India's independence was bought by Gandhi's hunger strike? There were three reasons why Churchill was more depressed than anyone else!
India's independence is a magnificent historical upheaval, and the process is complex and tortuous. Among them, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi undoubtedly played a crucial role. His non-violent Satyagraha movement and numerous hunger strikes exerted tremendous moral and political pressure on the British government to gain India's independence. However, we cannot ignore the role of other factors, such as the great decline of Britain's national power after World War II and the pressure of international public opinion.
In the process of India's independence, the attitude of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was particularly striking. He was a staunch imperialist who was staunchly opposed to Indian independence. In India's struggle for freedom, Churchill made a number of remarks that may seem outdated or even uncomfortable today. For example, in a speech in 1931, he mentioned: "I despise the Indians, who are a bunch of savages who live in squalor and chaos. Such remarks caused widespread controversy and criticism at the time.
Despite Churchill's strong opposition to India's independence, the British government had to face reality in the international situation at the time. With the end of World War II, British colonial rule was challenged like never before. The rise of emerging powers such as the United States has put the position of the old colonial power, Britain, in jeopardy. In addition, the establishment of international organizations such as the United Nations also provided new ways for the colonial people to fight for their rights and interests. Against this backdrop, India's independence has become an irreversible trend.
Gandhi's nonviolent approach to protest still plays a key role. Through a series of actions such as hunger strikes, strikes, and boycotts of British goods, Gandhi set up a new model of resistance for the Indian people. This method not only aroused the patriotic enthusiasm of the people, but also won the widespread sympathy and support of the international community. Gandhi's hunger strike was particularly powerful, and he used hunger strikes as a means to put pressure on the British government. The most famous of these was the second hunger strike in 1943, which lasted nearly three weeks until the British government agreed to meet some of Gandhi's demands.
India's independence was a complex process, in which Gandhi's efforts played a role that could not be ignored. However, we should also note that this process is also affected by many other factors, such as the weakening of the British national power and changes in the international situation. Churchill's frustration in the process was understandable. As a staunch imperialist, he could not accept the decline of a once-glorious empire, much less the independence of such an important colony as India from British rule. The wheels of history roll forward, and no matter what the will of the individual, it cannot stop the tide of the times.