In October 1950, within days of the establishment of the People's Republic of China, Mao achieved an exceptional feat that no ruler of Dynastic China had ever accomplished before - the annexation of Tibet. The achievement was unique in that Tibet, with a territorial expanse four and a half times the size of France, a cultural heritage as old as that of any ancient civilization of the world, and seat of one of largest religions of the world, was forcibly occupied without any intervention by nations who claimed to be champions of liberty, freedom, human rights, and equality. Amazingly, the nation whose national security was directly affected by the act, not only remained oblivious, but played an active role in the demise of Tibet. It was a tragedy that was to torment India forever. This book offers a stirring account of the secret history of Tibet from its earliest settlement, its Golden Age, its heroes, its wars, its politics and intrigues, its transition into one of the most peaceful and spiritual nations in the world and finally, the death blow to its independence. The transmission of Buddhism, mainly by Indian Buddhist intellectuals in Tibet, resulted in converting Tibetan warriors, who by their valour and grit established one of the largest empires in Central Asia, into pacifists. The tragedy was waiting to occur...