The Fascist Republic of India: An alternate history of Independent India

[Aj chahal]

10 April, 1944
Subhas Chandra Bose sat on his desk listening to his aide-de-camp about the fight in Kohima,
"The Japs have been attacking the British positions and apparently have managed to take the fight to the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow."
"The DC's bungalow ? Has it fallen ?"
"No sir, both of them have dug trenches separated only by The Tennis Court"
"That's fucking hilarious. What about the British reinforcements ?"
"They'll take another 10 days to arrive."
"Which means that the Bungalow must fall before that. Only then can we takeover Kohima and attack Dimapur."
"That would be ideal, sir. But how do we accomplish that ?"
"Tell me 2 things Habib. How many INA men are at the Bungalow, and how many Indian soldiers are there under British command ?
"We have about 2,000 in addition to the 15,000 Japs and the British have around 1200 Indians out of 1500."
"Get the Jeep out, Habib. I am going to take Kohima"


11 April, 1944
Lieutenant General Sato, the Japanese Commander at Kohima, was furious on hearing that Bose had arrived at the Japanese positions.
"What the hell is wrong is with you, Mr. Bose! You're not supposed to be here!
"May I remind you that you are speaking to the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of Free India" Habib said.
"Titles do not work on battlefield you schmuck"
"Lieutenant, Calm down!" Bose thundered in his deep voice.
"I am here to help you. God knows that you need it. Now tell me why aren't we able to cross a bloody tennis court with 10,000 men ?
"Their supplies are not running out. The constant airdrops are an obstacle."
"I hear another charge is being prepared."
"It is."
"Cancel it. And get me a megaphone."

10 INA men waving white flags were ordered to move across the Tennis court, with firing suspended for the moment. The British were perplexed as to what was happening. Was the invincible Japanese army about to surrender ? Suddenly an INA soldier spoke up in Hindi,
"NETAJI IS HERE TO SEE YOU!"
The Indian soldiers were surprised, perhaps pleasantly but their British superiors were not able to understand what was going on. An Indian soldier stood up and asked
"WHERE IS HE ?"
That was when the Megaphone rang in Hindi,
"MY BRAVE MEN. I AM HERE TO ASK A FAVOUR FROM YOU, AND AS YOUR NETA YOU CANNOT REFUSE ME. STOP FIGHTING FOR THESE ENGLISH BASTARDS. JOIN ME. LET US LIBERATE OUR NATION TOGETHER. WE HAVE BURMA. NOW LETS TAKE BHARAT AND START WITH KOHIMA.
GIVE ME YOUR BLOOD AND I SHALL GIVE YOU FREEDOM!"

For the next 30 seconds, there was pindrop silence. The British Commander Stopford was not giving any orders. Neither was Sato. A Sikh soldier standing behind Stopford put a pistol to his head. So did two more soldiers. Then another bunch of them aimed their guns at their British comrades and so on until over a thousand men of the British Indian Army had mutinied.
The INA men and the Indian soldiers both climbed the court and began to embrace each other. General Sato ordered his men to start arresting the British soldiers.
The Battle of the Tennis Court had been won. The Union Jack was burned and the INA flag was raised on the Deputy Commissioner's Bungalow, alongside the Rising Sun Flag. Kohima had fallen. Imphal and Dimapur were next.

Subhash Bose inspecting troops before the attack on Imphal.
On his right walks General Mohan Singh, the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian National Army(Azad Hind Fauj).
c.1944

 

[PrinceofApathy]

10 April, 1944
Subhas Chandra Bose sat on his desk listening to his aide-de-camp about the fight in Kohima,
"The Japs have been attacking the British positions and apparently have managed to take the fight to the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow."
"The DC's bungalow ? Has it fallen ?"
"No sir, both of them have dug trenches separated only by The Tennis Court"
"That's fucking hilarious. What about the British reinforcements ?"
"They'll take another 10 days to arrive."
"Which means that the Bungalow must fall before that. Only then can we takeover Kohima and attack Dimapur."
"That would be ideal, sir. But how do we accomplish that ?"
"Tell me 2 things Habib. How many INA men are at the Bungalow, and how many Indian soldiers are there under British command ?
"We have about 2,000 in addition to the 15,000 Japs and the British have around 1200 Indians out of 1500."
"Get the Jeep out, Habib. I am going to take Kohima"


11 April, 1944
Lieutenant General Sato, the Japanese Commander at Kohima, was furious on hearing that Bose had arrived at the Japanese positions.
"What the hell is wrong is with you, Mr. Bose! You're not supposed to be here!
"May I remind you that you are speaking to the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of Free India" Habib said.
"Titles do not work on battlefield you schmuck"
"Lieutenant, Calm down!" Bose thundered in his deep voice.
"I am here to help you. God knows that you need it. Now tell me why aren't we able to cross a bloody tennis court with 10,000 men ?
"Their supplies are not running out. The constant airdrops are an obstacle."
"I hear another charge is being prepared."
"It is."
"Cancel it. And get me a megaphone."

