4. India 1919-47 Flashcards
How did British control in India appear going into WW1?
It appeared secure as India went into war for Empire
Challenges to British control in India by 1914
No huge challenged, but the challenges were brewing and building up
Which two nationalists movements threatened British control in India by 1914?
Indian National Congress
All Indian Muslim League 1906
What did nationalists in India do in protest of the partition of Bengal?
They boycotted British goods
What provoked protest against British control in India between 1899 and 1902?
Britain’s little involvement in the Indian famine
What were expectations and hopes high for in India by 1918?
Expectations and hopes were high in India that measures introduced during the war would be eased and that India would be given more autonomy
What report presented to British parliament in 1918 recommended an increase in self-government to India people?
The Montagu-Chelmsford Report
Government of India Act 1919
Allowed some limited self-government in India
What did the Rowlatt Act 1919 extent?
Extended repressive wartime measures in India, even though Indians had hoped for eased wartime measures
Example of repressive wartime measures in India
British authorities had power to arrest any Indian citizen without reason
What did the Rowlatt Act 1919 lead to?
Led to widespread anger and discontent among Indians
What sparked violent protests in India in 1919?
News that prominent Indian leaders had been arrested and banished from Amritsar
What did British troops ban in India in 1919?
Public gatherings
What happened on the afternoon of April 13 1919 in India?
A crowd of at least 10,000 men, women and children (who were peaceful protestors) gathered in an open space
General of British troops in India
Dyer
How did Dyer react to the gathering of 10,000 Indian peaceful protestors?
Dyer and his soldiers arrived, sealed off the exit and without warning, opened fire on the crowd
How many people died and were wounded (according to the British government) during the shooting of the crowd of 10,000 peaceful protestors?
379 died
1,200 wounded
What did the shooting of the crowd of 10,000 peaceful protestors in India become known as?
The Amritsar Massacre
As soon as the troops ran out of ammunition following the Amritsar Massacre, what did they do?
They withdraw from the area and left behind the dead and wounded
Why did Dyer order his soldiers to open fire on the crowd?
Because rheumatoid disobeyed the British ban of public gatherings
Dyer’s reasoning for Amritsar massacre
Believed he had no choice but to open fire and believed he had to punish any Indians who weren’t totally obedient to British commands
Consequences of Amritsar Massacre: British control in India
Hugely damages British control in India, providing Indian nationalist movements with more desire for independence
Consequences of Amritsar Massacre: the Morning Post
The Morning Post newspaper titled Dyer as “The Man Who Saved India”
How did Churchill describe the Amritsar Massacre?
Described it as a “monstrous event”
