When Men Made History, 1940–1947

Abstract

During this crucial period in world history the course of events in Europe and India was shaped more by individual statesmen, politicians and administrators than by historical forces. The Second World War was not inevitable, nor was the partition of India. It may be said that the former was caused by Hitler and the latter by Jinnah. However, Jinnah’s determination and strategy alone would not have succeeded in creating Pakistan. His cause was promoted more by the shortsightedness and failings of his adversaries than by the active support of his followers. The men responsible, in varying measure, for the withdrawal of British power from India and its partition were, from the British side, the last three Viceroys — Linlithgow, Wavell and Mountbatten; two Prime Ministers — Churchill and Attlee; a Cabinet Minister — Sir Stafford Cripps; from Congress, Nehru, Gandhi, Patel, and Azad; and Jinnah from the Muslim League. These were the leading players in the last act of the Anglo-Indian drama. On them rested the destiny of the Indian sub-continent. What they said or did was to affect the lives of 400 million people.