Post War 1945-1947

Post War 1945-1947

1. Impact of War

   • Economy
     • Can no long afford empire
       • Keynes estimated running of Empire to cost be £1.4 billion
     • wartime debts to be paid
       • USA funded UK during warIndia had footed the bill for wages for Indian soldiers £50 million/year Overall debt to India £1.3 billion
     • reconstruction cost
       • British cities destroyed in Blitz
     • Downward trend in revenue from India exacerbated by war
   • fear unrest
     • Bombay mutinies 1946
       • 20,000 soldiers mutiny Congress stop muitny - shows their power Demonstrates to Britian that the Army cannot be trusted - never used again
     • proliferation of weapons after WWII
       • Soldiers didn't hand back weapons when demobbed
     • Morale in army very low - everone wants to just go home!
     • nationalist campaigns during war
       • INA
         • First serious armed uprising since Great Rebellion Issue of PoWs - causes anti-British feeling
       • Congress
         • Quit India  Movement - turned violent Fear of renewed call for Civil dosobedience
   • fear of civil war
     • 1940 Muslim League demand seperate state
     • Muslim League took positions from resigned Congress ministers - increased tensions
   • change of British attitude
     • 1945 elections - Atlee PM
       • Socialist - wants social reforms in Britain Wants reform in India too. Needs money - KEY FACTOR - NHS
     • Churchill voted out

2. Cabinet Mission

   • Offers
     • choice between: Federal System - minimal input from the national govt - majority of power to rest with the provinical/state govts. After an unspecified time states could choose to break away (secede) OR  Seperate states
     • Britain hope to make the first offer a compromise both sides could accept
       • Rejected by both ML and Congress
   • May Statement
     • Rejected by Congress but accepted by ML Reinterpreted by Congress - British allow this ML reject - DAD
     • States first option will be used as basis for indpendence despite no agreement
   • Key People
     • Sir Stafford Cripps
       • Determined to succeed having failed in 1942 Very close to Gandhi and Congress - led to antagonism between groups.
     • Pethick Lawrence
       • a 'yes' man - nickname 'pathetic Lawrence'.  Tried to say yes to everything.  Rubbish negotiator.

3. Direct Action Day

   • Caused by failure of Cab Miss
   • National Hartal - Peaceful mass movement
     • Jinnah wants to show power of ML
     • Everywhere except Calcutta the movement is peaceful
   • Calcutta Killings
     • 6,000 dead 20,000 wounded 100,000 homeless
     • hartal quickly descends into violence
       • Violence spreads across the North of India - rioting and disruption continue until independence
     • Hindus, Mulsims, British all bear some responsibility
     • Majority of worst violence caused by gang warfare - movement hijacked by criminal underworld
     • Seen (by some) as point of no return for united India
     • Damages Jinnah's reputation

4. Mountbatten

   • Close relationship with Nehru
     • Leads to friction with ML and JInnah in particular
     • Simla Moment
       • Mountbatten shows Nehru his plans for independence - changes them when Nehru doesn't like them.
   • Very bad relationship with Jinnah
   • Given job largely due to royal connections
     • Atlee wants to cover the end of empire with a little royal glamour
   • Plan Balkan
     • Rubbish Plan - would never be accepted by Congress - could potentially have led to the complete break up of the sub continent   see Simla moment
   • Menon Plan
     • Drafted in 3hrs - had to be checked by Nehru! based on May Statement gave very little time to carry out partition planning
     • 2 state solution
     • Possible after Congress decided to accept partition in March 1947

5. Interim Govt

   • Viceroy/Governor Gen of Exce Council - Wavell Nehru - Vice President (in control of foreign affairs) Patel - Home Affairs (security/law/secret services etc) Ali Khan - Muslim rep on Exec Council Jinnah - finance minister
   • Stepping stone to independent govt.
   • Seen by Patrick French as more significant than independence
   • Splits when partition is decided upon

6. Independence/partition

   • 14/15th August 1947
   • Huge amounts of migration and violence approx 1million dead