British India Army. en.wikipedia.org |
Second World War (1939–1945), was a crucial period for India which was in the middle of the freedom struggle against the British. India was under the United Kingdom, with the British controlling territories in India, including over five hundred autonomous Princely States. British India, having officially declared war on Nazi Germany in September 1939, as part of the Allied Nations, had sent over two and a half million soldiers to fight under British command against the Axis powers. Besides, several rich Indian Princely States made large donations to support the Allied campaign during the War against formidable Germany and its allies. India also made available bases and other facilities for American operations in support of China in the China Burma India sector. There were threats from the Japanese through Burna and Singapore was vulnerable.
ILLUSTRATED HISTORY: RELIVE THE TIMES: Images Of Wa |
in the war, Indian soldiers and officers fought with distinction across the globe - in Europe against Nazi Germany, in North Africa against Germany and Italy, and in the South Asian region against the Japanese in Burma. Indians helped the British liberate British colonies such as Singapore and Hong Kong after the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
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British India.Indian soldiers WWII Quora |
After the war, the British were supposed to grant freedom to India and only on that condition INC (congress part) leaders and others agreed to fight under the Union Jack.. Alas! the British went back on their word; With no solution on hand, Congress announced a "Quit India" campaign in August 1942. This breach of trust by the British government got a bad rap for them and the Indian people and leaders became infuriated. After several upheavals and testing times, India became a free country in August, 1947. A united India became fragmented into India and Pakistan. In the wake, Britain's prestige as a powerful imperial power had begun to go down hill.
The war cemetery and war victory memorial in Chennai city bear testimony to the scarifies made by the brave Indian soldiers along with the Europeans in the crucial WWII.
Madras War Cemetery:
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Madras War Cemetery, Chennai, TN.MakeMyTrip |
It was established in 1952 by the Imperial War Graves Commission, now known as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), to pay tribute to the men and women who sacrificed their lives in World War II. It is being maintained by the CWGC in partnership with Government of India.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madras_War_CemeteryNandambakkam, Chennai
Victory War Memorial, Chennai:
The Victory War Memorialen.wikipedia.org |
Victory War Memorial, earlier known as the Cupid's bow, is a public memorial located to the south of Fort St. George in Chennai, India. It was built to commemorate the victory of the Allied Armies during World War I (1914–1918). Subsequently when Germany and its allies were defeated by the UK and its allies in WWII, it became a victory war memorial for World War II (1939–1945), erected in the memory of those from the Madras presidency who gave up their lives defending the interest of British India. Subsequent additions include inscriptions of 1948 Kashmir aggression by Pakistan, 1962 War with China and the Indo-Pakistan War of early 1970s. This memorial marks the beginning of the 13-km-long stretch of Marina beach. The place, where this circular structure made of marble and rock stands, formerly housed the coastal belfry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_War_Memorial