10 INA men waving white flags were ordered to move across the Tennis court, with firing suspended for the moment. The British were perplexed as to what was happening. Was the invincible Japanese army about to surrender ? Suddenly an INA soldier spoke up in Hindi,
"NETAJI IS HERE TO SEE YOU!"
The Indian soldiers were surprised, perhaps pleasantly but their British superiors were not able to understand what was going on. An Indian soldier stood up and asked
"WHERE IS HE ?"
That was when the Megaphone rang in Hindi,
"MY BRAVE MEN. I AM HERE TO ASK A FAVOUR FROM YOU, AND AS YOUR NETA YOU CANNOT REFUSE ME. STOP FIGHTING FOR THESE ENGLISH BASTARDS. JOIN ME. LET US LIBERATE OUR NATION TOGETHER. WE HAVE BURMA. NOW LETS TAKE BHARAT AND START WITH KOHIMA.
GIVE ME YOUR BLOOD AND I SHALL GIVE YOU FREEDOM!"

For the next 30 seconds, there was pindrop silence. The British Commander Stopford was not giving any orders. Neither was Sato. A Sikh soldier standing behind Stopford put a pistol to his head. So did two more soldiers. Then another bunch of them aimed their guns at their British comrades and so on until over a thousand men of the British Indian Army had mutinied.
The INA men and the Indian soldiers both climbed the court and began to embrace each other. General Sato ordered his men to start arresting the British soldiers.
The Battle of the Tennis Court had been won. The Union Jack was burned and the INA flag was raised on the Deputy Commissioner's Bungalow, alongside the Rising Sun Flag. Kohima had fallen. Imphal and Dimapur were next.

Subhash Bose inspecting troops before the attack on Imphal.
On his right walks General Mohan Singh, the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian National Army(Azad Hind Fauj).
c.1944

Uh oh.....

 

[skarosianlifeform]

I have absolutely no idea how plausible it is (or not) but will follow with interest

 

[Aj chahal]

Hideki Tojo was a happy man when he heard of the fall of Kohima. He now had knife on British Empire's jugular. While Japan was facing reverses in the Pacific, the Burma theatre now became far more important. More and more Japanese soldiers and materials were now needed there. If only he could somehow cutoff India...Subhash Bose was essential for this. The man had to be placated. Tojo called him the next day to congratulate him on the victory.
"Good Morning, Subhash. How are you ?"
"Couldn't be better, Hideki, how are you ?"
"You've made me a very happy man. Congratulations on taking Kohima."
"Well then, Hideki, I need you to make me happy as well."
"Anything Subhash."
"Give me more men. At least a 1,00,000. A whole mechanised division and 5 Air Force squadrons. 2 bomber and 3 fighter."
"You've got it pal. But reinforcements after this will be very hard to come by. So be very careful."
"Thank you, Hideki."

The joint INA-Japanese forces numbered at around 20,000 before launching an offensive on Imphal. The British forces' main supply route had been cut off at Kohima and the huge supply dump at Kohima included abandoned artillery, munitions and huge quantities of rice in the nearby Naga villages. This saved Japan's army from starvation and exacerbated British problems. They were only being supplied though aerial drops.

The British forces were commanded by Lieutenant General Geoffry Scoones and he commanded about 10,000 men in Imphal. Although his force had a substantial number of British brigades(around 40%), he still feared a mutiny and decided against any pre-emptive offensive. He was going to face the siege.

On 17th April, 1944 Axis forces attacked Imphal from the North, East and South. Most British resistance on the Northern and Eastern flanks was easily mopped up, it was in the south where the Japanese bore the brunt. General Scoones' 254th Indian Tank Brigade rained hellfire on Japanese infantry, with Japan raking up 500 casualties on this front within a week. The British on the other hand had 200 dead with their positions in Imphal being constantly shelled. The Japanese field commander, Lt. General Remya Malaguchi had also ordered an assault on Dimapur under General Sato. This was a stalemate since the British brigades defending it and the Japanese attacking it were of equal strength.

