civilians and soldiers, united Indians of all religions, and inspired them to join the march towards Delhi.

Presents of nearly one thousand pictures supported by contemporary documentary material tell the story of India’s greatest revolutionary since 1857 and the only soldier-statesman of world class born in this subcontinent in contemporary times.

Present articles on Subhas Chandra Bose, 1897-1945, Indian freedom fighter and statesman.

Based on legitimate oral and written sources, the book takes readers on an enthralling journey down a country’s path to complete freedom. The timeless tale of the Revolt of 1857 that was stirred up by Mangal Pandey and Rani Lakshmi Bai, Subash Chandra Bose’s aggressive tactics and charisma, Gandhi’s non-cooperation and civil disobedience movements, and the final moments of the British Raj all come alive through the course of this book in vivid detail.

A thrilling account of Netaji”s life and time, his struggles and achievements, analysed against the backdrop of national and international events and developments. Also includes a comparative study of the role and ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji, in the context of India’s freedom struggle.

Describes the author’s personal account of the INA. Interestingly, he narrates many instances which are not known to people in India and Pakistan.

This study traces the origins of the Indian National Army in the imagination of Iwaichi Fujiwara, a young Japanese intelligence officer, and the relationship between the Imperial Japanese Army and the Indian National Army as it evolved under the leadership of Bengali revolutionary, Subhas Chandra Bose. The study is unique in its use of Japanese archival sources for analysis of the relationship between Japanese policy formulation and the Indian independence movement in its military phase.

Describes Indian women who took up arms against the British Raj during the Second World War. This book will be warmly welcomed as a major contribution to the fields of international history, military history and women’s history.

This is an account of the most controversial aspect of the remarkable career of Subhas Chandra Bose. It tells story of the founding and flowering of the Indian Independence League and the Indian National Army.

The book covers Subhas Bose’s role in strengthening the role of INA, INA and freedom struggle, trial of Sehgal, Dhillon and Shah Nawaz, evidence before the court-martial, re-examination of Advocate-General, objection of defence, evidence of Japanese officials, Nehru’s views of the INA and role of armed forces and national freedom.

This book makes an attempt to portray the personality of Rash Behari Bose on the background of the various events he was connected with and to reiterate the sacrifices this great revolutionary made for the sake of India.

Describes few investigative attempts at building up the strands of Subhas Chandra Bose’s political philosophy and ideology.

This study attempted a detailed analysis of the activities of Indian revolutionaries in Japan, formation of Indian Independence League and the Indian National Army by Captain Mohan Singh, Japanese policy towards India, and the heroic exploits of the INA under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Bose in East Asia, the march on to Delhi and the British reaction to the revolutionaries war for the independence of India.

Presents invaluable archival documents from Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and India on the attitude of Axis powers towards the question of India’s freedom during World War II, and how Subhas Chandra Bose forged an alliance with Nazi Germany. Also incorporated here are a large number of telegrams which passed between the German Foreign Office and their representatives in Kabul, Moscow, Rome, Tokyo and Thailand; besides a few reports from the German Foreign Office recording Bose’s historic meetings with Hitler, Ribbentrop and other high German officials.

The study presents Netaji Subhas Chandra life, intimate sketch of his personality and his political idealism.

This book addresses that gap in the international understanding of Bose and explores some facets of his impact on the Indian Diaspora – particularly on the women, plantation workers and youth in the post-war period.

This paper attempts to locate and assess the sources of India’s land warfare doctrines and capabilities.

Takeshi tells about Rash Bihari Bose, a revolutionary leader fighting the British in India. It presents Japan’s policy towards Asia, particularly in China, Korea, South East Asia and India between 1920 and 1945.

Periodicals

(listed in alphabetical order)

  • Azad Hind: Organ of the Indian Independence League Headquarters [Newspaper; incomplete issues from 20 May 1944 to 30 May 1944]. [Microfilm: NL 8506]

  • Chaudhuri, N. C. (1953), Subhas Chandra Bose – his legacy and legend. Pacific Affairs, 26(4), 349-357.
    Call no.: RCLOS 950.05 PA

  • Karim, M. (2013, June). Contribution of Indian leaders to Indian Nationalist Movement: An analytical discussion. African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 9(6), 200-211. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from the Academic Journals website: http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/AJPSIR/article-full-text/6DA795952944

The paper analyses and presents the contributions of the great leaders toward Indian Nationalist Movement and evaluates how they keep this movement alive until the independence.

Websites

(listed in alphabetical order)

Indian National Army Monument. (2013). In Singapore in World War II: A Heritage Trail (p.30). Singapore: National Heritage Board. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from the National Heritage Board, Singapore website: http://www.nhb.gov.sg/~/media/nhb/files/places/trails/world%20war%20ii/wwii-text.pdf

Explains about the Indian National Army Monument which was built at the Esplanade in August 1945 and dedicated to the “unknown warrior” of the INA and to the INA members who were killed in fighting in Burma.

National Archives of Singapore. (2003). Historical journey of the Indian National Army. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from the National Archives of Singapore website: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/online_exhibit/indian_national_army/index.htm

The website provides historical journey and timeline of Indian National Army.

National Library Board. (2007). Subhas Chandra Bose written by Wong, Heng & Ong, Eng Chuan. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from Singapore Infopedia. The website provides biography of Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian politician who fight for India’s independence from British rule.

Accessing National Library Board Singapore Resources

Accessing the Print Materials

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To search Lee Kong Chian Reference Library’s Holdings

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Things to note:

Once you have identified the title that you need, please double-check the following information and write down the necessary info:

i. The “Status” of the item: the item is not available in the library, if the status displayed is “in transit”, “in process” or “not ready for loan”.

ii. Double-check that the item is in Lee Kong Chian Reference Library under “Branch”.

iii. Write down the Location Code and the Call Number of the item. This helps you to locate the item within Lee Kong Chian Reference Library. Please refer to the table below for more information (Note: Please feel free to approach the counter staff for help in locating the books.)

All featured books and periodicals are located at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library.

Accessing the Databases

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If you’re having problems registering or logging in, please contact us. If you wish to find information in the databases but am not sure where to begin, or need recommendations on which databases to use, please use the “Ask A Librarian” function or send an email to ref@nlb.gov.sg for help. The librarian will get back to you within three working days.

Authors

Valerie Chew
(Updated by) Hameedah M Ibrahim

The information in this resource guide is valid as at Feb 2017 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2017.

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