- British withdrew from India due to growing nationalist movements during the inter-war years, the Second World War solidifying their independence.
- India had become increasing worry during interwar years.
- Government of India Act in 1919 was introduced, establishing system of diarchy. However, due to fear of rebellion Rowlatt Act was also passed in same year, giving authorities power to imprison anyone. Went wrong and contributed to nationalist sentiments after Amritsar Massacre in April 1919.
- Round Table Conferences in London in early 1930s failed, even Government of India Act in 1935 couldn’t stop India from leaving Empire and becoming independent.
- Two key groups played role in independence:
- All India Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, which wanted state of Pakistan.
- Hindu Congress Movement of Gandhi which wanted united India.
- World War Two, Quit India campaign, Indian National Army and Japanese seizure of Singapore effectively solidified Britain’s loss of India. In 1942, Winston Churchill sent Stafford Cripps to effectively solidify Indian independence by making it a dominion however they refused.
- In 1945, Clement Atlee decided to grant India independence as soon as possible as they feared trying to keep India with INA would stretch military resources, cotton exports were low from India and it was no longer the market they require and fears of the Indian Army being unreliable.
- Viceroy Mountbatten sent in 1947 to complete independence and decided to partition India into Pakistan by 15 August 1947. 1 million people died in partition violence and many were affected in exodus.
- Britain withdrew from Burma due to a growing nationalist movement supported by the Japanese and lack of political will.
- Anti-Fascist Organisation had initially supported Japanese during war however switched sides to British after seeing likely ally victory.
- Restoration of British governor Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith who focused on rebuilding Burma turned Anti-Fascist Organisation into AFPFL, a resistance league à coalition of Burmese Communist Party and People’s Revolutionary Party under leader Aung San.
- Mountbatten, recognising strength of support for Aung San, incorporated Burma National Army into new army in 1945.
- In September 1946, mounting civil disobedience and increasing ungovernability of country promoted replacement of governor with liberal one and placing Aung San in effective control of Executive Council.
- In 1946, Clement Atlee said Britain was no longer able, nor willing, to commit sufficient troops to impose British authority on Burma. The island became independent in 1948.
- Britain withdrew from Palestine due to tense Arab-Jewish relations.
- Since 1930s, Nazi repression of European Jews in holocaust led to massive increases in numbers of Jews wanting to migrate to Palestine. Migration soared and by 1945, the British wanted to limit scale of migration into Palestine in effort to dampen conflict.
- The British wanted to keep Arab allies on their side however the international pressure from President Truman and others favoured Jewish settlement in Palestine. Britain needed to retain foreign and economic aid from America.
- British sought a solution between Arab and Jewish leaders, looking at a unitary state (as favoured by Arabs as they’d dominate), provincial autonomy with several territories governing autonomously but ultimately electing a national assembly (rejected by Jews) and the partition of Jewish and Arab states (rejected by Arabs).
- India had become increasing worry during interwar years.
Deadlock in February 1947 à Sterling Crisis led to financial difficulty and Britain had spent £100 million on Palestine since January 1945, 330 British soldiers dying à commitment impossible. Referred question to United Nations. British decided to not alienate Arab world and decided to give Palestine to United Nations in September 1947, withdrawing troops by 1948.