Roadmap for Answer Writing:

1. Introduction

• Briefly introduce the historical backdrop of the Quit India Movement, including the start of World War II and its effects on British India.
• Mention the broad sentiment of disillusionment among Indian leaders and the public with British policies.

Relevant Fact:

• World War II placed immense pressures on British resources and intensified British dependency on Indian cooperation (Source: Historical accounts of WWII and India).

2. Factor 1: Failure of the Cripps Mission

• Explain how the Cripps Mission in 1942 offered limited self-governance, which Indian leaders found inadequate and insincere.
• Highlight how this mission’s failure disillusioned even moderate leaders, making them believe that British intentions were not genuinely in favor of Indian self-rule.

Relevant Facts:

• The Cripps Mission proposed a post-war dominion status for India, which was met with widespread skepticism among Indian leaders (Source: Indian National Congress proceedings, 1942).
• Gandhi called the Cripps Offer a “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank,” reflecting the deep distrust towards British intentions (Source: Gandhi’s statement in “The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi”).

3. Factor 2: Japanese Aggression and Allied Military Setbacks

• Discuss Japan’s advances in Southeast Asia and how British troops’ withdrawal from Burma impacted Indian morale.
• Explain the fear among Indians that British defense was weakening, which increased the demand for a self-reliant movement in India.

Relevant Facts:

• Japanese forces occupied Burma by March 1942, heightening fears of an imminent Japanese invasion in India (Source: WWII historical analysis).
• The return of British troops wounded from Southeast Asia fueled speculation of a British collapse (Source: Newspapers from 1942 reporting Allied setbacks).

4. Factor 3: Draconian Government Policies and Civil Rights Suppression

• Illustrate how the British imposed the Defense of India Act, which curtailed civil rights and political freedom under the guise of wartime security.
• Emphasize the frustration caused by these oppressive measures, including censorship, land acquisitions, and Special Courts without appeal options.

Relevant Facts:

• The Defense of India Act (1939) imposed martial law-like conditions, restricting press freedom and political activities (Source: Defense of India Act documents).
• Special Courts created under this act were designed for quick verdicts with no appeal, showing the level of governmental control and suppression (Source: Colonial India wartime legislation).

5. Factor 4: Economic Hardships and High-Handed Actions

• Explain the economic hardships due to rising prices and wartime shortages, exacerbated by British policies like the confiscation of local resources (e.g., boats in Bengal and Orissa).
• Highlight how these hardships further intensified public anger and discontent.

Relevant Facts:

• The British seized boats in Bengal and Orissa to prevent their use by the Japanese, affecting local livelihoods (Source: Economic records of wartime India).
• Wartime shortages and inflation caused public frustration, as basic necessities became scarce and expensive (Source: Economic studies on colonial India during WWII).

6. Factor 5: Eroding Faith in British Loyalty and Leadership

• Address the British prioritization of white evacuees in regions like Malaya and Burma, which raised concerns among Indians about the British commitment to Indian subjects.
• Note the visible signs of distrust, like the hoarding of valuables, which reflected declining confidence in British governance.

Relevant Facts:

• The British evacuated only white residents from Burma and Malaya, leading to widespread Indian anxiety about their safety under British rule (Source: Military evacuation records).
• Indians began withdrawing bank deposits and hoarding gold and silver, signaling a severe erosion of faith in British stability (Source: Indian financial records from WWII era).

7. Conclusion

• Summarize the cumulative effect of these factors, making the Quit India Movement a necessary response to the circumstances.
• Reinforce Gandhi’s call to action, “Do or Die,” as a powerful mantra that captured the urgency and resolve of the Indian independence movement.

Relevant Fact:

• The Quit India resolution was adopted at the Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank, with Gandhi’s “Do or Die” speech rallying Indians to the cause (Source: Indian National Congress archives, 1942).