Post-War Upsurge and British Withdrawal

The end of the Second World War initiated a dramatic phase of political transformation in British India, marked by intense mass mobilization and a rapid decline in colonial authority. Between 1945 and 1947, the convergence of economic distress, the Indian National Army (INA) court-martial trials, and widespread mutinies across the armed forces eroded the foundational pillars of the British Raj. Faced with an uncontrollable post-war popular wave and the political unreliability of the Indian military and civil services, the British government abandoned its attempts to prolong imperial rule, setting off the diplomatic negotiations that culminated in the transfer of power and the partition of India.

Economic and Political Context of Post-War India

Socio-Economic Distress

The end of wartime production created widespread industrial unemployment, rapid inflation, and severe food shortages across urban and rural centers. Returning demobilized soldiers struggled to find civilian employment, adding skilled, military-trained individuals to the ranks of the discontented. Urban centers experienced frequent strikes organized by trade unions, student federations, and peasant associations (Kisan Sabhas).

Political Atmosphere and Mass Awakening

The release of Congress leaders from prison in mid-1945 coincided with the breakdown of the Simla Conference. The subsequent announcement of elections for the Central Legislative Assembly and Provincial Assemblies transformed the country into an arena for political campaigning. Nationalists used the election platform to expose wartime colonial repressions, specifically targeting the Bengal Famine of 1943 and the harsh suppression of the Quit India Movement of 1942.

Key Waves of Mass Uprising (1945–1946)

The INA Trials and the First Wave

The court-martial of INA officers Colonel Prem Kumar Sehgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, and Major General Shah Nawaz Khan at the Red Fort in November 1945 united diverse political parties, religious groups, and geographic regions. Mass street demonstrations erupted in major cities, leading to violent clashes between civilian protesters and police forces, particularly in Calcutta during the November 1945 and February 1946 student protests.

The Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Revolt

On February 18, 1946, Indian naval ratings on the signal training ship HMIS Talwar in Bombay went on strike against racial discrimination, poor food, and unpalatable service conditions. Led by Leading Signalman M.S. Khan as President and Petty Officer Telegraphist Madan Singh as Vice-President of the Naval Central Strike Committee, the revolt spread to 78 ships, 20 shore establishments, and over 20,000 ratings across Bombay, Karachi, Calcutta, and Cochin. The mutineers hoisted the Congress Tricolor, Muslim League Crescent, and Communist Red Flag together on ship masts before surrendering on February 23, 1946, following interventions by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Unrest in the Air Force and Army

In January 1946, over 50,000 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel across 60 airbases in South Asia organized demobilization strikes, beginning at RAF Drigh Road in Karachi. This was followed in February 1946 by sympathetic strikes within the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF) units at Ambala, Karachi, Kanpur, and Calcutta. Concurrently, Indian soldiers in military camps refused orders to fire on civilian protesters or striking sailors, proving that the traditional security apparatus of the state had collapsed.

Peasant and Labor Agitations

The urban military unrest occurred alongside radical rural peasant movements. In Bengal, the Tebhaga Movement (1946–1947) led by the Bengal Pradesh Kisan Sabha demanded a reduction of the landlord’s share of produce from half to one-third. In the Hyderabad State, the Telangana Peasant Armed Struggle (1946–1951) mobilized against feudal landholders (Deshmukhs) and the forced labor system (Vetti). In Travancore, the Punnapra-Vayalar Uprising of October 1946 brought communist-led workers into armed conflict with the local princely state administration.

British Diplomatic Initiatives and the Path to Partition

The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)

Recognizing that force could no longer maintain imperial control, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee dispatched the Cabinet Mission to India in March 1946, consisting of Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander. The Plan proposed a three-tiered federal structure with Group A, Group B, and Group C provinces to preserve Indian unity while granting regional autonomy. Rejection of the grouping clause interpretations by both the Congress and the Muslim League led to the collapse of the proposal.

Direct Action Day and Communal Violence

On August 16, 1946, the Muslim League launched “Direct Action Day” to press its demand for a separate Pakistan. This triggered the Great Calcutta Killings, which caused thousands of deaths and spread communal violence to Noakhali in East Bengal, Bihar, and the Punjab region.

The Attlee Declaration and Mountbatten Plan (1947)

On February 20, 1947, Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced in the House of Commons that Britain would transfer power to Indian hands no later than June 1948. Lord Louis Mountbatten replaced Lord Wavell as Viceroy in March 1947 to expedite the transition. On June 3, 1947, Mountbatten announced his plan (the 3rd June Plan), which provided for the partition of India into two independent dominions, India and Pakistan, and advanced the date of British withdrawal to August 15, 1947.

Comparative Summary of Major Post-War Agitations

Key Exam Facts

• The Wavell Plan was presented at the Simla Conference in June 1945 to reconstitute the Viceroy’s Executive Council, but failed due to disagreements over Muslim member nominations.
• The general elections of 1945–1946 saw the Indian National Congress win a majority of general seats, while the Muslim League captured most seats reserved for Muslims.
• Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck served as the Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army during the INA trials and military mutinies of 1945–1946.
• HMIS Talwar was a shore establishment in Bombay that functioned as the central communications training facility for the Royal Indian Navy.
• The Cabinet Mission arrived in New Delhi on March 24, 1946, headed by Secretary of State for India Lord Pethick-Lawrence.
• The Interim Government of India took office on September 2, 1946, with Jawaharlal Nehru serving as Vice President of the Executive Council. The Muslim League initially boycotted the body before joining in October 1946.
• The Indian Independence Act, 1947 received Royal Assent on July 18, 1947, creating the two independent dominions of India and Pakistan.
• Sir Cyril Radcliffe headed the two Boundary Commissions set up to demarcate the international borders in Bengal and Punjab.