Author Description
The political events that took place during Lord Wavells Viceroyalty in India set the stage for all that transpired during the Mountbatten era. Wavell was in favour of implementing the Breakdown Plan so the British government could fall back upon a well thought-out course of action when it inevitably departed from India. On the other hand, Wavells assessment of Indias fast-evolving political scenario began to cast a sobering light on the global dilemma of the British, for whom relinquishing control over India meant facing global contraction.This book analyses the complex undercurrents of Lord Wavells Viceroyalty, a subject not been previously touched upon in comparable depth. It covers nearly all the major events of the Indian political scene during the period of the Second World War and immediately after, when the British grip on India was loosening fast and their departure from India was simply a matter of timing.This second edition comprises a new chapter on Wavells Breakdown Plan to emphasize its ample significance in the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan and its aftermath.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates how Lord Wavell’s viceroyalty and his proposed 'Breakdown Plan' fundamentally shaped the final stages of British rule in India and the subsequent partition. Muhammad Iqbal Chawla, a scholar of South Asian history, utilizes archival records and political correspondence to examine the transition of power. The author argues that Wavell’s strategic assessments were critical in defining the British government's exit trajectory and the geopolitical realities that led to the creation of Pakistan.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the political climate in India during and immediately after the Second World War.
- Detailed examination of the 'Breakdown Plan' and its influence on British withdrawal.
- Evaluation of the global implications of British contraction from the Indian subcontinent.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the administrative and political perspective of the Viceroyalty rather than social or cultural history.
- It does not provide an exhaustive biography of Wavell’s entire military career outside of his time in India.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars identify this text as a significant contribution to the study of the end of the British Raj, specifically for its focus on the often-overlooked period preceding the Mountbatten era. Readers frequently note the academic rigor and the specific attention paid to the strategic planning behind the partition of India.
Page Count:
330
Publication Date:
2023-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190707844
ISBN-13:
9780190707842
Biography
History
Military History
British Empire
Political History
Asia history
India