history 12 ms leslie decolonization of india. 1. britain and france bankrupt after wwi. 2. colonial...
TRANSCRIPT
1. Britain and France bankrupt after WWI. 2. Colonial subjects do not was things to
return to how they were. 3. New super-powers were ideologically
opposed to the concept of empires
India is a colony of Britain for 200 years Provides Britain with cotton The Indian Civil Service was the most
desirable of all foreign service postings. Britain provided education for the middle
class Majority are Hindu with a large minority
of Muslims - A Sikh population as well
Formed in 1885 Gandhi’s
political party Want
independence for India
Britain does not think they are able to govern themselves
When Gandhi was leaer it was refered to as the ‘congress party’
Jawaharlal Nehru was his right hand man - Takes over when Gandhi Died
Both believed in a united, free India with Muslims
Not everyone in the Congress Party agreed - Some did not want to share with the Muslims
he opposed western industrialization – it brings misery
Satyagraha Concerned with the
poverty of the peasants Wanted to abolish the
caste system – help the untouchables
People in the lowest caste Jobs: butcher, removal of rubbish, manual
labourers, cleaning latrines and sewers. segregated, and banned from full
participation in Hindu social life. could not enter a temple or a school,
The Muslim League
Political Party founded in 1906 Lead by Muhammad Ali Jinnah By the 1930’s they were calling for a
separate Muslim state of Pakistan In direct opposition of Gandhi’s goals
Indian contribution made nationalism stronger
Woodrow Wilson’s talk of self-determination and Lenin’s views on national self-determination provided ample encouragement.
1917 promised self-government in the future
Churchill opposed to this
After WWI
1919 Created a dyarchy Created 11 provinces in India More government control provincially but
not federally Provincial = Indian controlled - Health,
Education and agricuture Federal = British = Finance, Law and
Order Promise to consider more concessions in
10 years
Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
April 13, 1919, in the Punjab Province, 5 Europeans were killed in riots.
General Dyer, commanding the security forces in the area resorted to lethal force in trying to disperse an unarmed crowd of 5,000.
The machine gun fire killed 379 Indians and wounded 1,000
Dyer is forced to retire over this.
Amritsar Massacre
Gandhi organized peaceful protest
Sit down strikes Non-payment of
taxes Boycotts non-co-operation
Other Indians are more violent
The Simon Commission in 1928 recommended self government for the Provinces.
The Congress wanted dominion status to be on par with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
March 12, 1930 – Salt march begins.
He goes to the sea with 80 people to make salt illegally.
The Costal people follow his example.
60,000 Indians are imprisoned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCvuo_NZcjo&feature=related
Gandhi, recently released from jail, led his famed march to the sea to produce salt – in violation of the law.
Gandhi returned to jail where he goes on a hunger strike to protest the treatment of the untouchables.
London Congress not present as
they’re in jail Gandhi shows up for the
last one, in traditional dress
Churchill calls him “this malignant and subversive fanatic.”
Nothing comes of the conferences and Muslims and Hindus can’t agree on government
Gave full control of 11 provinces to Indians
Britain and India to share Federal powers Only Defense and Foreign affairs was to
remain in British hands. Yet, once again Congress Party was
unsatisfied. The Princes who continued to rule their
own states within India also refused to co-operate.
Government of India Act - 1935
Though Congress desired a united India (dominated by a Hindu majority), Jinnah and his Muslims sough a separate Pakistan.
In a region where Muslim and Hindus had intermingled under the British a division could be easily managed.
1937 provincial elections had the Congress party dominating in 6 provinces, The Muslim League in 2, the other 3 were undecided
India’s struggle for independence was put on hold during WWII
1 million Indians fought for Britain
Gandhi supported as he thought it would help Britain give independence
Britain responded with the Defense of India Act and the Rowlatt Act which made independence movements illegal.
WWII
India was put into WWII by Viceroy Linlithgrow without approval from domestic political leaders.
Britain is distracted by the war to pay any attention to India
By 1942 Britain is forced to consider independence
Congress leaders and thrown in jail for speaking against the British
As the Congress leaders re-emerged from jail, negotiations were opened again, but Congress leaders found that the Muslim League had now established themselves in important political positions in several provinces.
The struggle between the two parties intensified.
Gandhi was opposed to the very concept of division.
Nehru found it distasteful, but accepted the political necessity.
Jinnah would consider nothing else.
Struggle between the Muslim minority and the Hindu majority
Britain turned heir back on India and instructs Viceroy Mountbatten to prepare India for Independence
India to divide into 2 – India for Hindus and Sikhs and Pakistan (East and West) for Muslims.
Gandhi against this.
After WWII
With the formation of an interim government under Nehru in 1946 (included 2 Muslims), violence broke out.
Jinnah inflamed the situation, calling for ‘direct action’ to ensure the formation of Pakistan.
5,000 people were killed in Calcutta, and the troubles spread to Bengal.
Muslims killed Hindus, who retaliated and were in turn retaliated against.
The British announced, in early 1947, that the British would withdraw no later than June 1948.
Viceroy Mountbatten was now well aware that partition was the only thing that could prevent civil war.
Fearing that delay would only foster greater violence, Mountbatten shortened the length of time before independence, settling on August 1947 – Gandhi opposed, but most of the Congress Agreed
the problem of how to divide the intermixed religious groups was a nightmare.
Hindu and Muslim minorities existed in practically all parts of the sub-continent.
The majority Muslim areas were furthermore located in two sections, more that 2,000 miles apart.
The Punjab and Bengal, with mixed populations, had to be divided.
Millions of people were stranded on the wrong side of the boundary.
10 million flee Pakistan. Violent clashes occurred and horrendous
slaughter took place. In the Punjab about ¼ million people
were killed. About 1 million die in Bengal. Gandhi is able to stop the violence by
going a hunger strike.
It was not until the end of 1947 that the violence began to die down
it was the assassination of Gandhi (by a Hindu fanatic) in 1948 during a second hunger strike against violence that brought the terrible cost of the violence home to all.
The Indian Civil Service, one of the finest organization of its kind anywhere, was split in two. 80% when to India and 20% to Pakistan.
So too was the Indian army Officers and men were given the choice
of which successor state they would serve.
All assets – cash and material goods – along with India’s national debt, were divided between the two
Some Muslims even called for the Taj Mahal to be dismantled and shipped to Pakistan, since a Muslim ruler had constructed it.
No consideration given to Sikhs
o In 1962 India fought a border conflict with China
In 1965 war broke out between the two states. Border clashes escalated into full scale war. With China threatening India on its northern borders, India was unable to press the full weight of its superior military strength against Pakistan. Eventually the USSR helped arranged a peace based on a return to the status quo.
In 1971 Pakistan was divided by civil war. East Pakistani opposition to the political
dominance to the West encouraged a call for separation.
The ravaged of a disastrous cyclone and tidal wave increased the misery.
India intervened, launching an invasion of East Pakistan in December, 1971, winning easily to make Bangladeshi independence a reality.