The Tank Brigade, after practically destroying the Japanese advance south of Imphal, flanked the Japanese 33rd Division in the east. Malaguchi was confident of taking Imphal by the end of the month, even with Allied aerial superiority, but the Tank brigade was a serious headache.
The INA's Subhash Brigade under Captain Shah Nawaz Khan launched a counter-attack against the Tank Brigade on 25th April with the objective of pushing them back south and from there into Imphal. A Bahadur Brigade was organised as a special forces to conduct espionage and sabotage behind enemy lines. Colonel Shaukat Malik was tasked with operating it.
The INA found its first independent success in Moirang, when Shaukat Malik led 10 men into the British encampment in a daring raid. They easily blended in with the Indian soldiers and infiltrated the area commander's tent, one Subedar Ishar Sharma.
With bayonet on his neck, Ishar Sharma was harshly awakened from his sleep,
"Good to see you Sharma"
"What the fuck are you doing I m your off-"
Suddenly a rifle butt broke his nose
"No Sharma. See, you're mistaken. We are not the British Army. We are the INA."
Sharma while bleeding profusely, begged for mercy
"I am not going to kill you, soldier. You are after all one of us. Now go outside, rally your soldiers and tell them that your brigade has switched allegiance and joined the Azad Hind Fauj"
Moirang fell on 30th April. This was the Tank brigades's first major reversal.

On 3rd May, 3 Japanese battalions took the Nungshigum ridge, overlooking the main airstrip in Imphal. The Japanese led death charges on the airstrip and while they did not manage to to take it, the airstrip was so damaged that allied planes could no longer fly against the Japanese force. Malaguchi ordered a renewed offensive from the north again, but this time without being threatened by the RAF.
Casualties had been high on both sides, with 7000 British dead and 15000 Japanese, the INA taking a 1000. With no air superiority and the security of aerial supply parachutes being compromised, the British forces were starving and morale was low.

The last nail in Imphal's coffin was the arrival of a new Japanese Field Army of 1,00,000 men in Mandalay which began to move towards Imphal. British reinforcements were not so forthcoming. This boosted the Japanese morale. The new offensive broke the British and they surrendered on May 7th, 1944.

IV Corps commander General Geoffry Scoones photographed after surrendering Imphal to Japanese forces
c.1944

The allied command was shocked. The fall of Imphal and Kohima now exposed India to a Japanese invasion. The allies had suffered a huge setback in mainland Asia, even while the Americans were beating the Japanese in the Pacific. Britain now had to split the troops to protect the home islands and India. Churchill and Roosevelt urged Stalin to declare war on Japan relieve pressure on India but Stalin flat out refused to do so until Germany was defeated.

The Japanese leadership on the other hand was elated. Tojo decided to send another 2,00,000 troops to help in invading India. The Imperial Japanese Navy also began to contemplate sending a carrier strike group into the Bay of Bengal, even though the American naval superiority in the Pacific was rising day-by-day.

Subhash Chandra Bose, in a radio broadcast on May 10th, 1944 from Imphal made an address that would be remembered as The Imphal Address.

"Our nation has reached a juncture, a critical point where we must pick a side. Do we chose those who oppress us, loot us and force us to fight their wars or those, who sacrifice their own young men for our liberation. My countrymen, 3 days ago the Indian National Army took Imphal. It is the first nail in the coffin of the British Empire in India. I implore you to rebel against these Imperialist devils and not rest until every last Britisher is thrown out of this country. Go and kill their civil servants, destroy train tracks, cut down the telegraph wires, burn down their police stations. Avenge all the humiliations that they have inflicted upon us. Remember the sacrifices of Bhagat Singh, of Lala Lajpat Rai, of Mahatma Gandhi. Avenge Jallianwala Bagh. All the brave men who are forced to fight under British yoke for their imperialist ambitions, desert your posts and join the INA. Together, we shall liberate our country. Remind these bastards of 1857. From Peshawar to Kaniyakumari, from Porbandar to Dhaka, Don't ask them to Quit India, Make them Quit India!"

The address sent shockwaves throughout the country. Every man, woman and child supported Bose. The entire congress machinery threw itself behind him, even though the congress leaders like Gandhi and Nehru were opposed to it. The Viceroy begged Churchill for reinforcements but around 2 million Indian troops were dispersed around the world, in England, Italy, Iran and Africa. There was also the fear that these troops on reaching India, would mutiny and join Bose.
Viceroy Wavell, in order to placate the Indian masses made the fatal decision of releasing Gandhi, Nehru and a few other prominent politicians from detention. They decided to hold a session in Kanpur and announced their support to Subhash Chandra Bose and the INA. They also announced that Britain must immediately hand over power to Indians and leave the country. Internally they despised Bose but they had to support him to protect their own hides.

The Quit India Movement was reinvigorated, with violence.
When Gandhi was asked by the press if he condoned the violence, he said,
"Non-violence is my ideology but I would prefer Violence to cowardice."

