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There are few Indian leaders whose critical analysis of the situation in India arising out of the premeditated Chinese invasion has greater significance for the people of our country, for the Chinese
themselves and for the world that is watching the catastrophic development on India’s northern frontier than that by Mr. V. K.Krishna Menon. It is not so much because Mr. Menon was in charge of India’s defence in the period which served as background for the Chinese invasion or because he took the brunt of responsibility in the initial stages of the war when the Chinese superiority
in manpower and firepower gave them an advantage that what Mr. Menon has to say on the subject of India and the Chinese invasion becomes of great importance. Mr. Menon represents,
along with Prime Minister Nehru, certain basic values in the national life of the country. The policy which was founded on these values is at present under a severe attack from domestic and foreign
critics. It is in this context that Mr. Menon’s evaluation of the new
situation has significance wider than the immediate audience to which it is addressed.This short monograph, which it has been my privilege to edit,is largely based, as the Publishers’ Note indicates, on one of the several speeches which Mr. Menon had occasion to deliver after
his resignation from the Government of India on November 7,1962. It has now become customary for the Publications Division of the Government of India to publish collection of speeches by the
members of the Government and heads of our State though, I must confess, it has intrigued many that no such collection of
Mr. Menon’s policy statements either at home or in the United Nations has been made available to the citizens by the authorities concerned. It is now fashionable in the publishing trade to bring together in single volumes speeches even of our ambassadors in foreign countries. However, the present publication owes no inspiration to
any such custom or fashion. Apart from the one outlined above,there are some particular reasons why it has been considered imperative to publish this speech of Mr. Menon in this form.
It is a remarkable and recognised fact that Mr. Menon’s meetings draw large number of people which are comparable to those who now collect only to listen to the Prime Minister. For example, 60,000 persons listened to the speech in Bombay which has served as the basis for the present monograph and, a few days later, 200,000 people collected to hear him in Amritsar.