The Pakistani military conceded in many battles against the joint forces of the Mukti Bahini and the Indian troops in the first week of December 1971, and India recognized an independent Bangladesh on December 6, triggering tension among Pakistan's allies.
“Indian forces in East Pakistan are now making steady progress on several fronts and are at one point 22 miles from Dacca (Dhaka). The most immediate threat is from the east, but the Indians must now make a major river crossing if their thrust is to continue,” according to a memorandum by US President's Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger.
“The main port of Chittagong to the southeast has been cut off from Dacca, and there is a report that to the southwest the only other major water terminal has also been cut off. There are also significant advances in the northern and northeastern salients of the province [as of December 8].
Kissinger said Pakistani resistance would continue depending on “whether the Pakistani forces give up or are captured as their posts are taken or are able to fall back in relatively good order to a few urban centers like Dacca for a last-ditch defense”.
Pakistani military ruler General AM Yahya Khan, in a conversation with US Ambassador Joseph S Farland on December 8, seemed resigned that he could not do anything more to help his troops in the east, but he said that they would fight "to the last Muslim."
Gen Yahya confirmed that he had speeded up and intends to carry out his "blue-print" for transferring power to a civilian government -- led by Nurul Amin, although it had been announced that he would remain president.
Kissinger said there had been some reports of desertions by members of the army and police units, but “no indications yet that discipline is collapsing or that large numbers are surrendering”.
In the West, the military situation remained about the same. “The Indians, with the exception of an extending penetration toward Karachi in the south, are still in a holding posture on the ground while conducting repeated air attacks against military targets throughout West Pakistan.
“The Paks are taking some initiative in the Punjab plain and especially along the Kashmir cease-fire line, and there are reports of an increased offensive in the next day or two,” Kissinger wrote.
He hoped that Pakistan had yet to launch the major offensive. “It is possible that they are hoping that the Indians will be ready to stop or at least more subject to international pressure once East Pakistan falls and do not want to provoke unnecessarily a major Indian counter-offensive in the West.
“On the other hand, if the Indians do shift to an all-out offensive in the West, the Paks will still have most of their forces intact to defend their heartland.”
UN debate
At the UN, the activities of December 8 were highlighted by a strong appeal from United Nations Secretary-General U Thant for a cease-fire in the Dhaka area to permit the evacuation of international community personnel. Thant asked both the Indians and Paks to agree to a 24-hour stand-down to permit the repair of runways for the evacuation of foreigners.
“So far, there has been no positive response from the Indians who are chafing under charges that they have failed to live up to the terms of two earlier evacuation cease-fire agreements that broke down, Kissinger said.
Meanwhile, the UN and the International Red Cross people in Dhaka were also making arrangements for two "neutral areas" in the event that Dhaka falls before an evacuation could be mounted.
“This neutral area would also accommodate our consulate staff who will lose diplomatic rights and privileges when the Bangla Desh Government takes over and could be in a hostile atmosphere when the guerrillas arrive.”
