The First World War and its impact on British India 1914-20 Flashcards
How did India react to the First World War?
Instant declaration of loyalty (from all sections of Indian society; Congress, the Muslim League and the princely states) and made the largest contribution to the war effort from the British Empire
When was Indias involvement in Mesopotamia?
1915
Why was the British reluctant to go to war with Mesopotamia?
Reluctant to go against the Islamic empire due to the possible reaction in India
What occurred at Mesopotamia?
- 13,000 besieged
- Forced to surrender
How many sepoys were deployed?
210,000
How many Indian soldiers fought in the First World War?
827,000
How many princely states put their armies at the disposal of Britain?
27
How many Indians died (sacrificed) during the war?
64,500
Why did many Indians join the war? (2)
- For most Indian soldiers going to war was part of their well-established ancestral tradition of obligation to whoever was the emperor (cited in many letters sent home)
- Few claimed to be fighting for India
How much of the Nueve Chapelle (1915) did India supply?
Half
The level of contribution and sacrifice dwarfed all other imperial contributions to the war effort
…
How did the British government pay for the war economy?
Borrowed $4 billion from the USA (interest amounted to 40% of government expenditure)
How did most ordinary people in India feel the effects of the war? (3)
- Increased taxation
- Shortages of fuel
- Rising prices
How much did prices of food grains rise by?
93%
How much did Indian made goods rise by?
60%
How much did imported goods rise by?
190%
How much did the cost of food rise by?
67%
Who were the main consumer of cotton?
Japan and the USA
How was the economic situation exacerbated?
Failure of the monsoon rains to arrive in 1918-1919
How did WW1 affect shareholders?
Dividend rocketed
To what did cloth mills dividends jump from?
1914 - 6%
1917 - over 30%
To what did the employment of the Indian Tata Iron and Steel Company employment increase to?
1907 - 7,000
1923 - 30,000
Enabled it to increase output a hundredfold
How was the economic activity weakened?
Spanish influenza (killing 12.5million)
By the end of the war, what had Indian revenues contributed to the Allied war effort?
£146 million
What did the presence of so many Indians fighting alongside British strengthen the argument for?
Indians should be given a greater say in Indian affairs.
