india unit 4 Flashcards
how did the threat of invasion in world war 2 impact indian politics
-by beginning of 1942 allies were in a bad position and Japan launched a sudden attack on pearl harbour
-Japan took much of SE Asia in 1942 and stormed Burma
-japanese ships sailed freely in india ocean and viceroy Linlithgow confessed he didn’t have enough troops to defend it but threat was removed when us bombed Japan
how did the influence of the USA in the Second World War influence indian politics
-indian hopes were raised when Roosevelt and Churchill met in 1941 and agreed on Atlantic charter UNTIL Churchill announced that it did not apply to British empire.
-indians were outraged that they were fighting and dying for self determination but were denied it for themselves
-Roosevelt wanted indian support due to importance of keeping Japan out of SE Asia so put pressure on Churchill to agree to indian self governance . Churchill agreed to send the Cripps Mission
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when was the Cripps mission and what did it do
-1942
-churchill sent in Lord Privy Seal and Sir Stafford Cripps to lead a delegation to india to secure full cooperation and support for the war , it was recognised that some type of self determination was necessary
-whilst Churchill was opposed to independence he was persuaded by British politicians and allies
-he offered a deal where Indians would join an interim government under the viceroy and his council for the duration of the war and in return init would receive dominion status
-gandhi was furious and congress rejected his offer
-congress did offer to join interim gov if india could control defence industry but Churchill and Linlithgow refused to accept this
-jinnah willing to accept deal as it implied support for partition but rejected it to keep the muslim league in the constitution making process
what was Cripps like
-Cripps- labour politician, friendly with congress leadership and supported nationalists ambitions
what was the QUIT INDIA CAMPAIGN and when did it happen
-1942
-a satyagraha approved in 1942. British people in india heard quit india being shouted at them as they went about their lives
-congress spent months arguing about the campaign giving raj time to prepare
-congress leadership arrested day after Quit India started. activists imprisoned, offices were raided etc
-gandhi saw this coming and urged Indians to become their own leaders
-riots, killings and attacks on europeans began, infrastructure needed to fight a Japanese invasion was destroyed. over 1000 died as a result of the Quit India campaign
-the worst of the campaign was over by 1942. not much success
why did Quit India start
-following Cripps mission india hardened approach to constitutional change
-gov was aware that by summer of 1942 a new civil disobedience campaign was being planned
-linlithgow planned to arrest and deport congress leadership to Uganda and Aden but governer of Aden rejected
-gandhi supported a new satyagraha deal with Japan
when was Viceroy Wavel appointed and what was the effect
-appointed as viceroy in 1943
-was a successful military man but his appointment seen as mistake as india needed a negotiator not a military man
-at the start of his term in office he went around india trying to solve disputes
-he reinstated regular meetings of India’s governors
when was the bengial famine and what was its effect
-1943-44
-famine took hold in bengal due to poor harvests, distribution failures, loss of imports to war and severe weather
-may 1943 price oh harvest had fallen by tenfold and wavell took action by diverting troops
-churchill refused to divert imports and Roosevelt refused to divert wheat from Australia
-1- 3 million died
-wavell although generally unsuccessful in his fights got 450,000 tonnes of grain by June 1944
-congress and jinnah used this for political aims, congress said they were diverting food for troops and jinnah accused British gov of incompetence
how did the failure of the 1945 Simla conerence effect indian politics
-1945, wavell travelled to London for gov meetings, Britian had millions of pounds of debt due to war india was experiencing terrorist threat-CABINET WANTED NEW CONSTITUTIONAL SETTLMENT
-he changed the waybthe executive council would be formed with heightened muslim representation and all members were to be indian apart from viceroy and commander in chief
-congress and muslim league attended but there was a deadlock on who would appoint the muslim leaders (the muslim league or congress)
what was the impact of the Second World War on British rule and indian nationalism
-british investment in india fell in 1930’s
-india was importing less from Britain as indian produced goods were cheaper
-britain paid 1.5 million a year during ww2 to modernise indian army from 1933, giving it a sense of self worth
-by 1945 British gov owed nearly 3 billion mainly to use and had the task of rebuilding itself
-arguement for Britain needing india to have power in Asia changed
-during war much of administration done by Indians as British men involved in war (most of ICS were indian in 1945)
what was labours india policynin their election post ww2
-labour had agreed in 1938 a private meeting to pass an all indian independence bill
-under tales new india committee, Lord Pethic Lawrence became Indias new secreataryand there were members like Benn
-congress made links with labour over 20th century, and personal friendships of Nehru and Cripps locked the muslim league out of labour congress axis
what did the Labour Party do to see the strength of the idea of partition in india
-1946 a small group of MP’s made a trip to india to measure the support for a separate Pakistan. some members believed portion would be necessary and investigated this in secret
what happened during the Indian elections 1946
-they were carried out amongst disorder and violence
-results polarised between muslim league and congress:
-muslim leauguw won 3/4 of muslim votes and 90 percent of muslim reserved seats
-congress dominated numerically
what was the cabinet mission 1946
- Attlee sent Cripps, india secretary and more into india to resolve constitutional issue in 1946
-instructed the mission to do anything possible to keep india united (no Pakistan but autonomous muslim states acceptable)
-the men stayed for 3 months trying to break the congress-muslim league deadlock
-congress stated his belief that congress should be given power whilst jinnah waited as he knew Pakistan would come from a decision from Britain
what happened in the Simla conference of 1946
-it was held to work through the cabinet mission proposals:
-india would be given a three tier federation
-provinces would be grouped into 3 (muslim majority, hindu majority and roughly balanced
-after a period of time groups provinces could vote to secede then a referendum
-Second proposal was simple partition
-congress wouldn’t accept either option
