Countdown to freedom

Days come and pass by — a phenomenon that does not merit any mention or elaboration. However, a nation-state hardly ever experiences a moment when a particular day becomes a point of reference to help it reflect on its standing in the present, know its brittle status in the past, and recalibrate the course of its destiny in the future.

When seen through the chronology of the solar calendar, the Saturday of March 23, 1940, was the beginning of yet another balmy weekend. However, what transpired after March 23 was...