A pivotal chapter in India's struggle for independence

From 1942 to 45 the Congress Party was banned in India after its Quit India movement.

- KRISHNAN SRINIVASAN

At a loss on how to revive itself and public enthusiasm for independence once the censorship was lifted, the Indian National Army (INA) trial (1945-6) fortuitously fell into its lap, the court martial of three defectors from the British Indian Army to the INA. Under military law, the only penalties could be death or transportation for life.

During the turbulent period from the 'Sepoy Mutiny' to the Second World War, the masses largely refrained from participation in the sporadic violent outbursts for nationalism; there was no outreach to encourage public participation, and Gandhi's movement was for non-violent non-cooperation. Subhas Bose's campaign against British colonialism took another path; leading a splinter group from the Congress, he appealed first to Hitler and then to Tojo, premier of Japan, for support for Indian independence, and called for armed revolt by the Indian masses, believing in Japan's assurances that Japan had no territorial or economic ambitions in India, though it had captured the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.