Wavell once again jailed the congress leadership. This was another blunder as it only served to anger the people. As a result the British Government sacked him and his predecessor Lord Linlithgow was appointed to his second term as the Viceroy of India.

On 27th May, 1944 The Imperial Japanese Army in conjunction with Indian National Army launched 3 simultaneous offensives towards Chittagong, Dhaka and Guwahati with 3,50,000 troops, 500 tanks, 150 aircraft, 1600 artillery guns and 700 Armoured fighting vehicles. The objective was to take all 3 cities and move into Western Bengal before the rains fell in July.

 

[Harshavardhana]

Don't know how realistic this is but I will watch this.

 

[Dragonspectre]

Nice TL although a bit on the side of unrealistic when it comes to Nehru and M.K. Gandhi. But, that can be chalked up to the advent of butterfly effect.

I'd like to point out that you forgot to add threadmarks. @Aj chahal

 

[Aj chahal]

Nice TL although a bit on the side of unrealistic when it comes to Nehru and M.K. Gandhi. But, that can be chalked up to the advent of butterfly effect.

I'd like to point out that you forgot to add threadmarks. @Aj chahal

Thanks. The violence quote(or a variation of it) is actually attributed to Gandhi. Valuable feedback though. Will keep it in mind.
Added the threadmarks.

 

[Sahil0101]

Hideki Tojo was a happy man when he heard of the fall of Kohima. He now had knife on British Empire's jugular. While Japan was facing reverses in the Pacific, the Burma theatre now became far more important. More and more Japanese soldiers and materials were now needed there. If only he could somehow cutoff India...Subhash Bose was essential for this. The man had to be placated. Tojo called him the next day to congratulate him on the victory.
"Good Morning, Subhash. How are you ?"
"Couldn't be better, Hideki, how are you ?"
"You've made me a very happy man. Congratulations on taking Kohima."
"Well then, Hideki, I need you to make me happy as well."
"Anything Subhash."
"Give me more men. At least a 1,00,000. A whole mechanised division and 5 Air Force squadrons. 2 bomber and 3 fighter."
"You've got it pal. But reinforcements after this will be very hard to come by. So be very careful."
"Thank you, Hideki."

The joint INA-Japanese forces numbered at around 20,000 before launching an offensive on Imphal. The British forces' main supply route had been cut off at Kohima and the huge supply dump at Kohima included abandoned artillery, munitions and huge quantities of rice in the nearby Naga villages. This saved Japan's army from starvation and exacerbated British problems. They were only being supplied though aerial drops.

The British forces were commanded by Lieutenant General Geoffry Scoones and he commanded about 10,000 men in Imphal. Although his force had a substantial number of British brigades(around 40%), he still feared a mutiny and decided against any pre-emptive offensive. He was going to face the siege.

On 17th April, 1945 Axis forces attacked Imphal from the North, East and South. Most British resistance on the Northern and Eastern flanks was easily mopped up, it was in the south where the Japanese bore the brunt. General Scoones' 254th Indian Tank Brigade rained hellfire on Japanese infantry, with Japan raking up 500 casualties on this front within a week. The British on the other hand had 200 dead with their positions in Imphal being constantly shelled. The Japanese field commander, Lt. General Remya Malaguchi had also ordered an assault on Dimapur under General Sato. This was a stalemate since the British brigades defending it and the Japanese attacking it were of equal strength.

The Tank Brigade, after practically destroying the Japanese advance south of Imphal, flanked the Japanese 33rd Division in the east. Malaguchi was confident of taking Imphal by the end of the month, even with Allied aerial superiority, but the Tank brigade was a serious headache.
The INA's Subhash Brigade under Captain Shah Nawaz Khan launched a counter-attack against the Tank Brigade on 25th April with the objective of pushing them back south and from there into Imphal. A Bahadur Brigade was organised as a special forces to conduct espionage and sabotage behind enemy lines. Colonel Shaukat Malik was tasked with operating it.
The INA found its first independent success in Moirang, when Shaukat Malik led 10 men into the British encampment in a daring raid. They easily blended in with the Indian soldiers and infiltrated the area commander's tent, one Subedar Ishar Sharma.
With bayonet on his neck, Ishar Sharma was harshly awakened from his sleep,
"Good to see you Sharma"
"What the fuck are you doing I m your off-"
Suddenly a rifle butt broke his nose
"No Sharma. See, you're mistaken. We are not the British Army. We are the INA."
Sharma while bleeding profusely, begged for mercy
"I am not going to kill you, soldier. You are after all one of us. Now go outside, rally your soldiers and tell them that your brigade has switched allegiance and joined the Azad Hind Fauj"
Moirang fell on 30th April. This was the Tank brigades's first major reversal.

