India - History Flashcards
(42 cards)
1
Q
Unit 4 - The road to independence 1942-28
A
2
Q
Early Period of war background info
A
- WW2 drove congress and the Muslims league apart
- WW2 led to the end of the Raj and separated Muslim and Hindus
- Field Marshal Wavell was viceroy from 1943-47
- Wavell was then replaced by Lord Mountbatten of Burma
3
Q
British political impact of WW2
A
- due to England fighting to economic exhaustion the Indian empire became increasingly worried about British politicians
- The British were desperate to compromise to satisfy all parties
4
Q
Congress - reaction to war
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- Reacted with shock and horror
- They believed that British considered itself to be the master in India
- Gandhi urged Britain to negotiate with Hitler using peaceful means but Members of Congress who were familiar with events in europe (e.g. Nehru) viewed gandhi’s suggestion as futile
- not prepared to commit However, congress stated that they were prepared to fight if granted immediate swaraj
- Congress then demanded its members to resign from provincial ministries in india
- This was not wise as it removed hundred of Indians from official positions where they could have eased the effects of the war for their people
5
Q
Muslim league reaction to war
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- The announcement strengthened the ML position
- Jinnah suggested that ML branches throughout India should hold public meetings and offer prayers of thanksgiving
- This only lead to grow Hindus and Muslims further apart
- ML was revived and privately Nehru was looking for a possibility of rapprochement when writing to Jinnah expressing the sadness that their political objectives and values didn’t align
- Jinnah replied by asking for congress to treat the ML as an authoritative representative organization in India
- The ML was left to work with the raj and brit gov to support the war effort to strengthen their own position in India
6
Q
advances on india
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Pearl harbour propelled the USA into the war
- Japanese ships cruised aroudn the indian ocean and challenged the royal navy
- The bay of bengal was attacked by Japanese ships
- The british were running out of armed forces to protect india
- Lingthow couldnt protect the Indians from the Japanese landing on the Cuttack coast and coulnt prevent the advance on Orissa
- There was also increasing fears of land invasions
7
Q
Lahore resolution
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- Jinnah called a meeting of the ML in March 1940, 100,000 Muslims attended.
- Resolution set out the ML’s basic principles of a new constitution for India. Two main proposals were…
8
Q
What were the terms
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the majority should be grouped to form separate independent states.
- Minorities had to be protected
- Jinnah could no longer see any possibility of a Hindu-Muslim rapprochement.
- Congress’s reaction: Nehru announced that the idea of separate Muslim state was a mad scheme and began to tour around India in an attempt to strengthen congress
9
Q
Litlinthgows offer August 1940
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- Linlithgow invited Jinnah to Simla with the aim of discussing a range of issues relating to India and the war.
- Jinnah submitted a list of proposals which were welcomed e.g. representative Indians to join the exec council + war advisory council was established to involve the princess
- Viceroy made it clear that the British gov could not contemplate a transfer of power to a system of gov where significant elements in India’s life were denied
- Wishes and needs of the Muslim community would have to be taken into account post-war settlement.
- The Secretary of state told the HOC it would be easier if Congress spoke for all main elements in India’s national life.
- Problem for Brit was who should power be transferred to not when
10
Q
War - 1942
A
- India sent 2.5mil soldiers to fight for Britain in WW2
lent billions to Britain - Provided base for American operations in support of China
- Over 87,000 Indian soldiers died
11
Q
Threat of Japan
A
- In Feb 1942, Japan was able to capture the British hold of Singapore
- Malayan campaign fought by Allied and Axis forces in Dec 1941 to Feb 1942 -> disaster for British, Indian, Australian and Malayan forces defending the colony
- First year of Burma campaign -> expulsion of British and Chinese forces from Burma
- Fall of Singapore and other defeats in 1942 -> monumental blow to Britain in Asia
- There was anxiety about ‘fifth columnists’, like Subhas Chandra Bose, working with Japan.
- There was a divide in the cabinet about what to do about invasion- the British War Cabinet was divided on the question of compromise with Congress.
12
Q
the appointment of Wavell as viceroy
A
- Ex Army who had served in many conflicts of the British Empire.
- Lord Wavell played a crucial role while in command of the Middle Eastern theater during the Second World War.
- He was then promoted to field marshal and created a viscount prior to his appointment to the Viceroy of India.
- In June 1943, Churchill offered him the position of Viceroy of India in succession to Linlithgow. He was formally named Viceroy in September.
- He was appointed to India just as the Japanese struck in South East Asia.
13
Q
Wavells success
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Wavells success
- He made substantial efforts to persuade provincial government and princely rulers to implement economic and agricultural development projects;
- He traveled around India trying to boost morale. He traveled as far as 1,500 Km a week by plane, train, jeep and car focusing mainly on troubled areas such as the Punjab, Bengal and the United Provinces.
- He reinstated regular meetings of the 11 governors of the provinces of British India
- As viceroy he was best remembered for the measures he took to relive the terrible famine in Bengal in 1943
- He was also remembered for the Simla Conference of june 1945 were he tried to bring about a rapprochement between Congress and the Muslim League but failed. He hated the idea of Partition, but came to regard it as inevitable.
