Women at War

Subhas Chandra Bose and the Rani of Jhansi Regiment

By Vera Hildebrand
Hardcover $6.79
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Overview

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Among the more improbable events of the Asia-Pacific Theater in World War II was the creation in Singapore of a corps of female Indian combat soldiers, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment (RJR). They served under Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose in the Indian National Army. Because the creation of an Indian all-female regiment of combat soldiers was a radical military innovation in 1943, and because the role of women in today’s broader context of Indian culture has become a prevalent and pressing issue, the extensive testimony of the surviving veterans of this unit is timely and urgent. The history of these brave women soldiers is little known, their extraordinary service and the role played by Bose remains largely unexplored.

In the years since the RJR surrender in 1945, the story of Subhas Chandra Bose and the Rani Regiment of female combatants as signature symbols of both the national fight for independence and of Indian women’s struggle for gender equality has taken on aspects of myth. Lengthy interviews with the veteran Ranis together with archival research comprise the evidence that separates the myth of the Bengali hero and his jungle warrior maidens from historical fact, and this resulting book presents an accurate narrative of the Ranis. The facts are nearly as impressive as the legend.

About the Author

Vera Hildebrand

Vera Hildebrand has a PhD in Indian history and culture from Georgetown University. She is a senior research fellow at the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies at University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Previously, she taught at Harvard University and University of Copenhagen.

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Editorial Reviews

2018 Military Times Choice for Summer Reading Guide
"Exceptionally well written, impressively informative, inherently fascinating, and a unique contribution to the growing library of World War literature, Women at War: Subhas Chandra Bose and the Rani of Jhansi Regiment is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library World War II History collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and military history buffs." —Midwest Book Review
"Women at War is recommended reading for anyone interested in India in the World War II or women military service." —StrategyPage
"This is a carefully researched and clearly written book about a little-known Indian, all-female combat regiment that served during WW II.... This volume will interest not only students of women's history but all concerned with the transformation wrought by WW II on South Asia." —CHOICE
"Rarely does a book come along that adds so much to our historical knowledge in one go. Vera Hildebrand combines the acuity of a detective with the discipline of a scholar to uncover an episode that would otherwise have been lost in fragments. By bringing to life in a riveting narrative the forgotten story of Subhas Chandra Bose's all-female Rani of Jhansi regiment, Hildebrand has memorialized important details in the fascinating, but otherwise less well remembered, military campaign for India's independence. A remarkable achievement." —Ashley J. Tellis, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
"Women at War is an exciting account of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, who went against societal tradition and instead signed up to fight British colonialism. Young, unmarried girls broke with home, family, and tradition to face the enemy--who could have imagined such a cause? The beautifully written text brings the Ranis, who remain an inspiration to us all, to life." —Lina M. Fruzzetti, Brown University
"This accurate, insightful, and rigorous history of Subhas Chandra Bose and the Rani of Jhansi Regiment uncovers a remarkable episode in Indian and Asian history. The members of the RJR have had an influence on India's consciousness and subsequent development far out of proportion to their military utility or the brief life of this regiment of women combat soldiers. Hildebrand ably chronicles this early example of Indian women creating agency for themselves in extreme circumstances." —Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Secretary and National Security Advisor, Government of India
"Netaji Subhash Bose is much more than an Indian icon, but nowhere does this leader appear in all his granularity than when he raised a women's fighting regiment against the British empire, while remaining strangely paternalistically protective of them. Vera Hildebrand uses the perfect blend of history, empathy, and a scholar's detachment to paint a detailed picture of one of the most important leaders of India's freedom movement. Her portrayal of the Ranis opens a window into a movement that is the stuff of legend, but peopled by humans. That's why this book brings a tear and a smile, and is a must read." —Indrani Bagchi, Diplomatic Editor, The Times of India
“Vera Hildebrand’s story of these adventurous and brave women is a solid contribution to Indian history. She provides detailed information on many of the women and their personal experiences during the war, as well as material on their lives after the war. For readers with little or no knowledge of Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA, Hillebrand provides essential background information, including a briefing on the independence movements in Asia and Bose’s disagreement with Gandhi on whether violence or nonviolence was the most effective means of political change. Rarely do histories contain such astonishing material as this book. One of the most surprising elements in the story is what the British did, or rather what they did not do to the soldiers of the RJR and the INA after the end of WWII. As the author not only has a great story, but provides solid documentation for her research, has well-organized and short chapters, avoids academic jargon, and writes well, Women at War should not only be of great interest to scholars of Indian history and of WWII, but should also be a captivating account for the general reading public.” —H-Net
“Copiously researched, this book ... is a valuable addition to our growing knowledge not only about women in the military, but also about the gendered experience of nationalism and its public and private expressions.” —RGWS: A Feminist Review