No other organisation has contributed as much to the unity and integrity of the country as the defence forces. They have consolidated our frontiers in the face of repeated aggression and have made the population residing in the remote corners of India, feel and think Indian. They have quelled internal violence when others have failed. These sterling achievements are worth remembering on the 50th Anniversary of India's independence. Major General Ashok Krishna highlights some of these achievements in his book. He analyses the main politico-military and strategic issues and major lessons learnt. The book gives a bird's eye view of the period from 1947 to 1997 and it covers all essential aspects. It ends with a useful chapter on concluding thoughts aimed at improving the lot of a weakening edifice.