WHat was the threat of the situation in SWW?
- During the SWW, there was threat of invasion.
- Axis forces (aided by Bose) were getting closer to invaded the Indian subcontinent. By 1942, they were already attacking Indian ports, ships and aircraft.
- Viceroy Lithlingow said that if there was a land-borne invasion India would be unable to do anything apart from scorched earth policy.
- The British were therefore keen to secure a settlement with the
What events happened in Britain in 1930s and 1940s that impacted
- Abdication crisis 1936
- plan for reanarnmenmt
- National government
- Loans from America
- Labour government
- Setting up of welfare state.
What happened in American during 1930s/1940
-Great Depression.
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How did the SWW impact India?
How was this relevant to Britain and India?
- During SWW there was a threat of invasion of India
- Axis forces (aided by Bose) were getting closer to invading the Indian subcontinent. By 1942, they were already attacking Indian ports, ships and aircraft.
- Viceroy Lithlingow confessed they did not have enough resources to hold out Indians on cuttack coast, so the only option was a scorched earth policy.
- British wanted to secure a settlement with the Indian people to maintain their full support in the war effort.
What was the Cripps Mission?
What did it mean and why was this unusual?
- Winston Churchill appointed Sir Stafford Cripps, to lead a delegation in India in order to secure full Indian cooperation for the war effort.
- This meant that Britain would have to offer self-determination to India which was not like Churchill who opposed independence.
When was the Cripps Mission?
What was the initial impression but what did this turn to?
- Sir Cripps arrived in New Delhi on 23rd March 1942
- There was much optimism as Cripps was a Labour Party minister, a friend of Nehru and Gandhi and liked in congress circles.
- However, the Cripps mission was doomed as he did not offer what congress wanted to hear, but what was a bargain for british gov.
What did the Cripps Mission offer?
- After the War, there would be a new constitution for India.
- In the meantime all Indian parties were invited to join an interim government of national unity which would operate until end of war.
What was the reaction to the Cripps offer?
-Gandhi was furious and suggested he should take the first flight home.
- Congress rejected first part of the bargain as they were not willing to allow people to opt out of a united India.
- They were willing to join an interim government, providing that an Indian was in charge of the defence ministry.
-Jinnah was ready to accept because the implication of a separate state would not be a problem however, he had to reject to keep Muslim league part of decision making process.
What was the outcome of the Cripps delegation?
-Cripps flew home on 12th April empty handed.
How did Britain respond to the failure of the Cripps mission?
- Lithlingow stepped up press censorships and intercepts, by a special branch of congress communications. By summer of 1942 congress was aware that new campaign of civil disobedience was being planned.
- Lithlingow proposed to arrest all congress supporters and deport them to Uganda and Gandhi to Aden.
What was the disagreement after the Cripps mission between Gandhi and Congress
- Gandhi wanted to start a quit India campaign/ satyagraha and argued that if India became free it could make peace with Japan.
- Congress disagreed and wanted to have nothing to do with Facism.
What decision did congress have to make after Cripps mission and what did they decide to do?
- On the one hand a non-cooperation campaign could have damaged relationship and future concessions from the raj
- But doing nothing would give Jinnah and Bose the upper hand.
-On 8th August 1942, Congress officially sanctioned Gandhi’s Satyagraha and his quit India campaign was launched.
What were the repercussions of the quit India campaign?
- One day after the campaign was sanctioned. Gandhi, Nehru and other congress leaders were arrested.
- In the next fortnight other congress members were arrested.
-Gandhi knew he could no longer coordinate so he told people to be their own leaders. This caused riots, killing and damaging of European property and wrecking of train stations.
1,000 died and 3,000 were injured.
-Indian soldiers still remained loyal to the Raj with only 216 soldiers going absent without leave.
Was the quit India campaign successful?
-It failed to paralyse the government even in the most militant Hindu area of Bihar.
When did Wavell become viceroy?
What actions did Wavell take when he became viceroy?
- October 1943
- He travelled 1,500km on a fact finding mission. He focused on troubled areas like Bengal, Punjab and United provinces.
- He reinstated regular meetings of the 11 governors of British India. This provided the British government with coherent advice and a unified point of view. It also made it harder for British government to dismiss views of provincial governors.
What were the consequences of the bengal famine?
- Recorded annual death rate rose from 1.2 million to 1..9 million, women and children were dying from diseases with malnutrition.
- By 1943 Price of rice had risen tenfold
- Between 1 and 3 million people died and whole villages were wiped out.
- Thousands crowded into Calcutta begging.
How did the Raj react to the bengal famine?
- Wavell took immediate action coordinate rationing and try to stop profiteering, diverting troops from war effort to do so.
- Churchill originally refused to divert British merchant shipping and Roosevelt, refused to lend American ships.
- Lord Cherwell claimed that bengal famine was a statistical invention.
- Wavell’s request for a million tons of grain throughout 1944 was met with an offer of 250,000 tons and a request for Indian rice. By June 1944, Wavell had extracted 450,000. tons from reluctant government.
Why did the Simla conference come about?
-Britain was ready to make a fresh attempt at Indian settlement, for two reasons:
- Britain was millions of pounds in debt to India for goods and services borrowed to help win the war
- Terrorist activity and unrest in India
What were the proposals that Wavell was going to bring at the Simla conference?
- Wavell proposed a change concerned about the composition of his executive council.
- This would be chosen to give a balance representation of the main communities (equal proportions of Muslims and Hindus).
-All members would be Indian with the exception of the Viceroy and the commander in chief.
When was the Simla conference?
-25 June 1945
Who attended the Simla conference?
- Congress leaders were released so they could attend.
- 21 Indian leaders travelled, including Gandhi, Jinnah, Nehru and Azad.
Why did the Simla conference fail?
How did it end?
- Reached deadlock on how Muslim members of the new executive council were to be chosen. Jinnah insisted that they will all be nominated by the Muslim league.
- Congress could not accept such a restriction, maintaining that as congress was an inclusive party, members should be able to represent congress and the Muslim league.
-On 14 July the conference was Adjourned.
What was the reaction of the Indian groups to the Bengal famine?
- Jinnah accused the British government of incompetence and irresponsibility.
- Congress blamed the crisis on the diversion of foodstuffs to British troops.
- Congress and Muslim league made political capital out of the crisis.
