1. Timeline to British withdrawal and the partition of India
Late 1800s Indian nationalism grew (demand for greater self government).
This was due to many factors some of which were…..
The building of railways connected many parts of India together and created a sense of a united India.
The spread of the English language – linked groups of people who had thought of themselves as separate
Anger and resentment at the way India was been run – it was believed Britain was exploiting India

2. New Parties
The Indian Congress Party was set up in – it was made up of wealthy Hindus mainly – the aim at first was more Home Rule for India.
The Muslim League was set up in 1906 – it reflected the fears of the Muslim minority who were concerned about how they would be treated in an India controlled by Hindus – it was set up to protect the rights of Muslims.

3. Lucknow pact – 1916
In 1916 the two parties agreed to work together to advance the cause of Indian nationalism – the agreement was called the Lucknow Pact – they put their differences aside to work in the common interest of all Indians.
At this stage no one was thinking or talking about partition or dividing India into separate states.

4. British attempts at reform
Britain was afraid that Indian nationalists might begin to demand independence and that this could lead to the break up of the British empire. India was very important to Britain in terms of raw materials, men for its army and security.
Britain introduced reforms hoping that it would satisfy the Indian nationalists.

5. British reforms
1909 – some wealthy Indians – vote for assembly to advise Governors.
1919 – Government of India act – limited say in some policy areas – education/health.
1927 – Simon Commission
1935 – 2nd government of India Act – more control in provinces – extended vote to one sixth of population.

6. Nationalist feeling growing
The Amritsar massacre deepened anti- British feeling.
Ghandi rose to the leadership of the Congress. His campaigns of civil disobedience and non violence won the cause of Indian nationalism lots of sympathy abroad.
The aim of Congress was now (1920s) complete independence from Britain.

7. Elections of 1937
In the 1937 provincial elections the Congress party won most of the vote. Most Muslims voted for the Congress party and the demand for a separate homeland and state for Muslims was not widespread.
Most Indians were quite happy with the reforms that had been brought in by the second Government of India act (1935).

8. Divisions grow between Hindus and Muslims.
Muslims paid close attention to the way in which the provinces were been governed under Hindu control.
They became very concerned by some of the decisions that Congress controlled provinces made
Jobs…..
Cow slaughter ……

9. The Lahore Resolution 1940
Many Muslims concluded that they would not be treated fairly or their rights and beliefs respected in an Independent India dominated by Hindus.
The Muslim League party began to call for a separate homeland for Muslims and most Muslims began to support this demand.
In 1940 Jinnah (M.L. Leader) issued a statement calling for the establishment of an independent Muslim state and the division/partition of India.

10. The problem of the Punjab and Bengal
He outlined the areas in the Northwest and Northeast of India that had large Muslim majorities and which were to make up this new state.
He also included the Punjab and Bengal in the territory that was to make up the new state. These areas had very small Muslim majorities and the decision about which state they should be part of would cause huge tension and conflict in the future.

11. India and World War 2
Britain’s need of Indian support during the war increased the bargaining power of Indian nationalists and increased the demands for Independence.

12. The Cripps Mission
Cripps was a minister in the British war government. He was sent by Churchill to get Indian support in the war with Japan.
He offered dominion status after the war in return for Indian support.
Ghandi did not trust Churchill and refused the offer.

13. Quit India campaign
In 1942 the Congress party launched the Quit India campaign. They called for civil disobedience until the British had withdrawn from India. The British arrested thousands, including Ghandi and Nehru.
The war ended in 1945 with India’s future undecided.

14. British policy after the war.
Labour came to power – more sympathetic to Indian desire for self government. It had been against British colonialism for a long time and believed that other countries should rule themselves.

15. Britain now wants to withdraw
Britain was weak and broke after the war and in no state to rule an India that was more determined than ever to have self rule.
The aim of the British government was now to have a peaceful and quick withdrawal from India. They did not want to be caught up in any violence so any withdrawal and the future shape of India would have to be negotiated with the two Indian parties. They needed to get agreement from both, no solution could be imposed as the British were too weak to enforce it.

16. Pressure grows on Britain to leave
Anti-British feeling was growing stronger and more intense as people in India expected Britain to withdraw in the near future.
It became obvious to the British that they needed to pull out as soon as possible as the situation was slowly slipping out of their control.
Two events made this clear to the British.

17. Pressure grows to leave
1) The massive protests at the trial of Indians who had supported the Japanese during the war.
2) The mutinies in the British navy in
Atlee the leader of the labour party told the Viceroy (Wavell) to enter talks with the Congress and Muslim League to work out a timetable for British withdrawal.

18. 1946 elections
In the provincial elections of that year 40 million people could vote or 10% of the population.
Most Muslims voted for the Muslim league and expressed their preference for a separate Muslim homeland and the division of India.
It became clear to most people after this election that India would have to be partitioned. – no middle ground between them.

19. The Cabinet Mission of Cripps
Cripps was sent to finalise withdrawal plans and decide the question of whether India should be united or divided.
He suggested a federal government that would have given the Provinces a lot of power in their own areas but would link them all to a central Indian government.
Both sides rejected this idea, the Congress thought it went too far and the Muslim league felt it did not go far enough.

20. Interim Government
While discussions about the future of India were on going the Congress and the Muslim League joined together to form a government that ruled until final decisions were made. Nehru was the Prime Minister and it was made up of 14 representatives drawn from both the Congress party and the Muslim League.

21. Direct Action Day
Jinnah decided it was time to push for a separate Muslim State by using mass (large groups of people) protests.
The 16th of August was to be direct action day. – A strike by Muslim workers and a meeting of 100,000 through the streets of Calcutta.

