Changes

</ref>  On December 3, Yahya preemptively attacked the Indian Air Force and Gandhi retaliated, pushing into East Pakistan.<ref>Black, Conrad (2007), p. 753.</ref> Nixon issued a statement blaming Pakistan for starting the conflict and blaming India for escalating it, because he favored a cease-fire.<ref>Black, Conrad (2007), p. 755.</ref> The United States was secretly encouraging the shipment of military equipment from [[Iran]], [[Turkey]], and [[Jordan]] to Pakistan, reimbursing those countries despite Congressional objections.<ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB79/</ref>  The US used the threat of an aid cut-off to force Pakistan to back down, while its continued military aid to Islamabad prevented India from launching incursions deeper into the country.  A cease fire was reached on December 16, leading to the creation of the independent state of [[Bangladesh]].  Sheikh Mujib led the newly established People's Republic of Bangladesh as a one-party, dictatorial state.

</ref>  On December 3, Yahya preemptively attacked the Indian Air Force and Gandhi retaliated, pushing into East Pakistan.<ref>Black, Conrad (2007), p. 753.</ref> Nixon issued a statement blaming Pakistan for starting the conflict and blaming India for escalating it, because he favored a cease-fire.<ref>Black, Conrad (2007), p. 755.</ref> The United States was secretly encouraging the shipment of military equipment from [[Iran]], [[Turkey]], and [[Jordan]] to Pakistan, reimbursing those countries despite Congressional objections.<ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB79/</ref>  The US used the threat of an aid cut-off to force Pakistan to back down, while its continued military aid to Islamabad prevented India from launching incursions deeper into the country.  A cease fire was reached on December 16, leading to the creation of the independent state of [[Bangladesh]].  Sheikh Mujib led the newly established People's Republic of Bangladesh as a one-party, dictatorial state.

A 2008 study in the ''British Medical Journal'' concluded that 269,000 civilians were killed by all sides in the war.<ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/269000_died_in_Bangladesh_war/articleshow/3147513.cms</ref>

A 2008 study in the ''British Medical Journal'' concluded that 269,000 civilians were killed by all sides in the war.<ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/269000_died_in_Bangladesh_war/articleshow/3147513.cms</ref> Reportedly, as many as 200,000 Bengali women were raped.

The US remained hostile to the Mujib regime, and considered Mujib himself to be a demagogue.  His government's mismanagement of food grain stocks ultimately caused a massive famine in Bangladesh from March to December 1974, leading to the death of more than one million people.  During this famine, Mujib rejected food aid from the United States and exported food to [[Cuba]].  By the time Mujib agreed to end support for Cuba, and the US began shipments of food to Bangladesh, it was 'too late for famine victims'.<ref>http://www.indiatogether.org/agriculture/opinions/dsharma/faminecommerce.htm</ref>  In addition, his regime committed widespread human rights violations and tortured and executed thousands of dissidents.  Nixon and Kissinger argued that these atrocities were far worse than anything Pakistan had committed in Bangladesh.

The US remained hostile to the Mujib regime, and considered Mujib himself to be a demagogue.  His government's mismanagement of food grain stocks ultimately caused a massive famine in Bangladesh from March to December 1974, leading to the death of more than one million people.  During this famine, Mujib rejected food aid from the United States and exported food to [[Cuba]].  By the time Mujib agreed to end support for Cuba, and the US began shipments of food to Bangladesh, it was 'too late for famine victims'.<ref>http://www.indiatogether.org/agriculture/opinions/dsharma/faminecommerce.htm</ref>  In addition, his regime committed widespread human rights violations and tortured and executed thousands of dissidents.  Nixon and Kissinger argued that these atrocities were far worse than anything Pakistan had committed in Bangladesh.