India: Gandhi and the Road to Independence

INDIA IN THE
FIRST HALF
OF THE 20TH
CENTURY:
from imperial
gem to
independence
and partition

References:
 Text: pp 238 - 241
 Handbook: pp 61 - 62
 Handout (old text - Howarth): pp 71 - 72,

202 - 204, (295 - 298: 1947-1990)
Amritsar, 1919
Muslim League
Indian National Congress
Salt March, 1930
Home Spun
Hartal

Partition, 1947
Civil Disobedience
Satyagraha
Gov of India Act, 1935

Initial Organizers (so what?)
 India was the “most truly bright and precious

jewel” in the Empire’s crown.
 For the essayist, one of two examples of a
pacifistic revolution in the 20th century
(in contrast to violent revolutions).
 Example of a charismatic leader who gained
attention on the world stage and brought political
pressure to bear.
 Shows the contrast between British and French
post-war policies towards their colonies.

Mohandas “Mahatma”Gandhi
 Born in India
 Educated in England

 Practiced law in South Africa
Ambulance worker
during the Boer War,
1898
Civil disobedience in opposition to Brit
indentured labour laws = success

400 Years of Colonial Rule
 British East India Co. (Eliz. I) 1600
 Indian War of Indep. (Indian Mutiny) 1857-58 -

the Raj comes out on top

 British xenophobia from 1850s on.

(the Congress Party)

 Formed by middle class Indians in 1885
 Nationalist
 Hindu-dominated, but

 Large Muslim minority
 Used non-violent resistance (satyagraha)
 Disobey laws
 Don’t pay taxes
 Strikes
 Fasts

hartal

 Gatherings/demonstrations/marches

1919…
 Large numbers of Indians sent overseas w/o
consultation.
 1919 Indians call for Home Rule (inside of the British
Empire - ie. British system not seen as all bad).
 1919 Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms = dyarchy (p 61,
Handbook)
BUT 3 EVENTS CLOUDED INDIAN GOODWILL:
 Rowlatt Acts 1919 Indians rights suspended = no Habeas

Corpus (right to go before a judge with a charge).
 Emergence of Gandhi who sees constitutional challenge
useless.
 And Amritsar Massacre – more on that in a minute

So…

1919…
Congress Party calls for “Hartal”

= non-violent boycott of all Raj-sponsored
institutions (including the army) and
goods/services (especially clothing).
However…rioting showed Indians not

ready, so hartal ends. But…

1919…
 2 Congress Party leaders are arrested and taken

to unknown place.
 Protest in Amritsar, Punjab.

machine gun

Reaction in India and Britain is
swift:
 Churchill condemns General Dyer in the

Commons.
 A few years of periodic revolts/violence in
India follows in spite of Gandhi’s call for
Muslims and Hindus to unite in
satyagraha.
 Call for Hindu-Muslim unity + Gandhi calls
for all to reject the caste system that
divides - ex. He called the Untouchables
Harijans: “Children of God.”
 Some very bloody events…..

Reaction, cont.
 Gandhi said Indians must not fight back,

even if beaten by police.
 1922 15 Indian policemen hacked up after
rough arrests - tensions boil over.
 Gandhi 21 day fast unto death nationalists stop to save Gandhi!
 Gandhi still jailed for sedition even though
he single-handedly stopped anarchistic
revolt.

Flag of Indian independence:
1920s Non-Cooperation Movement

Still within the Empire?

On Feb 15
the Congress
Working
Committee
authorized
civil
disobedience
“as and when
they desire
and to the
extent they
see fit.”

12 March - 6 April: Every day there were
speeches as he made his way to the ocean:

“Every day people tell me, ‘Today
you will certainly be arrested.’
However, the tiger does not
appear!”

“In all humility but in perfect truth I claim that if
we attain our end through non-violent means
India will have delivered a message to the world.

ARRESTS: the march was not
obstructed but…
• 6 April: Gandhi’s ceremonial harvest on
beach at Dandi.
• 13 April: Nehru + delegates arrested.
• 5 May: Gandhi arrested at Salt Works.
• 26 January, 1931: Gandhi released.
4 March, 1931 Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed based
on round-table discussions in London.

Illegal Salt
Sales: 60,000
imprisoned in
the first month.
Some protesters
shot but also some
Indian Army
soldiers refused to
shoot when
ordered.
(like the Tsar’s Cossaks?

• First taste of democratic selfgovernment.
• Full control of the 11
provinces to the Indians.
• Central government still
shared power with the British.
Tension between the
Congress and the Muslim
League.

(Free Indian Legion)

Nationalism during WW2:

Subhash Chandra Bose’s
violent methods
vs.
Gandhi’s pacifism
FREE

INDIA

Flag of th
e
Indian Na
tional
A rm y

Bose’s Provisional Govt of
Free India
• Established in Singapore in 1943.
• Anti-racist and anti-imperial (hmmm, how does that fit
within the Japanese Asia for the Asians?
• Why would Britain (and India) attempt to censor news
of the resulting 1946 mutiny trials?
• The Indian Navy (and then other units) started to
oppose these trials ∴
The British decide the Indian military cannot be
trusted - it’s time to get out whether they like it or not.

And how about the Congress?
• Refused to support Brit war effort

(not even with

promise of Dominion status)

“a post-dated cheque from a crashing
bank.” Gandhi
• Why wouldn’t Gandhi trust a govt led by
Churchill? “I have not become His Majesty’s first minister in
order to preside over the dissolution of the British Empire” Churchill

= Quit

India slogan.

• Clement Attlee sees India as a political liability:
£ + casualties = not re-elected.

Post WW2
Gandhi wanted to keep India
together.
 Aug 1946: riots speed up transfer of

power and Viceroy Mountbatten
initiates conferences
- time is short: the bloodshed must be
curbed.

 Ali Jinnah will get his “Land of the

Pure.”
 The Sihks and Hindus will share
India.
 Individual provinces will vote to
discover their nation of choice.

Aug 14, 1947: Pakistan is independent
Aug 15: 1947: India is independent

Name Changes Occurred

Ba
ng
lad
es

Sri
Lan
ka

h

My
an
ma

r

Partition brought Violence and
Turmoil:
 Some states were ruled by princes, not the

British - some were large!
 Slaughters took place where ethnic groups
were “out of their territory.”
 1.5 million refugees.

Gandhi’s worst fears were realized - he went to
Calcutta to try to stop reprisals by Hindus
against Muslims.
He was killed by an extremist Hindu:
thank goodness it wasn’t a Muslim!
“Gandhi has been killed by his own people for
whose redemption he lived….Father forgive
us.” Hindustan Standard, Feb 1, 1947

Considerations:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Peaceful civil disobedience vs. violent revolution
Role of nationalism
Charismatic leadership
World opinion - domestic political pressure
Imperial nations unburdening themselves
Vacuum created by decolonization
Ethnic cleansing
Partition
end

Use these key words to write a concise
75-word summary:
Muslim League
Amritsar, 1919
Home Rule
Montagu-Chelmsford
Civil Disobedience
Satyagraha
Hartal
Home Spun

Salt March, 1930
Gov of India Act, 1935
Partition, 1947

India: Gandhi and the Road to Independence