A very interesting book that does not focus on the actions of the Indians who served in either the British or Free India movement of Subhas Chandra Bose, but rather on how the war impacted much of India as it was drafted into the struggle first against Germany, then against Japan. It traces the initial reaction of both the Brits in India who managed for quite a while to maintain their colonial stature and the men from India who “volunteered” for service (some for historical reasons as they were from traditional “warrior” cultures while others enlisted for better food or to protect their families businesses from special war taxes). As the war progressed and as more of India was mobilized for the effort and especially with the advance of Japanese forces into Burma, food shortages began to appear for a myriad of reasons and a huge migration began as individuals both on a voluntary and on an enforced basis were moved from potential invasion locations.
The book also has an excellent discussion on how the traditional leaders of Indian independence were marginalized after they were arrested and jailed by the British. While the British thought such an action would calm India, the exact opposite occurred as the younger generation, not policed by the traditional leaders, began a campaign of strikes, marches and violence against the British.
I would have liked to have had move of the movement by Bose covered, but overall this is an excellent book for anyone unfamiliar with the subject and will provide a good basis for future reading. A major fault lies in the lack of maps as for most people, reading about various Indian provinces and towns will be as confusing as reading about the same in the Ukraine.
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