I believe he even came here to Pondicherry to see you. He hasmade a statement on the radio, and you know, he's a man who

carries a lot of weight internationally: when he says some

thing, he is listened to all over the world. So on French radio,

he made a statement (you know that he was a minister under

de Gaulle for a long time), a statement in favor of Bangladesh.

He says:

The Indian Express, September 20, 1971

At 69, Malraux offers to fight in the ranks of Bangladesh.He says, "I receive many letters from young people

who write: if you form a foreign legion, we are ready to

fight for Bangladesh." Malraux admits he is too old to serve in the infantry,

but he claims he could serve in a tank

. "One cannot seriously help Bengal by merely talking

in its favor," he says. "One should go there in person and

fight for her."

Malraux acknowledged, of course, that India had been

created by nonviolence, but in the present case, that

kind of tactics is not possible. "You are facing a Viet

nam. Either you fight and you will have the whole world

on your side, or you don't fight and the cause is lost."

"While intellectuals are signing petitions in good

faith, the Pakistanis are throwing tanks into the battle.

Consequently, the only serious thing is the defense of

Bengal. Do it intellectually if you like, but with the sup

port of combat."