Evening star., 1942-02-21
ImperiIed Indiu

With the Japanese invasion of
Burma rolling steadily forward, with
heavy Japanese naval units reported
In the Bay of Bengal, and with
British ports and naval bases as far
south as Ceylon preparing for pos
sible Japanese attacks, India comes
into the spotlight as a potential
theater of conflict. Herewith arises
one of the most complex and difficult
problems which has developed any
where during the course of the pres
ent war.
Viewed on the map, this vast
triangular peninsula of Asia, shut off
from the rest of the continent by the
mountain barrier of the Himalayas,
has basic geographical unity. But
this appearance Is deceptive, for
India should be regarded as a sub
continent rather than a country 1t
Is, in fact, world in itself, inhabited
by various races speaking different
languages, and deeply divided by
spiritual lines OF caste and creed. OF
its almost 4O0,0O0,O0O inhabitants,
two-thirds are Hindus and fully one
fourth are Mohammedans, the bal
ance being made up of other religious
sects, including a small Christian
minority Though Britain controls
the whole area, nearly one-third of
India consists of native states gov
erned by nearly 900 princes, great
and small, under treaty rights with
the British government.
For nearly half a century British
rule, once unquestioned, has been
challenged increasingly by a move
ment calling itself nationalist and
demanding full self-government,
eliminating logically in complete
independence. This movement is
mainly Hindu and Is politically rep
resented by the Congress party, led
until recently by Mahatma Gandhi
but now directed by Pandit Java
harlal Nehru. But the Mohammedan
minority. organized in the All-India
Moslem League, fears Hindu domina-
tion and has it's own program, while
the ultraconservative native princes
likewise stand on their hereditary
rights and further complicate the
situation.
All this has confused and cross
cut India's war effort. Yet this effort
has been considerable. Since the
start of the war the native Indian
Army has been increased from some
250,000 to nearly 100000. Many of
the best units, however, are serving
abroad, from North Africa to the Far
East, while other good troops have
to be held on the Northwest frontier
to shield it from possible invasion by
the wild tribes of Afghanistan, In
dia'S historic barbarian marauders.
Though modern industry has de-
veloped in India to a considerable
extent, heavy war equipment such as
tanks and airplanes are not locally
manufactured. Thus, the Indian
defense forces within the country
are not in the best position to resist
a large-scale Japanese invasion.
Indeed, India is potentially threat
ened with invasion from both sides.
Axis grand strategy is reported to be
planning gigantic pincer move
ment. with the Germans driving
through the Near East and meeting
their japanese allies somewhere in
India. Even three months ago, such
an idea might have sounded fan
tastic. But the fall of Singapore and
the threatened loss of Burma, In
dia's eastern bulwark, has brought
it within the bounds of possibility.
The coming months may witness the
most grandiose bid for empire which
the predatory Axis powers have yet
conceived.