Churchill's Secret War: The British Empire and the Ravaging of India during World War II - Couverture souple

Mukerjee, Madhusree

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0465024815 ISBN 13 : 9780465024810

Editeur : Basic Books, 2011

Synopsis

Churchill's Secret War A bracing narrative of wartime India and the tremendous famine that resulted when Churchill sacrificed the lives of four million Bengalis to win World War II Full description

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur :

A dogged enemy of Hitler, resolute ally of the Americans, and inspiring leader through World War II, Winston Churchill is venerated as one of the truly great statesmen of the last century. But while he has been widely extolled for his achievements, parts of Churchill’s record have gone woefully unexamined. As journalist Madhusree Mukerjee reveals, at the same time that Churchill brilliantly opposed the barbarism of the Nazis, he governed India with a fierce resolve to crush its freedom movement and a profound contempt for native lives. A series of Churchill’s decisions between 1940 and 1944 directly and inevitably led to the deaths of some three million Indians. The streets of eastern Indian cities were lined with corpses, yet instead of sending emergency food shipments Churchill used the wheat and ships at his disposal to build stockpiles for feeding postwar Britain and Europe.

Combining meticulous research with a vivid narrative, and riveting accounts of personality and policy clashes within and without the British War Cabinet, Churchill’s Secret War places this oft-overlooked tragedy into the larger context of World War II, India’s fight for freedom, and Churchill’s enduring legacy. Winston Churchill may have found victory in Europe, but, as this groundbreaking historical investigation reveals, his mismanagement—facilitated by dubious advice from scientist and eugenicist Lord Cherwell—devastated India and set the stage for the massive bloodletting that accompanied independence.

Présentation de l'éditeur :

A dogged enemy of Hitler, resolute ally of the Americans, brilliant political strategist, and bold leader of Great Britain through WWII, Winston Churchill is venerated as one of the great political minds of the last century. But while he has been widely extolled for numerous successes, parts of Churchill s record much of which is written by Churchill himself have gone woefully unexamined. As historian Madhusree Mukerjee reveals, at the same time that Churchill brilliantly opposed the genocidal barbarism of the Nazis, he governed India with total contempt for Hindu lives. A series of his decisions between 1939 and 1944 directly and knowingly resulted in the deaths of some four million Indians. The streets of Indian cities were lined with the emaciated bodies of the dead, yet in response to an urgent plea from the Indian secretary of state for emergency shipments of food, Churchill is reported to have only responded with a peevish telegram asking why, if food was so scarce, Gandhi hadn t died yet. Combining close research with a vivid narrative, Churchill s Secret War places thisoverlooked tragedy into the larger context of the Second World War, India s fight for freedom, and Churchill s larger legacy. Winston Churchill may have found victory in Europe, but, as Mukerjee reveals in this groundbreaking historical investigation, his decisions nevertheless ravaged India, and ultimately set the stage for the massive bloodletting that accompanied independence.

À propos de cette édition

• Éditeur: Basic Books
• Date d'édition: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0465024815
• ISBN 13: 9780465024810
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 368