Impact Of The Second World War On Indian Politics Flashcards
(9 cards)
What caused the cripps mission
What was the cripps mission
Winston Churchill appointed lord privy seal, Sir Stafford Cripps, to lead a delegation to India to secure full Indian cooperation and support for the war effort
- recognised that offer of self-determination would be necessary, Churchill bowed to pressure from war cabinet colleagues (clement Attlee, Leo amery, and the allies)
Who was Cripps
Labour party minister, friend of Nehru and Gandhi, sympathetic to Indian aspirations
Well-known and liked in Congress circles
When did the Cripps mission arrive
Arrived in New Delhi 23rd March 1942
Reaction to the arrival of Cripps mission
Lots of optimism when they arrived, but Linlithgow feared the government would impose a settlement over his head and against his advice
What was the offer from the Cripps mission
- dominion status
- elected body created with task of framing a new constitution after WW2, participation of Indian states in constitution-making body
- if a province doesn’t want to join, can keep current status and join later, British government will create new constitution to join if this is the case
- until constitution, Britain controls and defence India as part of war effort
In return
- all Indian parties invited to join an interim government of national unity under viceroy and his council, until end of war
Reaction to Cripps mission offer
Gandhi furious, suggested Cripps took first plane home if this was what he had to offer
Congress rejected first part of the bargain
- didnt want to accept a situation where states could opt out of a united India
- but would accept the proposed interim government, if it behaved like the Westminster one (viceroy as PM and defence ministry under control of an Indian)
- Churchill and Linlithgow opposed this, Raj had to maintain control during war
People thought this was another sign of Britain clinging onto India and not seeing them as equal partners
Jinnah ready to accept it due to implication that a seperate state would not be a problem, but had to reject it because Muslim League wanted to remain part of the constitution-making process
When did Cripps go back to Britain
12th April
Results of failure of the Cripps mission
Government:
- Linlithgow stepped up press censorship and intercepts of congress communications (by special branch)
- summer 1942: aware that new civil disobedience campaign was being planned
