ENG 515A Lecture 26: Week 1222
PAMSA lecture – Week 12
Monday, 6th November, 2017
• This session will NOT present significant events in a dichotomy between 2/3 political
parties.
• Refrain from looking at everything as a struggle between good vs bad/hindu vs muslim
• 1939 – second world war, congress ministries resign – congress party resigned from
provincial elections
• 1940 –
• 1942 – cripps mission and launch of quit india movement by Gandhi
• 1943 – great Bengal famine
• 1929 – Britain declares war on germany – concerns india as well
• After WW1, india became a source of army, resources, etc
• Unilateral war declaration – cuz Britain declared war on behalf of india as well
• Financial crisis – Indian resources marshaled, coerced, used by Britain for their war
effort. Between 1939 and 1945 – nearly rs 3.5 billion spent on defence purpose in india.
• India faces galloping inflation and severe shortage.
• War was knocking from a completely unprecedented door – japan could enter from far
east to go against Britain in war.
• India doesn’t have a choice in entering the war, nor does it have a choice in paying for
the war.
• Context of deepening economic crisis – led to major political confrontations between
nationalists and british colonial state – so the WW1 created many ruptures.
• Personalities who shaped the political forces:
• Mohandas Gandhi –first principle was himsa (non-violence) - civil disobedience,
deliberately breaking unfair british laws. Encouraged peaceful protests and boycotting
british goods to harm the british colonial economy eg salt march, boycott of british
goods.
• Out of this political philosophy, when he calls for satyagraha (force of truth) manifested
thru peaceful protest, refusal, sit-ins, march
• Gandhi during this period is going to the masses – has discarded his western clothing
and is now a mahatma. He would travel in 3rd class railways, sat with the dalits
(untouchables).
Document Summary
Financial crisis indian resources marshaled, coerced, used by britain for their war effort. Between 1939 and 1945 nearly rs 3. 5 billion spent on defence purpose in india. India faces galloping inflation and severe shortage: war was knocking from a completely unprecedented door japan could enter from far east to go against britain in war. He would travel in 3rd class railways, sat with the dalits (untouchables). Most aggressive threat to indian empire since 1857. However, it was still unsuccessful in driving away the british, cuz it was ruthlessly suppressed, leaders put in jail, masses attacked. Leaves india and founds the ina independent national army/ aazad hind fauj. Ina begins its march towards delhi from burma to calcutta. But, in mysterious circumstances, he dies in a plane crash: dies in plane crash 1945, by that time, the azaad hind fauj is ready to be disbanded. If you look at the original resolution of 1940 lahore resolution, it doesn"t mention.
