Fight for Independence

Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru

Due to the weakening affects of World War II on the British Empire, and through the help of Indian nationalists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, and the powerful ideologies of Mohandas Gandhi, India would soon be able to call itself an independent nation. Mohandas Gandhi’s efforts during the 1920s and 1930s, through practice of satyagraha and civil disobedience, helped spring widespread outrage across the globe concerning Britain’s unjust colonial rule over India. Gandhi explained his methods saying, "The greater our innocence, the greater our strength and the swifter our victory." This meant that if they could succeed in making the British appear as the bad guys by remaining innocent and not resorting to violence. He believed they could create criticism of the British Empire, and spark international pressure for the British to leave India. Another major leader in India’s independence movement was Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru acted as a political figure for the people of India, preaching words such as “We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell.” Nehru worked alongside Gandhi to make negotiations with the English Delegation. However Gandhi was more of a spiritual leader, Nehru was, what some would say, his political sidekick who also advocated for complete Indian freedom. Gandhi’s intuitive use of passive resistance, or resistance by nonviolent methods to a government by demonstration in protest, helped spread awareness of Indian frustrations. This fight for Indian home rule appeared successful, as criticism of the British Empire coerced the British government to release some of its power over India. After years of inauspicious colonial rule, in early 1930 the Indian National Congress announced that it would now be satisfied with nothing short of complete independence. Gandhi had proved the power of passive resistance as an outstanding revolutionary tactic. But when World War 2 broke out in 1939, Indian independence was postponed as two and a half million Indian soldiers set off to support British forces across Asia, Europe and Africa. Events such as Gandhi’s 1942  “Quit India” movement resulted; this was launched out of outrage from the Indian people that they were being dragged into a war without their consent. Gandhi made a speech calling for a “do or die” mentality of the people for their independence.

Finally when the war ended in 1945; a weakened Britain could no longer deny the enthusiastic Indian nationalists their independence. With Gandhi and his freedom fighters rapidly increasing their influence, the only clear option for the British Empire was to allow India it’s independence. After the War concluded, a process of decolonization commenced. Britain granted independence to all of its major colonies because the empire was bankrupt and unable to continue rule over it’s many colonies.. After almost a hundred years of struggle and subjugation, India was finally headed towards decolonization. But as Indian independence was becoming more and more attainable with British cooperation, a large issue still faced the soon to be independent nation.