Perhaps one of the most painstakingly collected information-rich authentic accounts of the Indian National Army and its objectives, the rich legacy, and the sound analysis of its aftermath, Historian KK Ghosh's writing has been endorsed by none other than noted historian Dr. R C Majumdar. On the legacy of INA KK Ghosh has no doubts. He suggests that the INA movement led to the enactment of similar revolutions across South Asia, leading to its freedom from the colonial rules of British, French, Dutch, and American forces who, being part of the victorious allied forces, had no intention to leave their territories post-World War II, save for the great discontentment and the risks of the prolonged military engagements that they could ill afford. In this way, Netaji and the Azad Hind were the harbingers of the freedom of entire South Asia and Asia Pacific, fulfilling the visions of his revolutionary predecessors, Bagha Jatin and Rash Behari Bose who foresaw a similar overthrowing of the colonial powers across Asia .
Had the I.N.A. trials any lasting contribution in Indian
freedom movement? The revolutionary impacts of the I.N.A.
courts martials have to be studied in the context of the post-war
Indo-British relations. It was the most crucial period in the nearly
two-century-old relationship between the two countries. It has been
claimed that the revolutionary situation associated with the I.N.A.
courts martial hastened the end of British rule in India. If the
evidence is adequate to establish this point, the I.N.A., in spite of
its military failure, can claim to have made an undeniably significant
contribution in India’s independence and make a place for itself in
what may otherwise remain a one-sided account of India’s achievements
ment of independence from British rule.
If the contemporary history of the emergence to independence
of the Southeast Asian countries is taken into consideration, one
might find parallels of the I.N.A. revolt in the post-war revolutionary movements in Burma, Indo-China, Indonesia and the Philippines in so far as all these movements were frankly anti-colonial,
ready to resort to violent means and seek strange alliances,
underlined the desperate need to change the political status quo.
Although these movements are not included in this study, it is interesting to note that chronologically the I.N.A. revolt was the first of its kind in this part of the world.