Second World War and Indian National Movement

The outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 altered the political trajectory of India’s independence movement. When Viceroy Lord Linlithgow unilaterally declared India a belligerent state alongside Great Britain without consulting Indian leaders or provincial assemblies, it triggered a constitutional and political crisis. The Indian National Congress, which was governing eight provinces at the time, protested this autocratic decision by resigning from office. The wartime period between 1939 and 1945 saw rapid shifts in nationalist strategies, ranging from Individual Satyagraha to the Quit India Movement and the armed campaign of the Indian National Army, ultimately forcing the British Empire to concede Indian independence.

Congress Response and the War Dilemma

The Indian National Congress faced an ideological dilemma regarding its stance on the war. While Congress leaders opposed Fascism and Nazism, they maintained that a non-sovereign, enslaved country could not join a fight for global freedom.

Divergent Views Within Congress

• Mahatma Gandhi: Initially held sympathetic views toward Britain and proposed offering unconditional non-violent moral support to the Allied Powers.
• Jawaharlal Nehru: Strongly anti-fascist, he opposed assisting the British imperialist war effort unless India received immediate self-government and a promise of absolute independence post-war.
• Subhas Chandra Bose and Leftists: Viewed the war as an imperialist struggle and urged launching an immediate mass movement to overthrow British rule while Britain was vulnerable.
• C. Rajagopalachari: Favored a pragmatic approach, proposing full cooperation in the war effort if Britain agreed to establish a national government at the Center.

Wardha Session and Resignation of Ministries

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met at Wardha in September 1939 to formalize its position on the war effort and colonial policy.

• The CWC passed a resolution declaring that India could not associate itself with a war allegedly fought for democratic freedom while Britain denied democracy to India.
• It demanded an immediate declaration of British war aims and an assurance of full independence after the war.
• Viceroy Linlithgow issued a statement on October 17, 1939, offering only post-war consultations to modify the 1935 Act and establishing a consultative committee.
• Rejecting the Viceroy’s offer, the CWC directed all Congress provincial ministries to resign.
• Between October 28 and November 8, 1939, Congress ministries in eight provinces resigned from office.
• M. A. Jinnah and the Muslim League celebrated the resignation of Congress ministries as the “Day of Deliverance” on December 22, 1939, with support from B. R. Ambedkar.

August Offer (1940) and Individual Satyagraha

To secure Indian cooperation following the fall of France and Nazi advances in Europe, Viceroy Linlithgow issued the “August Offer” on August 8, 1940.

Key Features of the August Offer

• Expansion of the Viceroy’s Executive Council to include more Indian representatives.
• Establishment of an Advisory War Council.
• Provision for a representative Indian body to frame a new Constitution after the war.
• Implicit veto power to minorities by stating that no future Constitution would be transferred to any government whose authority was denied by large sections of Indian opinion.

Launch of Individual Satyagraha

• Both the Congress and the Muslim League rejected the August Offer; Congress opposed the minority veto and the lack of a clear timeline for independence.
• To register protest without disrupting the British war effort or inciting immediate violence, Gandhi launched the Individual Satyagraha in October 1940.
• Acharya Vinoba Bhave was chosen as the first Individual Satyagrahi on October 17, 1940, at Paunar, Maharashtra.
• Jawaharlal Nehru was the second Satyagrahi, followed by Brahma Datt as the third.
• The campaign was also known as the “Delhi Chalo Movement” as Satyagrahis marched toward Delhi if not arrested. Over 25,000 Satyagrahis were arrested by May 1941.

Cripps Mission (1942)

With the rapid Japanese advance through Southeast Asia and the fall of Rangoon in March 1942, the British government faced pressure from Allied powers (USA, China, and USSR) to secure Indian support. Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent Sir Stafford Cripps, a member of the War Cabinet, to India in March 1942.

Rejection of the Proposals

• Congress rejected the proposals because they offered future promises rather than immediate transfer of power and introduced the non-accession clause, which threatened the balkanization of India.
• Mahatma Gandhi famously described the Cripps Offer as a “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank.”
• The Muslim League rejected the proposals because they did not explicitly mandate the creation of Pakistan.

Quit India Movement (1942)

Following the failure of the Cripps Mission and rising anti-British sentiment amidst wartime inflation and Japanese threats, Gandhi called for a final mass struggle.

Major Milestones

• Wardha Resolution: The CWC met at Wardha in July 1942 and passed the Quit India Resolution.
• AICC Gowalia Tank Meeting: The All India Congress Committee approved the resolution on August 8, 1942, at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay. Gandhi gave the famous slogan “Do or Die”.
• Operation Zero Hour: In the early morning of August 9, 1942, British authorities arrested all prominent leaders, including Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel, under Operation Zero Hour.
• Parallel Governments (Prati Sarkar): Underground networks led by Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Aruna Asaf Ali maintained the movement. Local parallel governments emerged in Ballia (Chittu Pandey), Tamluk (Jatiya Sarkar), and Satara (Prati Sarkar under Nana Patil).

Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) and Subhas Chandra Bose

Subhas Chandra Bose escaped British house arrest in Calcutta in January 1941, traveling through Afghanistan and the Soviet Union to reach Germany, where he established the Free India Centre and Indian Legion in Berlin.

• Origin of INA: Captain Mohan Singh and Japanese Major Iwaichi Fujiwara formed the original Indian National Army in Malaya in September 1942 using Indian prisoners of war.
• Reorganization: Bose arrived in Singapore in July 1943 onboard the German submarine U-180 and Japanese submarine I-29. He took leadership of the INA and the Indian Independence League from Rash Behari Bose.
• Provisional Government: On October 21, 1943, Bose proclaimed the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) in Singapore, recognized by Axis powers.
• Military Campaign: The INA formed regiments including Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, and the Rani of Jhansi Regiment led by Lakshmi Swaminathan. The INA marched toward India, reaching Kohima and Imphal in 1944 alongside Japanese forces before retreating due to monsoon disruptions and Japanese defeat.

Key High-Yield Facts

• The Wardha session of September 1939 officially rejected British attempts to drag India into World War II without public consent.
• Linlithgow’s offer on August 8, 1940, introduced the principle of framing a Constitution primarily by Indians for the first time.
• Acharya Vinoba Bhave inaugurated the Individual Satyagraha on October 17, 1940, from Paunar Ashram in Maharashtra.
• Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the Indian National Congress flag at Gowalia Tank Maidan on August 9, 1942, following the arrest of senior leadership.
• Usha Mehta established and operated an underground secret radio station during the Quit India Movement from Bombay.
• The longest-running parallel government established during the Quit India Movement was the Prati Sarkar in Satara, which functioned from 1943 to 1946.
• Subhas Chandra Bose gave the national call “Dilli Chalo” and coined the greeting “Jai Hind” during his leadership of the INA in Singapore.
• The INA captured the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from Japan in November 1943, renaming them Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep.