Indian Freedom

I. Background Great Britain had promised India independence if she fought in WWI 1. GB did not grant independence after the war B. GB committed Indian troops for WWII without consulting India’s elected representative 1. angered Indian leaders C. Once WW II over, GB had large war debts and decided it was time to release India 1. Question… who should rule? a. Hindus (350 million) b. Muslims (100 million)

II. Leaders A. Mohandas Gandhi 1. Lawyer educated in England 2. Led Nonviolent campaign a. Civil disobedience b. Boycotts of British goods 3. Wanted a unified India 4. Hindu B. Muhammad Ali Jinnah 1. Leader of Muslim League 2. did not want rule by Hindu-dominated Congress

III. Hindu vs. Muslim A. Indian National Congress - Hindu B. Muslim League - Muslim C. Both nationalist parties D. Riots broke out 1. August 1946 5,000 people dead; 15,000 hurt

IV. India Partitioned A. Britain decided to partition - or divide India into separate Muslim and Hindu nations 1. Pakistan - Muslim 2. India - Hindu, but secular B. 1947 - 10 million people moved between Pakistan and India 1. Violence between religious groups = 1 million died 2. January 1948 Gandhi killed by Hindu extremist who thought he was too lenient on Muslims C. India and Pakistan then battled over the region of Kashmir 1. continues today

V. Jawaharlal Nehru A. 1st prime minister of India 1. Served 17 years until his death in 1964 2. Educated in Britain B. Emphasized democracy, unity, economic modernization 1. Reorganized states by language 2. Social reform a. Women’s rights b. elevated lower castes 3. Industrialization

VI. Indira Gandhi Nehru’s daughter became Prime Minister 1. served until 1984 B. Reunited India after her father’s death in 1966 C. Sikh extremists wanted a separate nation = a threat D. 1984 killed by Sikh body guards

VII. India continues to have struggles A. Conflict between India and Pakistan continues