1940
The Muslim League enacts the Lahore Resolution, later known as the Pakistan Resolution. The Muslim League demands that areas of India predominantly inhabited by Muslims should become independent states.
1940
The British promise to set up a constitution-making body (comprising all viewpoints within India) at the end of the war. In the interim, Linlithgow offers to create limited additional places for Indian representatives on his executive council and to establish a war advisory council. The National Congress and Muslim League reject his offer and Gandhi and Congress launch a civil disobedience movement.
1941
Prisoners from the National Congress civil disobedience movement are set free.
1942
The Indian National Army is formed by Subhas Chandra Bose.
1942
Sir Stafford Cripps is sent to India and talks of dominion status in return for support in the Second World War. The National Congress and Muslim League reject Cripps’ proposals.
1942
The ‘Quit India Movement’ is launched by Congress. Gandhi and other Congress leaders are arrested, prompting violence and further arrests. A major uprising ensues affecting especially the provinces of Bihar and northern India. 55 army battalions have to be mobilised to restore control. Details of the uprising are kept secret from the British public for propaganda reasons.
1943
Archibald Percival Wavell, Viscount Wavell, is appointed Viceroy (1943-47).
1943
A devastating famine in Bengal kills approximately 2-4 million people: stirring further unrest and anti-British feeling.
1944
Gandhi is released from prison.
1944
Talks between Gandhi and Jinnah about unity are unsuccessful.
1945
Congress leaders are released from prison.
1945
Wavell opens negotiations with Congress and the Muslim League by proposing the establishment of a council made up entirely of Indians, who would run an interim government in India. The council would be made up of Hindus and Muslims in equal numbers. The conference breaks down when Jinnah insists that all Muslims on the council be appointed by the League.
1945
In Britain a Labour government under Clement Atlee comes to power and, as a consequence of war-time promises and the financial crisis in Britain, immediately looks to disengage from India.
19450000 - 19460000
General elections take place in India. Congress keeps hold of control of Bombay, Madras, Orissa, the North-West Frontier and the United and Central Provinces. The League secures the majority of the Muslim vote and control of Bengal and Sind.
1946
Britain sends a cabinet mission to India, to broker an agreement between Congress and the League over the method of establishing a constitution for self-government and a scheme for the establishment of an interim government, while the constitution is being formed. The mission propose a three tier constitution of the Muslim majority provinces from the East and West and the Hindu majority provinces from the South and Centre, with all groups under the umbrella of an all-India union. Both the Muslim League (giving up their demand for a separate Muslim state) and Congress accept the constitutional scheme and agree to join the Constituent Assembly, however, discussions over the establishment of an interim government breakdown over the League’s insistence on nominating all Muslim members to the government. The Congress, who had initially agreed to join the interim government, retract their acceptance.
1946
Muslim League launches 'Direct Action Day' to rally support once again for the Pakistan demand. Demonstrations degenerate into riots in Calcutta known as ‘The Great Calcutta Killing’.
1946
Congress reverses its earlier position and forms an interim government, which the League soon joins, but without co-operation political deadlock ensues. Nehru and Jinnah fly to London to consult with the Prime Minister and Secretary of State in London. These meetings are unsuccessful.
1947
Conflict between Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities, fearful of the possibility of partition and the loss of land erupts in Punjab and spreads through Northern and Eastern India causing widespread migration (eventually to total as many as eight million) and 100s of thousands deaths. British Indian forces, in the midst of de-mobilisation, fail to maintain order.
1947
Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma, is appointed Viceroy (Feb-Aug 1947) and, post-independence, is sworn in as Governor-General (1947-48). Mountbatten recommends the immediate partition of India, as a means of preventing devastation. The borders of the new states of India and Pakistan are announced the day after independence, provoking a further escalation of violence. The death toll eventually totals nearly a million.
1947
End of British rule and partition of the sub-continent into India and a ‘Pakistan’ in two halves, the eastern half eventually to become the independent states of Bangladesh in 1971. The fate of India’s Princely States (controlling one-third of the subcontinent) is left undecided. Most are persuaded eventually to join India or Pakistan, but the Muslim majority state of Kashmir which borders both countries immediately becomes a source of conflict as its Hindu Maharaja opts to join the Indian Union.
1948
January 30th: assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, by a militant member of the Hindu Mahasabha, who blames Gandhi for allowing partition to take place.