Can anyone tell me what was the role of WW1 and WW2 in the formation of Pakistan?
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
fighting on behalf of the british
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
pressure at home in england made it impossible for the empire to sustain colonies. so they went back.
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
It's pretty complex but basically, after WW2, Europe was broke and their infrastructure was severely damaged. This is part of the reason America and the Soviets were able to overtake European countries. It was too costly to try to retain control of the colonies. In addition to this, there was a lot of pressure from India for independence.
As for the role in the creation of Pakistan, Churchill actually wanted to create Pakistan. Not for our benefit mind you, this guy was a staunch imperialist who would ideally have kept India for the British, but to divide and conquer. Jinnah had correspondence with Churchill and proceeded with the approval of the British. It seems that it worked because to this day, we're fighting with India when in reality, we should have moved on by now.
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
It's pretty complex but basically, after WW2, Europe was broke and their infrastructure was severely damaged. This is part of the reason America and the Soviets were able to overtake European countries. It was too costly to try to retain control of the colonies. In addition to this, there was a lot of pressure from India for independence.
That means there is always a positive side of utter negative things.
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As for the role in the creation of Pakistan, Churchill actually wanted to create Pakistan. Not for our benefit mind you, this guy was a staunch imperialist who would ideally have kept India for the British, but to divide and conquer. Jinnah had correspondence with Churchill and proceeded with the approval of the British. It seems that it worked because to this day, we're fighting with India when in reality, we should have moved on by now.
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I also read that Churchill was suspicious of capabilities of Indians to run a country and passed some low remarks for Indians and their leaders especially Mahatma Gandhi. Also British policy of 'Divide and Rule' is well known, but how British benefited due to partition?
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
The fall of Ottoman Empire too played a role, right?.
I read in my Pakistan Studies book that League of Nations also played a role. League of Nations promised that each ethinity group should have its own nation but there were many ethnicities in the Sub-continent who wanted their own country wher they could freely practice Islam. So how did League of Nations play a role in that?.
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
The fall of Ottoman Empire too played a role, right?. I read in my Pakistan Studies book that League of Nations also played a role. League of Nations promised that each ethinity group should have its own nation but there were many ethnicities in the Sub-continent who wanted their own country wher they could freely practice Islam. So how did League of Nations played a role in that?.
Interesting. But if Pakistan was really made where people could practice their faith freely, why religious leadership opposed it? Secondly, can one say that Millions of Muslims who opt to live in India did not want that right to freely practice of religion?
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
The fall of the Ottoman Empire was mostly irrelevant. The Khalifaat Movement of 1924's protests against it, while temporarily uniting Indian of varying faiths against the British, mostly fell apart after Ataturk dissolved the Khalifat.
WW1 was the first blow to the British Empire in the formation of Pakistan. It significantly weakened the British economically, but not to the extent of making them lose control.
WW2 was key. Without WW2, Britain would have been in an economic and military position to try and defeat an Indian bid for independence as in 1857. However, after WW2, Britain lacked both the money and the military will to keep on fighting. In the wake of rising discontent in India, disengaging became key before the country was sucked into another war.
This is where the second part of the WW2 effect played a role - the Muslim League's support of the war effort. It is no coincidence that the Muslim League rose in power significantly during WW2. While Congress tried to oppose the British and had much of its leadership arrested, the Muslim League supported the war effort and thus was able to operate freely in India, growing in strength, and building better connections and bargaining positions with the British.
As a result, coming out of WW2 and needing to disengage from India, the British were faced with a strong Muslim League and a weaker Congress than before the war.
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
I read in my Pakistan Studies book that League of Nations also played a role. League of Nations promised that each ethinity group should have its own nation but there were many ethnicities in the Sub-continent who wanted their own country wher they could freely practice Islam. So how did League of Nations play a role in that?.
LOL... the League of Nation's promises of self-determination sounded nice, but were only intended for European ethnic groups. All the imperial powers, both European and Asian, denied that these clauses applied to their colonies.
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
The fall of the Ottoman Empire was mostly irrelevant. The Khalifaat Movement of 1924's protests against it, while temporarily uniting Indian of varying faiths against the British, mostly fell apart after Ataturk dissolved the Khalifat.
WW1 was the first blow to the British Empire in the formation of Pakistan. It significantly weakened the British economically, but not to the extent of making them lose control.
WW2 was key. Without WW2, Britain would have been in an economic and military position to try and defeat an Indian bid for independence as in 1857. However, after WW2, Britain lacked both the money and the military will to keep on fighting. In the wake of rising discontent in India, disengaging became key before the country was sucked into another war.
This is where the second part of the WW2 effect played a role - the Muslim League's support of the war effort. It is no coincidence that the Muslim League rose in power significantly during WW2. While Congress tried to oppose the British and had much of its leadership arrested, the Muslim League supported the war effort and thus was able to operate freely in India, growing in strength, and building better connections and bargaining positions with the British.
As a result, coming out of WW2 and needing to disengage from India, the British were faced with a strong Muslim League and a weaker Congress than before the war.
But did Muslim League really got what it needed?
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
Interesting. But if Pakistan was really made where people could practice their faith freely, why religious leadership opposed it? Secondly, can one say that Millions of Muslims who opt to live in India did not want that right to freely practice of religion?
I agree that Muslims were not being forced to convert to Hinduism. So this was not the impetus to work for a separate homeland.
Reason was primarily economic deprivation. Movement for a separate homeland had the genesis in provinces with Muslim minority. Although they were in minority there, but they were the ones who were the elites and who feared most of losing their privileged status in a Hindu majority democracy.
Re: WW1 n WW2 and the formation of Pakistan?
But did Muslim League really got what it needed?
It got most of what it wanted. Most areas with a Muslim majority that were under direct British control and directly connected to each other were made part of Pakistan.