On 3rd May, 3 Japanese battalions took the Nungshigum ridge, overlooking the main airstrip in Imphal. The Japanese led death charges on the airstrip and while they did not manage to to take it, the airstrip was so damaged that allied planes could no longer fly against the Japanese force. Malaguchi ordered a renewed offensive from the north again, but this time without being threatened by the RAF.
Casualties had been high on both sides, with 7000 British dead and 15000 Japanese, the INA taking a 1000. With no air superiority and the security of aerial supply parachutes being compromised, the British forces were starving and morale was low.

The last nail in Imphal's coffin was the arrival of a new Japanese Field Army of 1,00,000 men in Mandalay which began to move towards Imphal. British reinforcements were not so forthcoming. This boosted the Japanese morale. The new offensive broke the British and they surrendered on May 7th, 1944.

IV Corps commander General Geoffry Scoones photographed after surrendering Imphal to Japanese forces
c.1944

The allied command was shocked. The fall of Imphal and Kohima now exposed India to a Japanese invasion. The allies had suffered a huge setback in mainland Asia, even while the Americans were beating the Japanese in the Pacific. Britain now had to split the troops to protect the home islands and India. Churchill and Roosevelt urged Stalin to declare war on Japan relieve pressure on India but Stalin flat out refused to do so until Germany was defeated.

The Japanese leadership on the other hand was elated. Tojo decided to send another 2,00,000 troops to help in invading India. The Imperial Japanese Navy also began to contemplate sending a carrier strike group into the Bay of Bengal, even though the American naval superiority in the Pacific was rising day-by-day.

Subhash Chandra Bose, in a radio broadcast on May 10th, 1944 from Imphal made an address that would be remembered as The Imphal Address.

"Our nation has reached a juncture, a critical point where we must pick a side. Do we chose those who oppress us, loot us and force us to fight their wars or those, who sacrifice their own young men for our liberation. My countrymen, 3 days ago the Indian National Army took Imphal. It is the first nail in the coffin of the British Empire in India. I implore you to rebel against these Imperialist devils and not rest until every last Britisher is thrown out of this country. Go and kill their civil servants, destroy train tracks, cut down the telegraph wires, burn down their police stations. Avenge all the humiliations that they have inflicted upon us. Remember the sacrifices of Bhagat Singh, of Lala Lajpat Rai, of Mahatma Gandhi. Avenge Jallianwala Bagh. All the brave men who are forced to fight under British yoke for their imperialist ambitions, desert your posts and join the INA. Together, we shall liberate our country. Remind these bastards of 1857. From Peshawar to Kaniyakumari, from Porbandar to Dhaka, Don't ask them to Quit India, Make them Quit India!"

The address sent shockwaves throughout the country. Every man, woman and child supported Bose. The entire congress machinery threw itself behind him, even though the congress leaders like Gandhi and Nehru were opposed to it. The Viceroy begged Churchill for reinforcements but around 2 million Indian troops were dispersed around the world, in England, Italy, Iran and Africa. There was also the fear that these troops on reaching India, would mutiny and join Bose.
Viceroy Wavell, in order to placate the Indian masses made the fatal decision of releasing Gandhi, Nehru and a few other prominent politicians from detention. They decided to hold a session in Kanpur and announced their support to Subhash Chandra Bose and the INA. They also announced that Britain must immediately hand over power to Indians and leave the country. Internally they despised Bose but they had to support him to protect their own hides.

The Quit India Movement was reinvigorated, with violence.
When Gandhi was asked by the press if he condoned the violence, he said,
"Non-violence is my ideology but I would prefer Violence to cowardice."

Wavell once again jailed the congress leadership. This was another blunder as it only served to anger the people. As a result the British Government sacked him and his predecessor Lord Linlithgow was appointed to his second term as the Viceroy of India.

On 27th May, 1944 The Imperial Japanese Army in conjunction with Indian National Army launched 3 simultaneous offensives towards Chittagong, Dhaka and Guwahati with 3,50,000 troops, 500 tanks, 150 aircraft, 1600 artillery guns and 700 Armoured fighting vehicles. The objective was to take all 3 cities and move into Western Bengal before the rains fell in July.

Nice... As an indian I would love to see more Indian stories... And please don't be too hard on Gandhi... I am sick of people posing him as some demon.

 

[skarosianlifeform]

Nice... As an indian I would love to see more Indian stories... And please don't be too hard on Gandhi... I am sick of people posing him as some demon.

Often it's people who are annoyed that he's treated like a perfect saint, and overreact... But yeah it's not a good thing.

