In what ways did the naval mutiny prove to be the last nail in the coffin of British colonial aspirations…

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In what ways did the naval mutiny prove to be the last nail in the coffin of British colonial aspirations in India?

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

The naval mutiny of February 1946 sealed British rule by proving that the armed forces, the Raj's last loyal pillar, could no longer be trusted against nationalism. A day after it began, Attlee announced the Cabinet Mission on 19 February 1946.

**Introduction**

On 18 February 1946, ratings of HMIS Talwar in Bombay struck work over racist abuse, bad food and the arrest of B.C. Dutt for writing "Quit India" on the ship. Soon about 20,000 sailors on 78 ships had joined.

**How the Mutiny Broke Britain's Hold**

SKETCH: timeline | Collapse of Colonial Control
- Nov 1945 :: INA Red Fort trials
- Jan 1946 :: RIAF strikes
- Feb 1946 :: RIN mutiny
- Mar 1946 :: Cabinet Mission arrives
- Feb 1947 :: Attlee's exit deadline
- Aug 1947 :: Independence

1. **Loyalty of the forces lost**: The Raj rested on a loyal army after 1857; following the INA trials and RIAF strikes, the mutiny showed even the services could not be trusted.
2. **Nationalism in uniform**: The Naval Central Strike Committee hoisted the Congress, League and Communist flags together and demanded the release of INA prisoners.
3. **Communal unity**: Hindu and Muslim ratings acted together, and Bombay's general strike of 22 February cost over 200 civilian lives.

**Mutiny Speeding the Transfer of Power**

1. **Timing of the decision**: On 19 February 1946, a day after the strike began, Attlee announced the Cabinet Mission.
2. **Governing by force impossible**: Wavell warned that India could no longer be held by force, and Attlee later told P.B. Chakrabarti that lost loyalty in the army and navy decided the exit.
3. **A nail, not the hammer**: Congress and the League disowned the strike, Patel and Jinnah secured surrender, and war debt and a Labour government already pushed Britain out.

**Conclusion**

The mutiny did not end the Raj alone, but by removing its last loyal pillar it turned a delayed exit into a hurried one. Freedom was earned by many hands, and the ratings of 1946 drove the final nail.

In what ways did the naval mutiny prove to be the last nail in the coffin of British colonial aspirations in India?

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National Movement: Towards Freedom and Partition (1939–1947)2 questions

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