Archer Kent Blood (1923-2004) was an American diplomat in Bangladesh. He served as the last American Consul General to Dacca, East Pakistan. 1923 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sadarghat, one of the main ports of Dhaka Dhaka (previously Dacca; Bangla: ঢাকা), population 9,000,022 (2001), is the capital of Bangladesh. ... It has been suggested that East Bengal (province) be merged into this article or section. ...

He wrote the strongly-worded Blood telegram protesting against the atrocities committed in the Bangladesh Liberation War. The Bangladesh Liberation War (two other names are also used occasionally) refers to an armed conflict between West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) that lasted for roughly nine months in 1971. ...

The Blood telegram (April 6, 1971) was in its content the most strongly worded demarche from State departement servants to the State department that has ever been written. It was signed by 29 Americans. The telegram stated: "Our government has failed to denounce the suppression of democracy. Our government has failed to denounce atrocities. Our government has failed to take forceful measures to protect its citizens while at the same time bending over backwards to placate the West Pak[istan] dominated government and to lessen any deservedly negative international public relations impact against them. Our government has evidenced what many will consider moral bankrupt,(...) But we have chosen not to intervene, even morally, on the grounds that the Awami conflict, in which unfortunately the overworked term genocide is applicable, is purely an internal matter of a sovereign state. Private Americans have expressed disgust. We, as professional civil servants, express our dissent with current policy and fervently hope that our true and lasting interests here can be defined and our policies redirected." (U.S. Consulate (Dacca) Cable, Dissent from U.S. Policy Toward East Pakistan, April 6, 1971, Confidential, 5 pp. Includes Signatures from the Department of State. Source: RG 59, SN 70-73 Pol and Def. From: Pol Pak-U.S. To: Pol 17-1 Pak-U.S. Box 2535; [1]) April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... Look up Genocide on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Genocide means mass murder of a particular ethnic group. ...

In an earlier telegram (March 30, 1971), Blood wrote about American observations at Dacca: "Students either shot down in rooms or mowed down when they came out of building in groups. Saw tightly packed pile of approximately twenty five corpses. Was told this was last batch of bodies remaining, others having been disposed of by Army. While there, empty Army truck arrived to remove bodies. Major atrocity recounted to him took place at Kokeya Girls' Hall, where Building set ablaze and girls machine-gunned as they fled building... Local who lives nearby confirms girls gunned down. Girls had no weapons. Forty killed. Attack aimed at eliminating female student leadership, since Army apparently told girl student activists resided there. Estimated 1,000 persons, mostly students, but including faculty members resident in dorms, killed." (U.S. Consulate (Dacca) Cable, Killings at University, March 30, 1971, Confidential, 3 pp Source: Record Group 59, Subject Numeric File 1970-73, Pol and Def, Box 2530, [2]) Sadarghat, one of the main ports of Dhaka Dhaka (previously Dacca; Bangla: ঢাকা), population 9,000,022 (2001), is the capital of Bangladesh. ... Image of a woman on the Pioneer plaque sent to outer space. ... Activism, in a general sense, can be described as involvement in action to bring about change, be it social, political, environmental, or other change. ...

External links

• http://www.military.com/Opinions/0,,Galloway_110304,00.html
• http://www.bafi.org/Archer_Blood.asp