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The current conflict dates from the independence of India after World War II. Lord Mountbatten was sent to India by Britain's post-War Labour Government to be the last Viceroy and oversee independence. His wife Edwina played an important role in partnership with her husband, a rather complicated relationship. India's independence was achieved by the Congress Party. Ghandi through the Congress Party had promoted the idea of a secular Indian state in which people of all faiths could live harmoniously. Muslims were an important part of the Congress Party coalition. Here both Ghandi and Nehru played central roles. The two admired each other and were close friends, but did not agree on many issues. In the negotiations over independence, Muslim leader Jenna decided that Muslims needed a separate state--Pakistan. Britain granted India independence August 15, 1947 and two states were creates--Undia and Pakistan. Inter-communal rioting in 1947 resulted in hundred of thousands of deaths if not more than a million. There was no accurte accounting. Muslims fled from India and Hindus from Pakistan--one of the largest migrations in history. Thousands more died in violence as these collumns foraged or food and were set upom by villagers also inflamed by religious and national zealotry. The two collumns also fought with each other. The British have been criticised for leaving India before key aspects of independence, such as the facr of the princely states had been finalized. At the time, however, the Indians were pressing for independence.
The Indian struggle for independence began in earest after World War I (1914-18). Mahatma Gahandi inspired the Indian people in an unorthodox independence movement led by the Congress Party. Congress included both Muslim and Hindu leaders. Largely through Ghandi's influence it was a non-violent movement. The independence movement led by Mahatma Ghandi and the Congress Party gained considerable strength during the 1920s and 30s.
The Indian National Congress is commonly reffered to as the Congress Party or just Congress. The Party was founded by A. O. Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji and Sir Dinshaw Edulji Wacha (1885). It became the leading force in the Indian independence movement. It has been estimated that over 15 million Indians were active members and more than 70 million participated in the Congress organized independence struggle. India's independence was esentially achieved by the Congress Party as it was achieved with remarkavly little violence. As a result of this achievement, Congress dominated Indian politics for decades. Independence along was a major achievement. But Congress should also be credited for acceepting the British heritage of democracy and law and making it a central element of modern India. This was no small achievement in a country as large and diverse as India. This was a rare achievement in the new nations that achieved independence after World War II. Congress was for three decades India's dominant political party. Congress' dominance of Indian politics ended (1967), although iy continues to be a major political force. Perhaps Congress' most important, Congress tolerated the transition to an opposition party when finally lost an election. [Robinson and Brass] Thus India to date is the world's largest democracy with a vibrant, competitive party system."
Mohandas Ghandi through the Congress Party had promoted the idea of a secular Indian state in which people of all faiths could live harmoniously. Muslims were an important part of the Congress Party coalition. Ghandi promoted non-violent methods to achieve independence. Ghandi is undoiubtedly one of the great figures of the 20th century. His influence was a major factor in the indeopendence movement not becoming violent and eventually descending in the bloodbath and dictatorship that often followed violent revolution. Both Ghandi and Nehru were educated in Britain. The very Anglicized Ghandi attempted to practice law in South Africa, but eventually retuned to India where he plunged into an asecticism that Nehru and other Gongress leaders did not share. What Ghandi and Nethru did share was a cimmitment to democracy abd law as well as socialism. The democract and law is proving to be the great strength of modern India. The socialism criplled the Indian econony for decades. Not all of Congress was as commiited to non-violence, but Ghandi had imense prestige with bothbthe Indian people and much of Congress' leadership. Here both Ghandi and Nehru played central roles. The two admired each other and were close friends, but did not agree on many issues. The main Muslim leader was Mohammad Ali Jenna.
Britain had begun to move India toward self rule. It was formula persued in Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka). This was not independence and fell short of what Congress wanted. This process of self rule derailed by World War II. Congress refused to support the British war effort and major Congress leaders were arrested anf interned.
The British by 1939 were having increasing difficulties governing India. The Congress Party while refusing to support the War efort, decided not to actively oppose Britain or to take advantage of British defeats in the early stages of the War. Some Indian POWs taken by the Japanese were recruited by anti-British nationalists and formed the Free Indian Army. Under Subhashchandra Bose, they fought alongside the Japanese in Burma. Overall, India played an important part in the Allied war effort. Indian units fought with other British Empire forces in both the Pacific and European theaters. About 2.5 million Indians (including modern Pakistan) were mobilized. Some Indian units played important roles in the early stages of the War before Britain had fully mobilized and American joined the War. The Fifth Indian Division ngaged the Italians in the Sudan ans subsequently the Germans in the western Desert. The Indians played a major role in quelling a pro-NAZI revolt in Iraq. A successful revolt would have cut the British off from the Iraqi oil fields whigh would have undermined the naval and land defenses of Egypt and the Suez Canal. the Division along with eight other Indian Divisions fought in Burma. After the Japanese surrender, the Indian forces then disarmed the Japanese forces in Malayia and Java. India provided important bases for the recinquest of Burma and delivering supplied to the Chinese. India also was a source of food and other supplies for British and Commonwealth forces as well as the British homefront.
