Word: gandhis
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Ever since India turned down Britain's offer of post-war independence, the U.S. press has cracked down on India's political leaders. A rash of cartoons has shown Gandhi as a loony bag of bones bent on balking the Japanese by lying flat in his breechclout. Solemn editorials have smeared the Indians. Typical was that of the Washington Post: "The responsibility for the failure must be placed squarely at the doors of the All-India Congress party. Its leaders are men deficient in statesmanship . . . petty, confused in mind...
Treasure Seekers. In the stifling-hot Indian town of Wardha last week, the top men of the Congress party had their heads together. The West first, heard that both Gandhi and Nehru were demanding that Britain "get out of India" immediately. But as the Congress leaders amplified their thoughts, it appeared that this was a faulty impression...
Nehru had indeed joined Gandhi in demanding that Britain "get out" politically; that India be given independence at once. But Gandhi wrote that the British military forces "may need to remain in India to prevent a Japanese occupation. That prevention is common cause between them and us. It may be necessary also for the sake of China." Thus Gandhi had retreated far from his stand for nonviolent nonresistance only. But he also made it clear that he still believes in nonviolence as the best defensive technique for most of India's millions, whose only weapons are sticks & stones...
...Both Gandhi and Nehru declared that a free India would immediately ally herself with the United Nations...
...Gandhi threatened that, if Britain still denied India her independence, he would start a movement "that will be felt by the whole world." This he did not describe. But he added: "It may not interfere with the movement of British troops, but it is sure to engage British attention." Gandhi also ordered his followers, in the event of disturbance, to protect Britons even at risk of their own lives. From all this it could be concluded that Gandhi did not intend to hamper Britain's war effort by calling strikes, but might stage some vast, symbolic demonstration aimed...