1945-1947. Economics DEBT - £2,730 million Reconstruction needed huge resources The End of lend-lease one week after the end of the war with Japan.

The Ending of the Raj1945-1947

Economics DEBT - £2,730 million Reconstruction needed huge resources The End of lend-lease one week after the

end of the war with Japan. Falling exports to India Britain in debt to India

Why was UK govt ready to grant independence after the war?

Shifting Loyalties By 1945 2 ½ m Indian men had joined the

army with over 15,000 Indian Officers Loyal to “India” 429 British but 510 Indian civil service

officers Continued unrest in India

Why was UK govt ready to grant independence after the war?

26 July 1945 Labour party –won with 393 seats Nehru was jubilant. Clement Atlee was pro United Nations and

pro Independence. Strong friendship between Cripps and

Nehru. Muslim suspicion.

General Election

British Cabinet decided that elections should be held throughout India.

Choose Representatives to Constituent Assembly.

Pave the way for negotiations

Cabinet India’s Committee

Muslim League won all 30 seats on Assembly for Muslims.

Congress won 90% of general seats. The Pattern was reproduced in the regions. Background of violence, 7 million Indians

being decommissioned, INA officers being court marshalled.

Results

Sent a 3 man committee into the mess. Lord Pethick –Lawrence (Peer with liberal

views) Cripps (President of Board of Trade) A Alexander (First Lord of Admiralty) Solve the problem but keep India united Stayed three months

Attlee’s Mission

May 1946 4 from Congress and League Proposals: 1. All India Union

a) Defence, foreign policy and internal communications

b) Governed by executive and legislature.c) Provincial Govts – Hindu Heartlands, Muslim

Northwest, Bengal/Assam – balanced.

The Second Simla Conference

League accepted – believed separate Pakistan was inherent.

Congress accepted – best interests Nehru as President.

The Response

Mission returned to London Nehru made speech Congress when in charge of the Union

would act as it pleased. Jinnah horrified. Rejected the agreement. Called for direct action on 16 August.

Nehru

72 hours Over 5000 dead. 20,000 seriously injured

and 100,000 homeless. Uncontrollable violence. Nehru sworn in as PM and Jinnah finally

persuaded to join the govt.

16 August

Removed Wavell Appointed Lord Mounbatten Feb 1947 – Attlee set a deadline for 30 June

1948 The race was on.

The British

Get Congress and League to agree Leave power to existing bodies To get out of India Mountbatten wanted to do it in a blaze of

good publicity. Charm offensive Worked well with Gandhi, Nehru and

Congress Jinnah - frosty.

Lord Mountbatten

Riots in Delhi, Amritsar and Lahore Gandhi in despair Went on one of his walks – failed and now

out of time and touch. The race was still on

1947

To allows the Indian states and provinces to decide their own future.

Good Idea? Mountbatten unofficially and improperly told

Nehru. Nehru – “balkanisation of India; to provoke

civil conflict and to add to violence and disorder”

Mountbatten had to start again!

The Plan

Drawn up quickly due to mass riots in the Northwest, collapsing law and order as it was clear that Britain was leaving.

Army and Civil Service could not keep control.

Jinnah in a rush as he was dying. Menon Plan Two states India and Pakistan

The Final Plan

Auchinleck given four weeks to divide army which he reckoned should take 5 years.

Boundary commission drew up the lines in 5 weeks.

Divide up police, civil service revenue and infrastructure

Assets – 82.5% to India and 17.5% to Pakistan.

The Rush

Many leaks, esp to Nehru who applied pressure on the Commission.

The Princes – had been very loyal and now terrified.

Mountbatten pressured them into signing upto India or Pakistan

Their own death warrant.

Boundary Commission

The Map

Millions of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were terrified.

Muslims went west, Hindus and Sikhs went East

10 million moved 1 million died in the violence. Only 50,000 troops despatched. Could do nothing – Mountbatten believed.

The Carnage

Indian Independence with Nehru as leader Jinnah first Governor General of Pakistan.

14 August 1947