Congress Offer to Viceroy

The outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 prompted various responses from Indian nationalist leaders and the Congress Party:

Congress Offer to Viceroy:

• Despite disliking the unilateral decision of the British government to involve India in the war without consulting Indian opinion, the Congress Party decided to conditionally support the war effort.
• The Congress offered cooperation on the condition that after the war, a constituent assembly would be convened to determine India's political structure, and that immediately, a genuinely responsible government should be established at the Centre.
• However, the Viceroy, Linlithgow, rejected these conditions, arguing that they were unnecessary for winning public opinion for the war.

CWC Meeting at Wardha:

• At the Wardha session of the Congress Working Committee, different opinions on Indian support for the war were voiced.
• Gandhi, sympathizing with Britain due to his opposition to fascist ideology, advocated unconditional support to the Allied powers. He made a clear distinction between democratic nations and totalitarian regimes.
• Subhas Chandra Bose and other socialists opposed supporting either side in the war, viewing it as a conflict between imperialist powers vying for colonial dominance. They saw it as an opportunity to launch a civil disobedience movement to secure India's freedom.
• Jawaharlal Nehru recognized the injustice faced by Britain, France, and Poland, but also acknowledged their imperialist nature. He believed India should not participate until it was free, while also advising against immediate civil disobedience.
• In the end, Gandhi aligned with Nehru's position, which was adopted by the Congress Working Committee.

Overall, the Congress Party's response to the Second World War reflected the complexities of Indian nationalism, with leaders holding differing views on India's role in the conflict and its path to independence.

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The Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution condemned Fascist aggression and outlined several key points:

1. India's Non-Participation: India could not actively participate in a war supposedly fought for democratic freedom while India itself was denied such freedom under British rule.
2. Conditions for British War Aims: If Britain claimed to be fighting for democracy and freedom, it should demonstrate this commitment by ending imperialism in its colonies and establishing full democracy in India.
3. Clarity on War Aims: The British government should promptly declare its war aims, including how democratic principles would be applied to India after the war.

Despite these demands, the Congress leadership expressed a willingness to cooperate with the Viceroy and the British government, indicating a desire to resolve the situation through dialogue and negotiation.