ABSTRACT
Work on the details of partition began as soon as the provinces and areas concerned agreed to separate from India and become part of Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten could continue, as chairman of the partition council and also of the defense council which was to supervise the division of the armed forces and military assets. The division of the military assets was entrusted to the commander-in-chief, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck. It was decided, separate commanders-in-chief would be appointed for each state, but to finish the work of partition Auchinleck would be redesignated supreme commander and would work with the joint Indian and Pakistani defense council. One can perhaps be excused for expressing boredom with the incessant Pakistani harping on Mountbatten's alleged bias toward India. The extent to which Mountbatten interfered in Radcliffe's task and to which Radcliffe took Mountbatten's advice was amply proved by later events.