 

[Seandineen]

Often it's people who are annoyed that he's treated like a perfect saint, and overreact... But yeah it's not a good thing.

Subose bose as an active ally of the Japanese. Brilliant beyond words. I am curious could we replace Pakistan with another princely state getting independence. Hydriband perhaps? Also, the Nazi’s belived Indians were Aryan. What a bizzare but perhaps important factor.

 

[Harshavardhana]

Subose bose as an active ally of the Japanese. Brilliant beyond words. I am curious could we replace Pakistan with another princely state getting independence. Hydriband perhaps? Also, the Nazi’s belived Indians were Aryan. What a bizzare but perhaps important factor.

What's Hydriband lol?

 

[skarosianlifeform]

Subose bose as an active ally of the Japanese. Brilliant beyond words. I am curious could we replace Pakistan with another princely state getting independence. Hydriband perhaps? Also, the Nazi’s belived Indians were Aryan. What a bizzare but perhaps important factor.

Nazis themselves probably won't matter much here. They're too far. And since the TL starts in '44, too busy fighting the Soviet steamroller...

On the other hand, public perception (in Allied countries) that Indian rebels are aligned with the Nazis might matter.

If India manages to get independence through this rebellion, sadly, it might be perceived as a racist, antisemitic country that sided with the worst monsters that ever existed on the planet. And of course, even if there is a Hindu-Muslim split, the OTL friendship between India and Israel would probably not exist...

Of course, should this rebellion create an independent India, and the West react badly, Moscow will be only too happy to offer friendship...

 

[Aj chahal]

Subose bose as an active ally of the Japanese. Brilliant beyond words. I am curious could we replace Pakistan with another princely state getting independence. Hydriband perhaps? Also, the Nazi’s belived Indians were Aryan. What a bizzare but perhaps important factor

Bose is strictly opposed to any kind of partition of the country. Hyderabad is geographically difficult to give independence, though Bose might have to fight certain groups seeking Independence like Jammu&Kashmir and Hyderbad.
Perhaps even Burma as well.

Nazis themselves probably won't matter much here. They're too far. And since the TL starts in '44, too busy fighting the Soviet steamroller...

On the other hand, public perception (in Allied countries) that Indian rebels are aligned with the Nazis might matter.

If India manages to get independence through this rebellion, sadly, it might be perceived as a racist, antisemitic country that sided with the worst monsters that ever existed on the planet. And of course, even if there is a Hindu-Muslim split, the OTL friendship between India and Israel would probably not exist...

Of course, should this rebellion create an independent India, and the West react badly, Moscow will be only too happy to offer friendship...

Subhash Bose is an opportunist. If it benefits India he can switch to the Soviets or the West, although not the United Kingdom. Bose has a rabid hatred for them.
@Seandineen Hitler looked down upon Indians and believed that they were better off ruled by the British. Even at this point in the war Hitler is pretty useless and only serves as a distraction for the allies.
Bose wants to expel British forces from India before Germany is defeated.
The allied war objectives are also split. The Soviets want the Americans and British to invade France. The Americans are looking to defeat the Japanese in the Pacific first. The British on the other hand want to protect India and they won't be getting a lot of American manpower here.

 

[22000 Kevin]

If India manages to get independence through this rebellion, sadly, it might be perceived as a racist, antisemitic country that sided with the worst monsters that ever existed on the planet. And of course, even if there is a Hindu-Muslim split, the OTL friendship between India and Israel would probably not exist...

Well we have Fascist Spain as our historical example of a surviving Fascist nation that peacefully transitioned itself back into an democracy after its dictator died, granted the King of Spain was largely responsible for doing that against the wishes of said dictator.


Now of course Spain was mostly neutral throughout WW2, Free India meanwhile is internationally seen as a Puppet Government under the control of the Internationally hated Imperial Japan...


Yes Free India is part of the Axis Alliance and will be recognised and endorsed by Nazi Germany but it doesn't mean that the special relationship with Israel is dead, Imperial Japan unlike Nazi Germany didn't commit to the mass genocide against the Jewish peoples, matter of fact 24,000 Jewish refugees escaped the holocaust by emigrating to the Japanese Empire with support from Japanese authorities and protections granted to them.


Israel and India both share their common hatred against the British Empire that formerly ruled over them, both sides will get some sort of International Pariah status, one side can apologise for unknowingly supporting the Nazi Governments genocide of the Jewish peoples in Europe, the good relations that post-war Japan will have with the Jewish community will help to build bridges, after all Japan was one of the first Asian nations to diplomatically recognise the state of Israel.


