Topic 4: Withdrawal and Partition Flashcards
1942-47
Cripps mission intention and date
Arrives on the 26th March 1942
To convince the INC and India to join the war effort
Cripps mission context
Allies were losing in the war
- Dunkirk
- Blitz
- Battle of Atlantic
Japanese invaded the Andaman islands in the Bay of Bengal
British had begun to evacuate parts of Burma (Rangoon)
Coalition government due to wartime and Churchill need to get rid of the Labour Deputy PM, as well as rally support for the war
Terms of the Cripps mission
Offered an interim government to get the INC back in power since the Final Resignation day
Also offered Dominion status after the war ended
Counter offer for the Cripps mission
Said they would join the war if they were given control over defense, which was predictably declined
Why was WW2 so much worse for India than WW1
Japan advanced into Burma in January 1942, reaching Indian borders in May
Gandhi was ignorant of Japanese capability
Why was the Cripps mission doomed to fail
Churchill had no intention of giving India freedom, and therefore gave Cripps no flexibility to negotiate. Linlithgow was not informed of the plan beforehand. Neither Jinnah nor the INC were going to accept the proposal
Quit India speech
8th August 1942
Gandhi does not condemn violence or remind his followers of ahimsa. The goal was to make India ungovernable and to make Britain weigh up the costs of maintaining control
‘We shall either free India or die in the attempt’
Linlithgow arrested Gandhi the following morning, staying in prison for the remainder of the war
Quit India to the INC
Announced to the CWC in July
Nehru advised against
Quit India campaign
Despite being imprisoned, Gandhi’s speech riled up Indians across the country, leading to two weeks of hartals
Two Canadian RAF pilots were dragged from a train and murdered by a mob in Bihar
208 police stations burned
750 government buildings
250 railways
50 post offices
2,500 died (widely debated)
100,000 arrested
Impact and importance of the Quit India campaign
Achieved nothing but weakened the British, who had to send 50 battalions to restore order. RAF was also used to disperse mobs, killing civillians
Not everyone in the INC supported this
When was the Bengal Famine
1943-44
How many people died in the Bengal Famine and why
1-3.8 million, although in rural areas this was underreported
Burma had been occupied by the Japanese since May 1942, and had previously been the main supplier of rice
Who did the INC and Jinnah blame for the Bengal famine
Jinnah blamed British incompetence and irresponsibility. The majority of Bengal was of Muslim population
INC blamed it on the diversion of food to British troops
Impact of Bengal Famine
Forced Churchill to appoint Wavell as Viceroy instead
He diverted food from Australia and sourced food from other provinces
When was the Simla Conference and why was the date significant
25 June 1945-14th July
Just before the UK General Election, held on the 5th of July (delayed result until the 26th)
What was the purpose of the Simla Conference
Wavell asked Churchill how the transfer of power would take place after the war, and whether there would be an interim government
Who attended the Simla Conference
An executive council
Released INC leaders so they could attend
ML leaders
What happened at the Simla Conference
Reached a deadlock on the issue of selecting Muslim representatives
Jinnah insisted that they should be nominated by the ML, but the INC clung to the idea that they could represent them too
Wavell adjourned the meeting on the 14th July
When did Attlee become PM
26th July 1945
India Committee
Formed by Attlee 20 August, headed by Stafford Cripps. The Committee’s purpose was to create and implement British policy that would lead to an independent India
Ordered to avoid partition at all costs
Why did Attlee oppose partition
Wanted to retain trade opportunities, specifically with the Middle East
Would complicate partition, and would be very risky with border debates
Wanted to prioritise freeing India so he could focus on the rebuilding of post-war Britain
Why was the Labour government bad for Jinnah
Cripps had connections with Nehru and Gandhi, and so clearly favoured the Hindus. ‘Labour-Congress Axis’
Jinnah felt that the British government was anti-Muslim.
