Aims of the Britishers and the Failure of Cripps Mission of 1942

During and for the world war II the britishers were getting weak and they needed more manpower than soldiers who can stand as a wall to save them and their means and in an attempt to gain India’s assistance during World War II, the British launched the Cripps Mission in 1942. India’s strategic importance was acknowledged by Britain, which aimed to bolster its war effort by utilizing the nation’s abundant resources and workforce. The British had three principal goals:

1. Getting India’s assistance by allocating resources.

2. Preventing internal dissension that would compromise their military tactics.

3. Outlining a post-war political agreement to handle growing independence demands.

The Cripps Mission was unsuccessful despite these objectives for a number of reasons. Native American leaders saw the plans as ambiguous and inadequate, particularly the pledge of Dominion status during the war.

Under the direction of Gandhi and Nehru, the Congress Party demanded total independence in place of the offer of Dominion status. Moreover, the mission was rejected by the Muslim League, led by Jinnah, because it did not satisfy their demand for a separate Muslim state, further dividing society. Furthermore, any compromise would be challenging to accept given the considerable momentum that the Indian nationalist movement had developed. Strong anti-British feeling had already been sparked throughout the nation by the Quit India Movement. Indian leaders believed that the Cripps Mission was not a real attempt to award independence, but rather a ploy to gain support during the war. In the end, the Cripps Mission increased mistrust between the Indian and British authorities, hastening the country’s transition to full independence.