India's War : World War II and the Making of Modern South Asia

"Between 1939 and 1945 India underwent extraordinary and irreversible change. Hundreds of thousands of Indians suddenly found themselves in uniform, fighting in the Middle East, North and East Africa, Europe, and against a Japanese army poised to invade eastern India. In India's War, historian Srinath Raghavan paints a compelling picture of battles abroad and life on the home front, arguing that the war is crucial to understanding how and why colonial rule ended in South Asia,"--NoveList. Read more... Abstract: Between 1939 and 1945 India changed to an extraordinary extent. Millions of Indians suddenly found themselves as soldiers, fighting in Europe and North Africa but also - something simply never imagined - against a Japanese army threatening to invade eastern India. This book gives an account of the fighting and of life on the home front. Read more... Between 1939 and 1945 India underwent extraordinary and irreversible change. Hundreds of thousands of Indians suddenly found themselves in uniform, fighting in the Middle East, North and East Africa, Europe and-something simply never imagined-against a Japanese army poised to invade eastern India. With the threat of the Axis powers looming, the entire country was pulled into the vortex of wartime mobilization. By the war's end, the Indian Army had become the largest volunteer force in the conflict, consisting of 2.5 million men, while many millions more had offered their industrial, agricultural, and military labor. It was clear that India would never be same-the only question was: would the war effort push the country toward or away from independence? In India's War , historian Srinath Raghavan paints a compelling picture of battles abroad and of life on the home front, arguing that the war is crucial to explaining how and why colonial rule ended in South Asia. World War II forever altered the country's social landscape, overturning many Indians' settled assumptions and opening up new opportunities for the nation's most disadvantaged people. When the dust of war settled, India had emerged as a major Asian power with her feet set firmly on the path toward Independence. From Gandhi's early urging in support of Britain's war efforts, to the crucial Burma Campaign, where Indian forces broke the siege of Imphal and stemmed the western advance of Imperial Japan, Raghavan brings this underexplored theater of WWII to vivid life. The first major account of India during World War II, India's War chronicles how the war forever transformed India, its economy, its politics, and its people, laying the groundwork for the emergence of modern South Asia and the rise of India as a major power. Between 1939 And 1945 India Changed To An Extraordinary Extent. Millions Of Indians Suddenly Found Themselves As Soldiers, Fighting In Europe And North Africa But Also - Something Simply Never Imagined - Against A Japanese Army Threatening To Invade Eastern India. Many More Were Pulled Into The Vortex Of Wartime Mobilization. Srinath Raghavan's Compelling And Original Book Gives Both A Surprising New Account Of The Fighting And Of Life On The Home Front. For Indian Nationalists The War Has Tended To Be Seen As A Distraction From The Quest For National Independence - But Raghavan Shows That In Fact The War Lay At The Very Heart Of How And Why Colonial Rule Ended In South Asia. By Seeing The Second World War Through Indian Eyes, Raghavan Transforms Our Understanding Of The Conflict - With Famous Battles Such As Those In North Africa And Iraq Reinterpreted, As Well As Fascinating And Little Known Campaigns Such As The Destruction Of Italian Northeast Africa. Time And Again, It Was Indian Troops That Made Britain Into A Global Power And, As The War Came To An End, It Was The Indian Army That Fought The Final Battles Which Marked The End Both Of The Japanese Empire, And Of The British. India’s role in World War II has long been overlooked. But as Srinath Raghavan shows in this authoritative account, India did not fight the war as merely an appendage of the British Empire. From the start, India defended its own sub-empire from Imperial Japan and assisted its allies in battles in Italy, East Africa, and the Pacific. The war also brought great changes to the subcontinent. By the war’s end, the Indian Army had become the largest volunteer force in history, while many millions more Indians had worked in their nation’s rapidly expanding industry and agriculture. Politics of war Defence of India Competing offers Mobilizing India Into Africa The oil campaigns Fox hunting Collapsing dominoes Coils of war Declarations for India Rumour and revolt Indian National Armies Allies at war War economy Around the Mediterranean Preparation Back to Burma Post-war Last post. "Between 1939 and 1945 India underwent irreversible change when Indians suddenly found themselves fighting in World War II, and the author paints a picture of battles abroad and life on the home front, arguing that the war is crucial to explaining why colonial rule ended in South Asia,"--NoveList. "Between 1939 and 1945 India underwent irreversible change when Indians suddenly found themselves fighting in World War II, and the author paints a picture of battles abroad and life on the home front, arguing that the war is crucial to explaining why colonial rule ended in South Asia, "--NoveList