All his devotion to the Raj had been pointless due to the change in government
When was the Cabinet Mission
March 1946
Who was in the Cabinet Mission
Frederick Pethick-Lawrence (SoS)
Stafford Cripps
A.V. Alexander (1st Lord of the Admiralty)
What was the goal of the Cabinet Mission
To maintain a united India at all costs throughout independence
Was open to the idea of Muslim dominated states within the united country
Offered provincial autonomy instead of a separate state
When was the 2nd Simla Conference
May 1946
Who attended the 2nd Simla Conference
Abul Azad (Head of the INC, Muslim)
Nehru and Gandhi
Jinnah
Princes
Cabinet Mission
What were the two proposals made at the 2nd Simla Conference
An All India Union
- A Hindu heartland with Muslim provinces throughout
- Muslim control of Punjab and Bengal
- A secession clause after 10 years
Fallback plan: immediate partition
- Pakistan and Hindustan
Responses to the offers from the 2nd Simla Conference
Jinnah accepted the All India Union, while the INC thought too much power would be given to the Muslims
Jinnah was willing to negotiate on the immediate partition idea but the INC immediately rejected it
What and when was the May statement
20 May 1946
The British making the decision for them because they couldn’t decide
What did the Hindus do with Cripps
Went behind Jinnah’s back and agreed to the All-India union if the secession clause would be removed, which Cripps agrees to
10th July
How was Jinnah treated at the second Simla Conference
Had to organise his own transport and place to stay while Abul Azad was welcomed into the Viceroy’s guest house
Wavell’s journal confirms this: ‘Congress’ insincere acceptance of the proposal on May 16th’
When was Jinnah’s speech
29th July 1946
‘We have exhausted all reason’
‘Now we bid goodbye to constitutional methods’
Day of Direct Action
16 August 1946
Jinnah urged all Muslims to prepare for a day of direct action
Police in Calcutta were ordered to take a day off, yet the conflict lasted a week
7,500 killed, 20,000 wounded
Why did Jinnah declare direct action
Had cooperated until now
Unfair treatment at the second Simla conference
‘Divided India or a destroyed India’
Was dying of tuberculosis
When was the interim government formed and how were constituent members chosen
September 1946
Nehru was PM
The Viceroy selected the constituent members
When did Communal violence break out in Punjab and Bombay
October 1946
When did Wavell begin the evacuation plan
October 1946
1946 General Election
1585 seats available
- INC won 923 with 58% of the vote
- ML won 425 with 27% of the vote
Showed that the INC did not have a strong enough mandate, heavily implying the need for partition
Also showed the impact of Jinnah’s goal of Pakistan
How did Wavell respond to the 1946 general election
Encouraged Jinnah to work with Nehru on the Executive council, but he refused
Why was Wavell replaced
He feared a civil war and Attlee didn’t trust Wavell’s ability to prevent this, so he appointed Mountbatten instead in February 1947
How long was Mountbatten given to complete freeing India
Until 30th June 1948
Mountbatten’s Charm Offensive
From February 1947
Easily pleased Patel and the INC
Doesn’t work on Jinnah, who offers an ultimatum, threatening consequences if not for Pakistan
When did Mountbatten relay to Attlee that partition was inevitable
March 1947
Explained that he ‘could not crack Jinnah’
Had to then go and explain to Nehru, saying that Pakistan was expected to fail anyway
When and what was the Balkan plan
April 1947
For each province to decide their own fate, though this was soon rejected due to its high level of risk
Menon Plan
Devised by V.P. Menon
Creating two separate states
Boundary Commission
Headed by Sir Cyril Radcliffe
Had equal representation for the religions
Given 5 weeks to complete the drawing of the lines
Relied on maps and charts because of the time frame and the climate
Ferozepore
Industrial city with both Muslims and Hindus
Nehru convinced Mountbatten to add it to India (had connections)
Punjab
Completely split
12m moved
4.7m Hindus and Sikhs going East
6.5m Muslims going West
500.000 Muslims died going into Pakistan
Sikhs’ role in partition
Leader Tara Singh blamed Muslims for the split of Punjab, and so committed retributive genocide
Fate of the Princely states
Told to join whichever was closest
Were promised protection and freedom
Fought wars but ultimately lost
Hyderabad fought India, Kalat fought Pakistan
How many people were on the wrong side of the border
10-15m
1m died
British response to partition
Had evacuated most of the armed forces and Civil service
Those who remained were ordered to only protect European lives
When was Pakistan declared independent
14th August 1947
When was India declared independent
15th August 1947