Prime Minister Churchill believed in the Empire and was opposed to Indian independence. He was willing to persue self rule, but wanted to retain India in the Empire. This could have resulted in a vilolentvstruggle for independence after the War. The issue, however, was resolved by the British people. After VE Day the British held a general election. Churchill who had participated in the openong phase of the Potsdam Conference flew home to add his voice to the election debate. The result came as a great shock. The British people who had endured enormous privation during the War wanted change. And the result was a stunning election victory for the Labour Party. The election was not a repudisation of Churchill's war leadership. It was a vote for the future. The British decided that Labour's vision of a a more just, less class-based system was what they wanted for the future. Major important changes such as in education and health care came out of the new Labour government. Other measures such as nationalization of key industries probably hurt Britin for decades to come. Churchill was shocked. Clemme told him that it could have been the best thing that could have happened for him. She was probably right. The new British primeminister was Clemet Atlle. One of the changes introduced by Labour was in the British Empire. Atlee and Labour did not share Churchill's attachment to the Empire. They decided to move rapidly with Indian independence.
Lord Louis Mountbatten after completing his military duties in Southeast Asia was sent to India by Britain's post-War Labour Government to be the last Viceroy and oversee independence. His wife Edwina played an important role in partnership with her husband, a rather complicated relationship. Edwina is an historical figure almost as interesting as her husband. Mountbatten was as English as one could imagine, but was in fact born a German prince. His father came to England as a youth because he wanted to be in the Navy. He rose to First Sea Lord when World War I broke out. He was firced to resign with the growth of anti-German sentiment. The family name was changed from Battenberg to Mountbatten and they lost their princely status. He was close to the Prince of Wales (future Edward VIII) and accompanied him on his Empire tour after World War I. (Edward's brither was dissapointed not to go.) He married Edwina Ashley who was both fabulosly rich and considerable social standing. The two had a complex relationship including multiple affairs. He followed his father into the Royal Navy and had a notable World war II record. He was the perfect choice for viceroy and Edwina added considerably to his success. Mounbatten reveled in the various uniforms he could wear. Edwina on the other hand plunged into charitable efforts in which she could dress down. Their activities soon brought them in close contact with both Ghandi and Nehru. The personal relationship that developed proved instrumental in the ensuing negotiations for independence. The relationship between Edwina and Nehru is widely believed to have become intimate. [Von Tunzelmann]
With Britain's Labour Goverment conceding independence, the negotiations that ensued were largely neotiations among the Indians and not with the British about the shape of independent India. Mountbatten's role became orimarily one of a moderator and facilitator in the negotiations. In the negotiations over independence, Muslim leader Jenna decided that Muslims needed a separate state--Pakistan.
Britain granted India independence August 15, 1947 and two states were creates--India and Pakistan. The British have been criticised for leaving India before key aspects of independence, such as the facr of the princely states had been finalized. At the time, however, the Indians were pressing for independence.
Inter-communal rioting in 1947 resulted in hundred of thousands of deaths if not more than a million. There was no accurte accounting. Muslims fled from India and Hindus from Pakistan--one of the largest migrations in history. Thousands more died in violence as these collumns foraged or food and were set upom by villagers also inflamed by religious and national zealotry. The two collumns also fought with each other.
Te Raj included colonial India was composed of 565 separate states. At the time of independence there was no agreement as to which country each princly state would join.
The formula agreed to by Congress and the British was that the aristocratic rulers were allowed to chose whether to join India or Pakistan. It was assumed that their choice would be goverened by both geogrphy and the religion of the majority of the population.
Obviously a pribcipality in the middle of India with a majority Indian popiulation would join India and prinipalities in Pakistan with a majority Muslim population would join Pakistan. This formulae worked well, although some of the Maharajas wee reluctant to give up their power and perogatives.
Robinson, Francis, and Paul R. Brass. The Indian National Congress and Indian Society, 1885-1985: Ideology, Social Structure, and Political Dominance (New Delhi: Chanakya Press, 1987). 480p.
Von Tunzelmann, Alex. Indian Summer: The Secret Historyof the End of an Empire (Henry Holt, 2007), 401p.
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