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Over the years much has been written about India's contribution to the
Second World War, but the majority of work has focussed on the role
of the Indian Armed Forces on the battlefield. Far less has been written
about the impact of the war on the civilian population of India, and of
those whose service, either in uniform or in support of the Armed
Forces, kept them in India to support the war effort. As the author
points out, however 'the war could not be based in India without
infringing drastically on the everyday world of its inhabitants'. This
elegantly written, well researched and beautifiilly crafted book throws a
clear spotlight on many aspects of life in India during tho e eventful
years. Be prepared. however for some very uncomfortable reading; the
clarity of the spotlight is at times, both disturbing and embarrassing.
Running through it all is the political thread of independence, of the
defining impact of the war on nationalist politics, and of the exposure
of imperialist failings and of a consequent loss of faith in the Ra - Lord
Linlithgow's failure to consult Indian leaders at the start of the
war probably set the tone for much that was to follow. Never was this
loss of faith more apparent than in the perceived injustice meted out to
many of the refugee fleeing the conflict in Burma. The fall of
Singapore and raids on Ceylon caused questions to be asked about the
supposed invincibility of the British Empire, but stories of a two-tier
refugee ystem coming out of Burma damaged the reputation of the Raj
almost beyond repair.
Divisions within Congress are explored - Nehru's sympathy for the
Allied cause in fighting fascism in Europe set against the animosity
caused by the failed Cripps mission of 1942, which many within
Congress regarded as a mark of British insincerity from the outset. The
later arrest and confinement for three years of Congress leaders at
Ahmednagar Fort left the field open for underground activities to exploit
the feelings of anger urging in the country. Churchill's animosity
towards India and Indians, which the author describcs as 'showing an
irrational and offensive hatred of the country' could lead to the
government side-lining any resolution of the political question as an
irrelevance while prioritising victory at all costs.
But these costs were extremely high . A scorched earth policy initiated
in Bengal in 1943, designed to deny an invading Japanese army access to resources, as they had been able to do in Singapore, had the effect of denying the means of earning a living for many of the poorest; the destruction of boats used for fishing and as essential transport of people and goods; the eviction of farmers and draining of paddy fields close to the many new airfields being built across the country to prevent the spread of mosquitos and flies; the slaughter of cattle in Bihar and Orissa to provide meat for British and American servicemen; or the requisoition and overnight evacuation of villages and hamlets to make way for storage space, factories and housing for foreign service personnel. Not everyone suffered and for some the war was a boon: the ruling Princes played their cards well, though ultimately, their support failed to prop up the existing political order. Some less than scrupulous local entrepreneurs profitted from food contracts, even as Bengal descended into famine.
Others founded post-war hotel chains based on an enfrepreneurial
ability to provide accommodation for war-time visiting servicemen.
For the majority it was far from a positive experience and some British
personnel, especially those new to India, felt the pain of the locals and
were uncertain about being used in aid of the civil power to put down
internal unrest. Visiting American service personnel also expressed
disquiet at the poverty. On the other hand, a visiting American
diplomat, in reporting on war preparedness in the country, censured
Britain's failure to extract the most from its colony - in effect issuing a
command to squeeze India's people and resources much harder. The
impact of the war on India's finance is also explored; what looked like
a fair deal for India turned out to be payment deferred, and the money
needed for the day had to be raised in India, with the government
turning to tax, borrowing, and an increased amount of money in
circulation to meet the demand.
The author set out to understand the impact of the war on the home
front in India, and how the Indian sub-continent itself was re-shaped by
the war. As she notes in her concluding chapter, the war forced some
terrible decisions and produced strange juxtapositions and unforeseen
circumstances. The author acknowledges that there is still much more
to be understood about the demands of war on many different kinds of
people, but this book has gone a long way to unlocking that
understanding and informing the debate. Highly recommended.
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