World War Two and Negotiations for Independence

Bose and the Indian National Army

• Recruited about 20,000 Indian POWs

to join army to fight against British with Japanese

• Very popular in India

• A violent strand of Indian nationalism

Cripps Mission and “Quit India”

• British desperate for Indian support

• Sent Stafford Cripps to rally support in exchange for post-war dominion status

• Talks ended in failure

• 1942: Gandhi called for “Quit India campaign

• INC leaders immediately arrested, rehabilitating image

• Less disciplined, more violent campaign

• British and INC at a standoff

Simla Conference (June 1945)

• Viceroy Wavell convened nationalist leaders at Simla

• INC leaders freed from jail so they could attend

• Jinnah refused to recognize INC’s Muslim representative, Azad

• Ended in failure

1946 Elections

• Great ML improvement, interpreted as vote for Pakistan

• Congress also did well, maintained position that India should remain united

• British now eager to negotiate settlement that would allow decolonization

1946 Cabinet Mission and Second Simla Conference

• Members of British Cabinet sent to attempt to negotiate for unified India

• Proposed loose federal structure with weak center, largely autonomous provinces

• INC first approved, then rejected the plan

• Jinnah denounced INC “bad faith,” announced “bid goodbye to constitutional methods”

• ML declared “Direct Action Day” on Aug 16, 1946 (Great Calcutta Killing): 5000 dead

Endgame of Empire

• Mar 1947: new viceroy, Lord Mountbatten and June 1948 date for withdrawal

• Shortly thereafter, Mountbatten concluded partition was inevitable

• Discussion of partition plan began

• May 1947: Mountbatten announced Aug 15 deadline

The Radcliffe Boundary Commission

• Only in June 1947 did discussion of territorial issues begin

• Composed of equal number of ML and INC representatives

• One commission for Punjab, one for Bengal

• Chaired by British lawyer Cyril Radcliffe

• Commission met and deliberated in July and early August

• Boundary decision delivered August 12

• Controversy over last-minute alterations

• Decision released on Aug 16

Significance of Boundary Commission

• Poorly planned and hastily implemented

• Executed in large part with British interests in mind

• Provided a legal façade

• Provided a veneer of objectivity

• Took little account of interests of people on the ground

Independence

• Nehru speech (Aug 14, 1947):

“Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”

• Jinnah speech (Aug 11, 1947):

“You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”

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