Asian History

Education
Share
The British Raj in India - Colonial India http://asianhistory.about.com/od/colonialisminasia/p/profbritraj.htm
1 of 3 6/2/2014 7:09 AM
Many Indians were distressed by the rapid cultural changes imposed by the British. They worried that Hindu and Muslim India would be
Christianized. Early in 1!"# a new type o$ ri$le cartridge was gi%en to the soldiers o$ the British Indian &rmy. 'umors spread that the
cartridges had been greased with pig and cow $at# an abomination to both ma(or Indian religions.
)n May 1*# 1!"# the Indian 'e%olt started# when mainly Bengali Muslim troops marched to +elhi and pledged their support to the Mughal
emperor. Both sides mo%ed slowly# unsure o$ public reaction. &$ter a year,long struggle# the rebels surrendered on -une .*# 1!.
Control of India Shifts to the India Office:
/ollowing the 'ebellion o$ 1!",!# the British go%ernment abolished both the Mughal +ynasty# which had ruled India more or less $or 0**
years# and the East India Company. The Emperor# Bahadur Shah# was con%icted o$ sedition and e1iled to Burma.
Control o$ India was gi%en to a British 2o%ernor,2eneral# who reported bac3 to the Secretary o$ State $or India and the British 4arliament.
It should be noted that the British 'a( included only about .50 o$ modern India# with the other portions under the control o$ local princes.
Howe%er# Britain e1erted a lot o$ pressure on these princes# e$$ecti%ely controlling all o$ India.
"Autocratic Paternalism":
6ueen 7ictoria promised that the British go%ernment would wor3 to better its Indian sub(ects. To the British# this meant educating them in
British modes o$ thought# and stamping out cultural practices such as sati.
The British also practiced 8di%ide and rule8 policies# pitting Hindu and Muslim Indians against one another.
In 19*!# the colonial go%ernment di%ided Bengal into Hindu and Muslim sections: this di%ision was re%o3ed a$ter strong protests. Britain also
encouraged the $ormation o$ the Muslim ;eague o$ India in 19*".
The Indian &rmy was made up mostly o$ Muslims# Si3hs# <epalese 2ur3has# and other minority groups# as well.
British India in World War I:
+uring =orld =ar I# Britain declared war on 2erman on India>s behal$# without consulting Indian leaders. More than 1.0 million Indian
soldiers and laborers were ser%ing in the British Indian &rmy by the time o$ the &rmistice. ?0#*** Indian and 2ur3ha soldiers died.
&lthough most o$ India rallied to the British $lag# Bengal and 4un(ab were resti%e. Many Indians were eager $or independence: they were led
by a political new,comer called Mohandas 2andhi.
In &pril# 1919# more than !#*** unarmed protesters gathered at &mritsar# in the 4un(ab. British troops $ired on the crowd# 3illing an
estimated 1#!** men# women and children. The o$$icial death toll o$ the &mritsar Massacre was 0"9.
British India in World War II:
=hen =orld =ar II bro3e out# once again# India contributed hugely to the British war e$$ort. In addition to troops# the princely states
donated substantial amounts o$ cash. By the end o$ the war# India had an incredible ..! million,man %olunteer army. "#*** Indian soldiers
had died in combat.
The Indian independence mo%ement was %ery strong by this time# though# and British rule was widely resented. Some 0*#*** Indian 4)=s
were recruited by the 2ermans and -apanese to $ight against the &llies# in e1change $or their $reedom. Most# howe%er# remained loyal.
Indian troops $ought in Burma# <orth &$rica# Italy# and elsewhere.
The Struggle for Indian Independence, and the Aftermath:
E%en as =orld =ar II raged# 2andhi and other members o$ the Indian <ational Congress @I<CA demonstrated against British rule o$ India.
The earlier 2o%ernment o$ India &ct @190!A had pro%ided $or the establishment o$ pro%incial legislatures across the colony. The &ct also
created an umbrella $ederal go%ernment $or the pro%inces and princely states# and granted the %ote to about 1*B o$ India>s male
population.
These mo%es toward limited sel$,go%ernance only made India impatient $or true sel$,rule.
In 19?.# Britain sent the Cripps mission to o$$er $uture dominion status in return $or help recruiting more soldiers. Cripps may ha%e made a
secret agreement with the Muslim ;eague# allowing Muslims to opt out o$ a $uture Indian state.
In any case# 2andhi and the I<C did not trust the British en%oy# and demanded immediate independence in return $or their cooperation.
=hen the tal3s bro3e down# the I<C launched the 86uit India8 mo%ement# calling $or the immediate withdrawal o$ Britain $rom India.
In response# the British arrested the I<C>s leadership# including 2andhi and his wi$e. Mass demonstrations burst out across the country# but
were crushed by the British &rmy.
The o$$er o$ independence had been made# howe%er. Britain may not ha%e realized it# but it was now (ust a Cuestion o$ when the British 'a(
would end.
The soldiers who had (oined -apan and 2ermany in $ighting the British were put on trial at +elhi>s 'ed /ort early in 19?D. & series o$ ten
The British Raj in India - Colonial India http://asianhistory.about.com/od/colonialisminasia/p/profbritraj.htm
2 of 3 6/2/2014 7:09 AM
The British Raj in India - Colonial India http://asianhistory.about.com/od/colonialisminasia/p/profbritraj.htm
3 of 3 6/2/2014 7:09 AM