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Flashcards in decolonisation in Asia Deck (41)
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1
Q

When was the Indian Independence Act

A

1947

2
Q

What were the main points in the Indian Independence Act

A
  • Division of British India into India and Pakistan both which were fully sovereign dominions
  • est. of the office of governor-general (represent the Crown)
  • complete legislative authority goes to respective Constituent Assemblies of two new countries
3
Q

What were some of the causes of decol in India before 1945

A
  • non cooperation movement in 1920s
  • Legislative changes in the 30s- Gov India Act 1935 and election in 1937 (showed INC could run a country)
  • Cripps Offer
  • Roundtable conference
  • Changing Brit gov attitude- ‘India will be a running sore if we try and keep ir’
4
Q

Who was the viceroy of India in 1945

A

Viceroy Wavell

5
Q

What did the elections in India post 1945 show about the support of each main political group

A

showed greater polarisation of support

overall congress won 90% of seats BUT muslim league won 75% of all Muslim votes

6
Q

What was the Simla Conference (1945)

A

Indian political leaders invited to Simla to discuss the two constitutional options by cabinet mission

7
Q

What was the mood like at the Simla Conference

A

mood wasn’t great- leades refused to talk to each other and Gandhi said he would block any moves towards partition

8
Q

What were the two constitutional options discussed at the Simla Conference

A

first option- single state with a three tier constitutional structure
second option- two state option (Hindustan and Pakistan)- they would conclude formal treaties with each other but would have no common gov

9
Q

What was the May Statement

A

cabinet made a declaration of intent- create a constituent assembly of elected representatives (draft a constitution for single state with regional groupings)

10
Q

When did Jinnah call for universal Muslim hatal

A

16th August 1946

11
Q

What was the nature of the Great Calcutta Killings

A

-during the Muslim hatal the Hindus threw stones as they passed which caused attacks over 3 days

12
Q

How many people were affected by the Great Calcutta Killings

A

6000 people died
20,000 wounded
100,000 made homeless

13
Q

Who did Congress blame for the Great Calcutta Killings

A

held the governor responsible for not preparing for rioting- elsewhere in India hatal caused no trouble at all

14
Q

What were the London Talks (1946)

A

Indian leaders were summoned to talks in London over 4 days

15
Q

What were Attlee’s opinions of both Jinnah and Nehru

A

thought Jinnah was ‘an Indian fascist’

reassured Nehru of his support of Congress

16
Q

Why was Attlee forced to replace Wavell

A

Constituent Assembly convened on 7th December 1946 but broke down as Muslim demand for separate states grew stronger

17
Q

What were Britain’s main concerns regarding Palestine

A

Wanted to keep good Anglo-American relations which pointed to a pro-Jewish solution but also protecting oil supplies which pointed to a pro-Arab solution

18
Q

How did the Cold War affect matters in Palestine

A

There were very conflicting ideologies- even though US were mostly pro-Zionist the Arabs weren’t communists so didn’t want the British to use violence

19
Q

What percentage of British oil came from the Middle East

A

60-70%

20
Q

What were US attitudes towards Jewish Settlement in Palestine

A

Truman demanded that 100,000 Jewish refugees be admitted at once- big leap from the 25,000 that was stated in the White Paper
BUT- most American officials disagreed with Truman- believed Jewish immigration should be restricted

21
Q

Examples of Palestinian terrrorism

A

Haganah organisation caused several hundred explosions throughout Palestine
July 1946 a wing of the King David Hotel (closely associated with Brit administration) was blown up killing 91 people
Irgun terrorists captured two unarmed sergeants and hanged them

22
Q

In what ways was terrorism in Palestine not too big of a concern for the British

A
  • just drafted 80,000 troops to sort out the Haganah organisations explosions
  • dealt with terrorism without leaving e.g. Malaya- not enough to make the British quit
23
Q

In what ways was terrorism in Palestine a big concern for the British

A

-Labour gov didn’t want to be trapped in this situation as Palestine drained resources and had become a degraging death-trap

24
Q

Why was a unitary state unacceptable to the Jews in Palestine

A

Jews were a minority so wouldn’t have any say in politics

25
Q

Why would a federalised system be unacceptable to Arabs in Palestine

A

why should they have to divide a country that they’ve been in for ages

26
Q

What were the arguments against partition in Palestine

A
  • any scheme which would satisfy the Jews would be unfair to the Arabs
  • Partition would lead to est of a Jewish state which had not been promised in Balfour declaration and was not required of the mandate authority- involved serious injustice to the Arabs
27
Q

Why did the British withdraw from Palestine on the 20th September

A
  • British gov couldn’t enforce the UN’s plan as it would be opposed by the Arabs
  • cost of Palestine- £100 million between Jan 1945 and Nov 1947 in which 338 Britons had died violently at Jewish hands
  • no more British live would lost and British resources saved + wouldn’t be pursuing a policy destructive of its own interests in the Middle East
28
Q

What links can be drawn with India in the withdrawing from Palestine

A
  • like India they though announcing a withdrawal may contribute towards a settlement
  • thought the situation was similar- to leave India but continue fighting in Palestine with simply incongrous
29
Q

What were the true strategic interests for leaving Palestine

A
  • driving a wedge between them and arabs would cause them to look to Russians so Jewish state would never provide Britain with a useful base as surrounded by hostile Arabs
  • if we’ve left India then Palestine less useful anyway as ‘route to India’ not needed
30
Q

What was the nationalist group which was active in Burma following WW2

A

AFPFL- led by Aung San

31
Q

Why was British withdrawal in Burma hastened

A

there was rapid breakdown of order

32
Q

When was Burma granted independence

A

January 1948

33
Q

When was Malaya declared a state of emergency

A

1948

34
Q

Why did the British see Malaya as important in their post-war economic and imperial strategies

A

major producer of rubber

35
Q

What groups in Malaya arose from the ethnic tension between the Chinese and Indians and the Malay people

A
  • United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) was created in March 1946 to fight for the rights of Malay people
  • Malay Chinese Association (MCA)
36
Q

What did the Federation of Malaya establish in January 1948

A
  • executive council which held the real power and was headed by the British
  • legislative council which had 62 members and represented the various states and other groups
37
Q

Why did the British declare a state of emergency in Malaya

A

British were frightened by the possible damaging impact on the rebel attacks on rubber plantations

38
Q

What is a state of emergency

A

suspension of normal constitutional procedures during a situation of particular national danger

39
Q

When was the British High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney assassinated in Malaya

A

October 1951

40
Q

What percentage of the votes did the Chinese and Malays win in the 1955 election

A

81%

41
Q

Why did the USA want the British to remain in Malaya

A

scared of the threat of communism