22. Violence erupts
Jinnah had wanted a peaceful demonstration but trouble flared up leading to three days and nights of rioting and killing.
6,000 killed, 20,000 injured, 100,000 homeless.
The violence spread to other areas, Ghandi was horrified and travelled to areas of conflict to call for peace.
This made any chance of togetherness and unity between Muslims and Hindus seem impossible.

23. Lord Mountbatten – Vice-Roy February 1947
He was sent to get agreement on a one state government within the British commonwealth.
Atlee ( British Prime Minister) wanted Britain to withdraw by June 1948.
It was hoped a deadline would push the parties into agreement.
Churchill predicted violent civil war if Britain withdrew.

24. Mountbatten Plan June 1947
He soon realised that violence was spreading, the sides were too divided and partition of India would have to happen.

25. The Mountbatten Plan June 1947
There were to be two separate states ( India and Pakistan)
Pakistan was to be made up of two parts in the North West and North East separated by 1000 miles.
The Punjab and Bengal with their small Muslim majorities were to be divided and parts given to each State. The Muslim majority parts were to be given to Pakistan.

26. Mountbatten Plan
India would be made up of the old Raj ( British controlled India).
The Princely States could decide which country they joined.
Most decided to join India.
The big problem was KASHMIR – A Muslim majority state with a Hindu Ruler.

27. Mountbatten Plan
Mountbatten had provided for the separate state that the Muslim League had been demanding but had not given them all of the Punjab or Bengal.
The date for withdrawal was brought forward to 15th August ( 2 months later – rushed?)

28. Congress and Ghandi reactions
Congress, led by Nehru, accepted Partition would have to happen because of the violence unity might unleash.
Ghandi was very disappointed. His dream of a free, united, secular India had disappeared.
Ghandi spent his time leading up to Independence trying to calm tensions between Muslims and Hindus.

29. Indian Independence act June 1947
Mountbatten’s plan was passed by the British parliament.
It gave dominion status to both states.
A boundary commission was set up to decide where the border dividing the Punjab and Bengal should go.

30. The Boundary commission
A boundary commission was set up to draw up the borders in the Punjab and Bengal.
Cyril Radcliffe, a British civil servant, was the chairman and had the final say after getting advice from Muslim and Hindu members.

31. Boundary commission problems
Radcliffe had never been to India.
He had to work with out if date maps and census figures.
He had to produce a report in 37 days.

32. Mistakes The new borders went through villages, farms and even houses.
Millions of Hindus or Muslims were left on the wrong side of the border.
They would not publish details of the new borders until after Independence, this increased tensions.

33. Independence
Jinnah and Nehru made speeches emphasising their hopes for a peaceful future for each of their states ( Pakistan and India)
Ghandi stayed away from the celebrations as his dream of a free, united India achieved without violence and failed.
The handover of power was peaceful but violence soon followed.

34. Violence breaks out and spreads
Word of the new borders spread 2 days after Independence.
12 million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs found themselves on the wrong side of the borders.
Tension grew in Punkab and Bengal. Muslims in Hindu India and Hindus in Muslim Pakistan feared ethnic cleansing and attacks.

35. Violence
Millions fled their homes and Muslims tried to get across the border into Pakistan while Hindus tried to get into India.
Some left by choice others were driven out by gangs who wanted to push out members of the other community.
Violent mobs started killing and attacking people, some villages were totally wiped out streets were lined with dead bodies.

36. Violence with partition
The Indian army and police were unable to control the violence and many did not want to anyway.
Nehru and Jinnah appealed for peace but no one listened.
There was terrible violence between Sikhs and Muslims in Muslim controlled Pakistan.

37. Violence with Partition
Millions ended up living in Refugee camps for years.
Most Historians think 1 million died.

38. The assassination of Ghandi.
Ghandi went to Bengal and said he would fast until the violence stopped.
He worked hard for peace and tolerance.
He preached against the pushing out of Muslims from Hindu areas. This angered Hindu extremists.
One extremist/fanatic shot him dead on 30th January 1948.
His death shocked most people and led to a reduction in violence.

39. Who to blame for the violence?
Many blame the British for these reasons
The speedy withdrawal was rushed and did not allow for an orderly and peaceful transfer of power. Mountbatten brought forward the date from June 48 to June 47.
The speed with which the Radcliffe report was drawn up and the mistakes it made left millions on the wrong side of the border. The borders were badly drawn.

40. 3) The wait for the report to be published until after Independence increased fears and tensions and encouraged violence. 4) The British forces in India were used to protect Europeans and not locals. 5) Some blame the British for helping to create the deep divisions between Hindi and Muslim. The argument is that to rule India the British had a divide and conquer policy that stopped the two sides joining together.

41. Some blame the long divisions between Hindus and Muslims
They say the divisions and distrust and hatred was deep rooted between the two communities and violence could not be avoided.
They say that the leaders of Congress and the Muslim League did little to encourage a sense of common Indian identity and focused on their differences too much.

42. Some blame Congress
P 34

43. After Independence The population has grown massively.
Nehru ruled India until 1964.
His family has mainly ruled since.
Sikhs in India have been demanding a separate state for them as well.
Pakistan became a military dictatorship.
West Pakistan became a country in its own right and broke away from East Pakistan in It called itself Bangledesh.

44. The problem of Khasmir
It is a disputed territory. Both states laid claim to it after Independence.
It had a Hindu Prince and a mainly Muslim people.
India got control of two thirds of Khasmir but Pakistan claimed the right to take over all of Khasmir.
There has been tension and two wars since Independence over Khasmir.

45. Why was there so much violence in the Punjab in 1947?
What was the Mountbatten Plan? Why was it important?