The Hindu-Muslim split will be difficult here, what we know so far is that Free India claims the entirety of the British Raj and will continue to do so.
There ain't going to be a 1947 British Partition in this timeline for sure and the British are likely to abandon India earlier with the Quit India movement gaining momentum in the middle of a British Military disaster.


Those who do support the two Nation theory will struggle to get their voices heard in the UN, further complicated if India does become a Pariah state and be initially rejected from the UN until Cold War altitudes will allow India to eventually get UN membership by the 1950s.

Also why would India be seen as an racist, antisemitic nation?

Yes Hitler literally supported the nation to fight the British, but it wasn't the fault of the Indians for being supported by the most hated man on earth, the nation would renounce the alliance with the Axis (Germany only) and condemn Hitler's Germany after the war crimes in the Nuremberg trials and concentration camps were pictured and documented.

 

[herlockscholmes]

A super interesting POD. The Japanese did take the INA along for U-Go, in retrospect seems kind of surprising they weren't employed to this effect.

That said, this is a rather late war POD, so it's important to keep some perspective...

The Japanese leadership on the other hand was elated. Tojo decided to send another 2,00,000 troops to help in invading India.

From where?

The Imperial Japanese Navy also began to contemplate sending a carrier strike group into the Bay of Bengal, even though the American naval superiority in the Pacific was rising day-by-day.

By this point in the war, the IJN couldn't resupply Saipan or the Philippines, much less divert what it had left to such a far-flung theater. Very soon after this POD, the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" is going to happen and the IJN isn't going to have much ability to move, period. I assume this "contemplation" is the sort done in passing, perhaps after several bottles of sake, and not a serious plan.

That all said, interesting premise from a set of historical events that don't get enough attention here. Seems to me like the UK is potentially bound for a Vietnam-style insurgency (but 100x larger) postwar, with very significant consequences depending on who else gets drawn in eventually.

 

[skarosianlifeform]

By this point in the war, the IJN couldn't resupply Saipan or the Philippines, much less divert what it had left to such a far-flung theater. Very soon after this POD, the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" is going to happen and the IJN isn't going to have much ability to move, period. I assume this "contemplation" is the sort done in passing, perhaps after several bottles of sake, and not a serious plan.

Well, it's not like the IJA command was known for its grip on reality...

 

[Aj chahal]

Well we have Fascist Spain as our historical example of a surviving Fascist nation that peacefully transitioned itself back into an democracy after its dictator died, granted the King of Spain was largely responsible for doing that against the wishes of said dictator.


Now of course Spain was mostly neutral throughout WW2, Free India meanwhile is internationally seen as a Puppet Government under the control of the Internationally hated Imperial Japan...


Yes Free India is part of the Axis Alliance and will be recognised and endorsed by Nazi Germany but it doesn't mean that the special relationship with Israel is dead, Imperial Japan unlike Nazi Germany didn't commit to the mass genocide against the Jewish peoples, matter of fact 24,000 Jewish refugees escaped the holocaust by emigrating to the Japanese Empire with support from Japanese authorities and protections granted to them.


Israel and India both share their common hatred against the British Empire that formerly ruled over them, both sides will get some sort of International Pariah status, one side can apologise for unknowingly supporting the Nazi Governments genocide of the Jewish peoples in Europe, the good relations that post-war Japan will have with the Jewish community will help to build bridges, after all Japan was one of the first Asian nations to diplomatically recognise the state of Israel.


The Hindu-Muslim split will be difficult here, what we know so far is that Free India claims the entirety of the British Raj and will continue to do so.
There ain't going to be a 1947 British Partition in this timeline for sure and the British are likely to abandon India earlier with the Quit India movement gaining momentum in the middle of a British Military disaster.


Those who do support the two Nation theory will struggle to get their voices heard in the UN, further complicated if India does become a Pariah state and be initially rejected from the UN until Cold War altitudes will allow India to eventually get UN membership by the 1950s.

Also why would India be seen as an racist, antisemitic nation?

Yes Hitler literally supported the nation to fight the British, but it wasn't the fault of the Indians for being supported by the most hated man on earth, the nation would renounce the alliance with the Axis (Germany only) and condemn Hitler's Germany after the war crimes in the Nuremberg trials and concentration camps were pictured and documented.

Israel is quite far away for now. And Bose is unaware of the atrocities in concentration camps.
Bose is an opportunist, quite like Hitler, and has practically ditched him since he is useless to his cause. With no partition, an Independent India is not going to be a pariah state. Both the Soviets and the Americans would want it on their side.

A super interesting POD. The Japanese did take the INA along for U-Go, in retrospect seems kind of surprising they weren't employed to this effect.

That said, this is a rather late war POD, so it's important to keep some perspective...



From where?