14
Q
background to Cripps mission
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- Winston Churchill, PM at the time, appointed lord privy seal, Sir Stafford Cripps, to lead a delegation to India in order to secure full Indian cooperation and support for the war effort. The British government recognised that an offer of some sort of self-determination would be necessary.
- Cripps and his delegation initially seemed to have everything going for them. He was Labour PM, friend of Nehru and Gandhi, and personally sympathetic to Indian aspirations.
- Viceroy Linlithgow was less impressed, aware of his own statues and feering that the British Government would impose some sort of settlement over his head and against his advice.
15
Q
crispps mission
A
- The Cripps mission was doomed because what he had to offer was not what Congress wanted to hear. He came to offer what the British government believed was a bargain.
- In return, all Indian parties were invited to join in an interim government of national unity under the viceroy and his Council, which would operate until the end of the war
Gandhi was furious, suggesting that Cripps took the first plane home if this was all he had to offer. - They were willing to join the proposed interim government, provided it behaved like the Westminster one, with the viceroy acting as prime minister and with the defence ministry under the control of an Indian.
16
Q
effects of Cripps mission
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- Churchill and Linlithgow were having none of it
The Raj had to remain in control while the war against Germany continued. - Indian opinion was affronted, believing that this was yet another sign that Britain would cling on to India at all costs and would not accept Indians as equal partners.
- Jinnah, on the other hand, while ready to accept the Cripps bargain because of its implication that a separate state would not be a problem, had to reject it too if the Muslim League was to remain part of the constitution-making process.
- Cripps flew home to Britain on 12 April, empty-handed.
17
Q
Revival of civil disobedience after the Cripps mission
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- Linlithgow stepped up press censorship + intercepts of congress communications
- By 1942 British government was aware of the “quit india campaign’ being planned
- Planned to send congress leaders to Uganda
18
Q
Context of the Simla conference
A
- In 1943, Gandhi was released from imprisonment on medical grounds
- By 1944, Lord Wavell was eager to invite key leaders to a summit in order to discuss political progress in India and was willing to wait for something to come out of the Gandhi-Jinnah meetings
- However, the talks between the two leaders proved futile with Gandhi preferring a united India while Jinnah wanting the creation of Pakistan.
19
Q
what was offered at the Simla conference
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- The Simla Conference opened on 25 June and lasted until 14 July 1945.
- The aim was to agree on and approve the Wavell Plan for Indian self-government, which was a result of the London talks between the Viceroy and the British government.
- It was attended by 21 Indian political leaders.
- Delegates included Congress, the Muslim League and smaller regional political parties.
20
Q
Wavell Plan
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- The Viceroy’s Executive Council would be reconstituted and increased.
- Chosen in a way that would give a balanced representation of Muslims and Hindus.
- Equal representation in the Council of high-caste Hindus and Muslims.
- It was unlikely for Congress to be happy with this decision. In their view, parity with Muslims would inflate the importance of Muslim constituency in India.
- Nevertheless, Simla Conference took plan on 25th June 1945 to discuss the proposals.
- Congress and the Muslim League would nominate members of the new Council.
- On July 14th, Wavell adjourned the Conference,
21
Q
Failure of the wavell plan
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- Congress and the Muslim League couldn’t settle their differences
- The election of a new Labour government in England undermined the Wavell plan
22
Q
quit india campaign
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- One result of the failure of the Cripps mission was that both sides hardened their approaches to constitutional change
Lingthow stepped up press censorship and intercepts congress communications - The british government was aware of the campaign by summer 1943
- Linlithgow made a plan to arrest all the congress leaders and deport them to Uganda but this collapsed when Gandhi was sent to Aden
- Gandhi pressured Congress to support Satyagraha
- He argued that since Japan’s aggression was aimed at Britain india could become free if it made peace with Japan
23
Q
congress reaction
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- They were taken by surprise
- To commit to a satyagraha at a time against britons struggle against Nazi Germany and the Axis powers seemed almost like treachery
- It would make reconciliation after the war more difficult
- However congress had to make its position clear and had to rally its supporters to the cause of
- ‘Quit India’ greeted British men
- ‘Quit India’ was shouted at troops who were desperately trying to defend india’s frontiers against the japanese
- Congress leaders were then imprisoned and silenced
24
Q
repercussions
A
- Congress spent 3 months arguing if they should or shouldn’t support Gandhis quit india campaign
- On the 9th of august congress sanctioned the campaign and Gandhi, Nehru and other leaders were arrested and interned
- Due to this Gandhi realised that satyagraha wouldn’t continue so he began rioting and attacks
- By November 1942 the worst of the attacks were over
Satyagraha failed to paralyse the government - The military remained loyal to the raj
- The campaign did not attract support throughout india inters of geography, religion, or caste
25
Local impact of quit india
- in some areas where the local populace was successful in establishing a parallel government.
