Britain was on the winning side of the Second Great War and gained territory from its victory. But it was not a nation at peace. In the colonies, resistance to British rule continued. At home, much of the country was devastated. The French Air Force was the best in the world at the beginning of the war, and British cities and towns learned that the hard way. London, Birmingham, as well as several other places in Southern England were targeted. The conventional bombs were bad enough, but the biological weapons were more horrific. During the latter months of the war, people wouldn’t leave their homes without gas masks. For a long time afterwards, cancer rates in the region were significantly higher than in Northern England, Scotland, or Wales. Lord Halifax and the ruling Conservative Party, looking at Hoover’s landslide reelection in the United States, decided that it was time to call for an election. And thus, an election was to be held in 1941. This election, however, would prove to be very divisive and bitter.
A sizable minority of the British pubic opposed the war. This was especially the case in the Labour Party. Many British civilians were angry that their homes and crops were destroyed in a war that saved their old enemy, Germany. While there was enough food to prevent starvation, here was less food than there was before the war, and prices were high. The Conservative Party won more seats than any other party, but fell well short of a majority. They formed a coalition with the Liberals in order to govern. In order to make up for lost farmland in England, the British government turned to Africa, specifically South Africa and Rhodesia. Both dominions of the crown became richer due to increased British imports. The most pressing issue for the government, however, was India. While British Indian troops had been instrumental in putting down pro-French Communist revolts during the war, British rule was still unpopular. In 1942 protests against Britain turned violent, Delhi descending into chaos. Over 300 people died in the riots in March. Hindu nationalism was rising, and British colonial officials had been targeted since early 1941.
By 1942, British strategy for holding on to India involved keeping using Muslims to fight Hindus. Muslims didn’t particularly like British Imperialism, but they weren’t about to hold hands with Hindu nationalists. Britain made similar appeals to Sikhs, Christians, and Buddhists. The more prescient members of the British military command saw rebellion as likely. The people were starving. Several countries in Africa and Asia had already overthrown their colonial overlords. In June 1942, the revolt began. Britain’s ally, China, sent soldiers to help fight the rebellion, but they were soon withdrawn after a public outcry. Britain had a hard time motivating their own men to fight in India as well. The rebellion, led by Subhas Chandra Bose, spread like wildfire. Orissa Province had fallen to the rebels, and nearby areas of the country were also being overrun. Inspired by Bose, Indians rose up in the South as well. Bose was a devout Hindu, but he assured Indian Muslims that he would protect their rights if his rebellion succeeded. People like Gandhi urged for peace, but they were sidelined by Bose and other independence fighters.
By the beginning of 1943, nearly 20% of British India was controlled by rebels. But Britain was preparing for a counter-offensive. In early 1943, British, Indian, Canadian, South African, Australian, and New Zealand troops struck at the heart of the rebellion. In March, the rebels were defeated at Patna. Then in April, Britain and its allies began the assault on Cuttack, Bose’s hometown. Fierce fighting in the streets led to tens of thousands of casualties. It was a pyric victory for Britain. Back home, there was increasing pressure on the government to leave India. Australia’s Republican movement grew stronger. To make matters worse, Bose was not found in Cuttack, and his location was unknown. In July, a Kenyan regiment deployed in India joined the rebels. Britain began to hire mercenaries, many of whom were Uighurs. Britain asked for help from other countries. Portugal, still reeling from the affects of French occupation, gave limited support. Austria-Hungary declared that it was on Britain’s side in the war, but did nothing. Britain reached out to the United States as well, but was rejected by Hoover.
With the coming of a new administration in January 1945, Britain tried its chances again. The British underestimated America’s new President Alf Landon. They thought he would be a pushover compared to Hoover. The British ambassador to the US testified before Congress that the Indian rebels needed to be stopped. British civilians had been killed, as well as Indians viewed as collaborators. There was also a far-leftist faction among the rebels, making some worried that Communism might make its return in world politics. But Landon was not moved. Back in India, Canada and Australia began to withdraw their troops. Britain controlled most of the major cities, but the countryside was firmly in rebel hands. In January 1946, there was a ceasefire. Britain opened negotiations with the rebels. Britain agreed to withdraw its troops from most of India, though it would hold on to Burma and Sri Lanka. On July 1, 1946, the Republic of India was born, with Subhas Chandra Bose defeating Muhammad Ali Jinnah to become President of India.