By this point in the war, the IJN couldn't resupply Saipan or the Philippines, much less divert what it had left to such a far-flung theater. Very soon after this POD, the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" is going to happen and the IJN isn't going to have much ability to move, period. I assume this "contemplation" is the sort done in passing, perhaps after several bottles of sake, and not a serious plan.

That all said, interesting premise from a set of historical events that don't get enough attention here. Seems to me like the UK is potentially bound for a Vietnam-style insurgency (but 100x larger) postwar, with very significant consequences depending on who else gets drawn in eventually.

Japanese high command had misgivings about U-Go but since its been a huge success, Tojo sent more men. Burman, Vietnam, China and Indonesia. Troops have been taken from all these territories and put in India. The IJN is envious of the IJA's success and wants to have a part in the conquest of India but the Americans won't be letting them do that. You are correct that this is only wishful thinking.

UK won't be able to sustain itself in India for long, since it doesn't have enough men of its own to suppress it. The reliance on Indian troops is also being increasingly questioned in the government circles.

 

[raharris1973]

Are we going to see the American-trained, Chinese-manned, X-Force get caught up in the action here?

I know its natural to mainly have the Indians and Brits (and thirdly, the Japanese) on the brain, but this was all part of a larger China-Burma-India theater.

On the other hand, public perception (in Allied countries) that Indian rebels are aligned with the Nazis might matter.

...and hey, Hindu and Buddhist use of Swastikas...(often facing the other way though, I think)

 

[skarosianlifeform]

Well we have Fascist Spain as our historical example of a surviving Fascist nation that peacefully transitioned itself back into an democracy after its dictator died, granted the King of Spain was largely responsible for doing that against the wishes of said dictator.


Now of course Spain was mostly neutral throughout WW2, Free India meanwhile is internationally seen as a Puppet Government under the control of the Internationally hated Imperial Japan...


Yes Free India is part of the Axis Alliance and will be recognised and endorsed by Nazi Germany but it doesn't mean that the special relationship with Israel is dead, Imperial Japan unlike Nazi Germany didn't commit to the mass genocide against the Jewish peoples, matter of fact 24,000 Jewish refugees escaped the holocaust by emigrating to the Japanese Empire with support from Japanese authorities and protections granted to them.


Israel and India both share their common hatred against the British Empire that formerly ruled over them, both sides will get some sort of International Pariah status, one side can apologise for unknowingly supporting the Nazi Governments genocide of the Jewish peoples in Europe, the good relations that post-war Japan will have with the Jewish community will help to build bridges, after all Japan was one of the first Asian nations to diplomatically recognise the state of Israel.


The Hindu-Muslim split will be difficult here, what we know so far is that Free India claims the entirety of the British Raj and will continue to do so.
There ain't going to be a 1947 British Partition in this timeline for sure and the British are likely to abandon India earlier with the Quit India movement gaining momentum in the middle of a British Military disaster.


Those who do support the two Nation theory will struggle to get their voices heard in the UN, further complicated if India does become a Pariah state and be initially rejected from the UN until Cold War altitudes will allow India to eventually get UN membership by the 1950s.

Also why would India be seen as an racist, antisemitic nation?

Yes Hitler literally supported the nation to fight the British, but it wasn't the fault of the Indians for being supported by the most hated man on earth, the nation would renounce the alliance with the Axis (Germany only) and condemn Hitler's Germany after the war crimes in the Nuremberg trials and concentration camps were pictured and documented.

Rationally I agree with you.
But after the war, emotions would run high. When you add the preexisting anti-Indian racism, the feeling that Indians backstabbed Britain (of course India had not freely chosen to follow Britain so not really backstab but would Westerners care ? ), the association of Bose with the Nazis (not helped by swastika use indeed...) and Imperial Japan... Oh, and Bose having socialist tendencies, the cherry on the cake.

India might get as much or even more hatred than actual Axis countries, because it's not just a traditional enemy but a rebelling colony and (again) a "backstabber".

I know that pragmaticism can make miracles in diplomacy, and the smartest Anglo-American diplomats would want to have the new independent India on their side.
But Western politicians have to sell it to their own population too.

Really, I think India will be forced into the (welcoming) arms of Soviet Union.

 

[Aj chahal]

Are we going to see the American-trained, Chinese-manned, X-Force get caught up in the action here?

I know its natural to mainly have the Indians and Brits (and thirdly, the Japanese) on the brain, but this was all part of a larger China-Burma-India theater.


...and hey, Hindu and Buddhist use of Swastikas...(often facing the other way though, I think)

Keen observation. Yes the X-Force will see action but around Calcutta(since they are stationed in Bihar). These troops will also have problems from the local population(sabotage, isolated attacks etc.).