- E.g. In Ballia, a minor uprising took place, overthrowing the district administration.
- People broke open the jail, released the arrested Congress leaders and established their own independent rule.
26
Brittish response to quit india
Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and almost the entire Congress leadership were arrested and jailed without trial within hours of Gandhi's speech.
Most spent the rest of the war in prison and out of contact with the masses.
Congress was declared illegal and its funds frozen. Its offices were also raided.
Violent response from the British - public floggings, laithi charges
27
Final outcome of quit india
- Over 100,000 arrests were made.
- Several hundreds of civilians were killed in the violence.
- Many were shot by the police army.
- About 5,000 were detained without trial.
- Many national leaders went underground and continued their struggle ( set up parallel governments, disseminating leaflets, covert radio stations)
- Worsened the communal divide with the Hindus.
- British had the support of the Muslim League, the Hindu Mahasabha, the princely states etc
28
Why did it fail
- Strength and violence of british response (see previous slide)
- British were preparing before the campaign was agreed on meaning their response was more effective
- Despite chaos caused the quit india campaign had failed to paralyse the government
- Military still supported the Raj
- The campaign had not attracted support throughout india in terms of geography, religion and class
29
the impact of the war on British rule and Indian nationalism
- India remained under British rule throughout the war
the colonial authority committed Indian support for the war effort.
- Indians experienced significant turmoil during the Second World War
- India served as a massive supply and the base for hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers from a range of nations
- Additionally, India was used as a logistics base for the supply of Chinese nationalist forces
- As a consequence of the war, a huge percentage of India lived in inescapable poverty.
- As a consequence of the war, a huge percentage of India lived in inescapable poverty.
- when the Bengal Famine occurred, the government in London did not immediately send assistance.
30
what impact did British rule have on Indian nationalism
- The majority of Indians were persuaded by these occurrences that the British were unable and unwilling to rule India and were not sufficiently concerned about the welfare of the Indian people.
- relationships between the British and Indians were permanently damaged
loyalties shifted from the British Raj to Indian nationalism
- Indian people had lost all patience
had a significant impact on Britain's capacity to maintain the Raj from 1942 to 1945
- India imported less and less from Britain and found cheaper alternatives at home.
31
The Impact Of The Indian Elections Of 1945 And 1946
32
Why were elections called
They were called to find out public opinion to pave the way for a political settlement
33
What was the context in which they took place
- Senior Indian army officers were on trial for fights with the Japanese during the war which created unrest
- Britain was trying them but congress and the Indian people believed that they should be released and should back down
34
issues in india before independence and partition
- congress represented the entire population
- the muslim league represented all muslims
- pakistan was one of the main issues for the election campaign
35
aims of the cabinet mission
- Do everything possible to maintain a united India, as this would play a future role in Britain's plans for security in Asia
- Create a positive desire for a speedy transfer of power.
- The group stayed in India for three months and hoped to grant independence and keep India united.
- Cripps was prepared to pay almost any price to secure an agreement from Congress and the Muslim League.
36
muslim action 1946 - main thing that lead to partition
- Lord Wavell was ready to establish an interim government.
- He approved the cabinet, disregarding Jinnah's vote, in which Nehru served as interim prime minister.
- Jinnah then called for Muslims to have a day of action on 16 August 1946.
- Called Direct Action, it was supposed to be a series of peaceful demonstrations
- Instead, it turned into three days of rioting and violence against Hindus in Calcutta that left 5,000 dead, 20,000 injured and 100,000 homeless.
37
was plan balkan a success
- it was not a success as it irritated Jinnah and the muslim league
- it also lead to violence and conflict
- this forced Mountbatten to form another plan
38
what was announced on the 3rd of June 1947
- British India was to be partitioned into two dominions: India and Pakistan.
- The princely states were provided with the choice of joining either India or Pakistan, on the pretext of geographical status and the people's choice.
- Both countries would be granted autonomy and sovereignty and had the right to make their constitutions.
39
The Boundary Commission July 1947
- recommended how the Punjab and Bengal should be divided
- equal numbers muslim and hindu judges
- Sir Cyril John Radcliffe, a legal expert, was appointed as the joint chairman of the two boundary commissions
- The commission was given only five weeks to complete
- drew boarders for pakistan and india
- divided population and assets
40
what happened in the boundary commission which led Jinnah to feel like it was a set up
Mountbatten leaked it to Nehru and apparently this caused changes which were seen as biased
41
what did Radcliffe decide the boundary commission meant
- Millions of Muslims were left on the Indian side and similar numbers of Hindus in Pakistani sectors, sparking mass migrations by members of each religious community.
- Other minorities like the Sikhs were ignored.
42
Independence for india and Pakistan
- The independence of India and Pakistan at midnight on 14-15 August 1947
- Lord Mountbatten, hoping to be the first governor-general of both India and Pakistan, had to be content with governor-generalship of India alone.
- Jinnah flew from New Delhi to Karachi to become Pakistan's first governor-general himself.
- Numerous issues remained unresolved due to the haste with which independence was granted and the manner in which it was managed.
