decolonisation in Asia

Question 1

When was the Indian Independence Act

Answer 1

1947

Question 2

What were the main points in the Indian Independence Act

Answer 2

• Division of British India into India and Pakistan both which were fully sovereign dominions
• est. of the office of governor-general (represent the Crown)
• complete legislative authority goes to respective Constituent Assemblies of two new countries

Question 3

What were some of the causes of decol in India before 1945

Answer 3

• non cooperation movement in 1920s
• Legislative changes in the 30s- Gov India Act 1935 and election in 1937 (showed INC could run a country)
• Cripps Offer
• Roundtable conference
• Changing Brit gov attitude- ‘India will be a running sore if we try and keep ir’

Question 4

Who was the viceroy of India in 1945

Answer 4

Viceroy Wavell

Question 5

What did the elections in India post 1945 show about the support of each main political group

Answer 5

showed greater polarisation of support

overall congress won 90% of seats BUT muslim league won 75% of all Muslim votes

Question 6

What was the Simla Conference (1945)

Answer 6

Indian political leaders invited to Simla to discuss the two constitutional options by cabinet mission

Question 7

What was the mood like at the Simla Conference

Answer 7

mood wasn’t great- leades refused to talk to each other and Gandhi said he would block any moves towards partition

Question 8

What were the two constitutional options discussed at the Simla Conference

Answer 8

first option- single state with a three tier constitutional structure
second option- two state option (Hindustan and Pakistan)- they would conclude formal treaties with each other but would have no common gov

Question 9

What was the May Statement

Answer 9

cabinet made a declaration of intent- create a constituent assembly of elected representatives (draft a constitution for single state with regional groupings)

Question 10

When did Jinnah call for universal Muslim hatal

Answer 10

16th August 1946

Question 11

What was the nature of the Great Calcutta Killings

Answer 11

-during the Muslim hatal the Hindus threw stones as they passed which caused attacks over 3 days

Question 12

How many people were affected by the Great Calcutta Killings

Answer 12

6000 people died
20,000 wounded
100,000 made homeless

Question 13

Who did Congress blame for the Great Calcutta Killings

Answer 13

held the governor responsible for not preparing for rioting- elsewhere in India hatal caused no trouble at all

Question 14

What were the London Talks (1946)

Answer 14

Indian leaders were summoned to talks in London over 4 days

Question 15

What were Attlee’s opinions of both Jinnah and Nehru

Answer 15

thought Jinnah was ‘an Indian fascist’

reassured Nehru of his support of Congress

Question 16

Why was Attlee forced to replace Wavell

Answer 16

Constituent Assembly convened on 7th December 1946 but broke down as Muslim demand for separate states grew stronger

Question 17

What were Britain’s main concerns regarding Palestine

Answer 17

Wanted to keep good Anglo-American relations which pointed to a pro-Jewish solution but also protecting oil supplies which pointed to a pro-Arab solution

Question 18

How did the Cold War affect matters in Palestine

Answer 18

There were very conflicting ideologies- even though US were mostly pro-Zionist the Arabs weren’t communists so didn’t want the British to use violence

Question 19

What percentage of British oil came from the Middle East

Answer 19

60-70%

Question 20

What were US attitudes towards Jewish Settlement in Palestine

Answer 20

Truman demanded that 100,000 Jewish refugees be admitted at once- big leap from the 25,000 that was stated in the White Paper
BUT- most American officials disagreed with Truman- believed Jewish immigration should be restricted

Question 21

Examples of Palestinian terrrorism

Answer 21

Haganah organisation caused several hundred explosions throughout Palestine
July 1946 a wing of the King David Hotel (closely associated with Brit administration) was blown up killing 91 people
Irgun terrorists captured two unarmed sergeants and hanged them

Question 22

In what ways was terrorism in Palestine not too big of a concern for the British

Answer 22

• just drafted 80,000 troops to sort out the Haganah organisations explosions
• dealt with terrorism without leaving e.g. Malaya- not enough to make the British quit

Question 23

In what ways was terrorism in Palestine a big concern for the British

Answer 23

-Labour gov didn’t want to be trapped in this situation as Palestine drained resources and had become a degraging death-trap

Question 24

Why was a unitary state unacceptable to the Jews in Palestine

Answer 24

Jews were a minority so wouldn’t have any say in politics

Question 25

Why would a federalised system be unacceptable to Arabs in Palestine

Answer 25

why should they have to divide a country that they’ve been in for ages

Question 26

What were the arguments against partition in Palestine

Answer 26

• any scheme which would satisfy the Jews would be unfair to the Arabs
• Partition would lead to est of a Jewish state which had not been promised in Balfour declaration and was not required of the mandate authority- involved serious injustice to the Arabs

Question 27

Why did the British withdraw from Palestine on the 20th September

Answer 27

• British gov couldn’t enforce the UN’s plan as it would be opposed by the Arabs
• cost of Palestine- £100 million between Jan 1945 and Nov 1947 in which 338 Britons had died violently at Jewish hands
• no more British live would lost and British resources saved + wouldn’t be pursuing a policy destructive of its own interests in the Middle East

Question 28

What links can be drawn with India in the withdrawing from Palestine

Answer 28

• like India they though announcing a withdrawal may contribute towards a settlement
• thought the situation was similar- to leave India but continue fighting in Palestine with simply incongrous

Question 29

What were the true strategic interests for leaving Palestine

Answer 29

• driving a wedge between them and arabs would cause them to look to Russians so Jewish state would never provide Britain with a useful base as surrounded by hostile Arabs
• if we’ve left India then Palestine less useful anyway as ‘route to India’ not needed

Question 30

What was the nationalist group which was active in Burma following WW2

Answer 30

AFPFL- led by Aung San

Question 31

Why was British withdrawal in Burma hastened

Answer 31

there was rapid breakdown of order

Question 32

When was Burma granted independence

Answer 32

January 1948

Question 33

When was Malaya declared a state of emergency

Answer 33

1948

Question 34

Why did the British see Malaya as important in their post-war economic and imperial strategies

Answer 34

major producer of rubber

Question 35

What groups in Malaya arose from the ethnic tension between the Chinese and Indians and the Malay people

Answer 35

• United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) was created in March 1946 to fight for the rights of Malay people
• Malay Chinese Association (MCA)

Question 36

What did the Federation of Malaya establish in January 1948

Answer 36

• executive council which held the real power and was headed by the British
• legislative council which had 62 members and represented the various states and other groups

Question 37

Why did the British declare a state of emergency in Malaya

Answer 37

British were frightened by the possible damaging impact on the rebel attacks on rubber plantations

Question 38

What is a state of emergency

Answer 38

suspension of normal constitutional procedures during a situation of particular national danger

Question 39

When was the British High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney assassinated in Malaya

Answer 39

October 1951

Question 40

What percentage of the votes did the Chinese and Malays win in the 1955 election

Answer 40

81%

Question 41

Why did the USA want the British to remain in Malaya

Answer 41

scared of the threat of communism