Quit India & War · March–April 1942
Cripps Mission
Sir Stafford Cripps offered India dominion status after the war, with provinces allowed to opt out. Congress and the League both rejected it.
Causes
- Japanese advance toward India
- Pressure from the USA and China for Indian cooperation
Consequences
- Congress disillusioned; launched Quit India months later
- Opt-out clause hinted at possible partition
Significance
Gandhi called it 'a post-dated cheque'; its failure led directly to the Quit India Movement.
People
Sources
- Bipan Chandra et al., India's Struggle for Independence (Penguin, 1988)
- Sekhar Bandyopadhyay, From Plassey to Partition (Orient BlackSwan, 2004)