Soon after the failure of the Cripps Mission, M. K. Gandhi suddenly changed his previous position and emerged as a radical freedom fighter in the arena of Indian politics. His firm position was that the British ruling power including the army must withdraw from India immediately and unconditionally. The 'Quit India' resolution of the Indian National Congress was adopted under the powerful influence of Gandhi.
This paper intends to study on the 'Quit India' Movement from the side of Gandhi and the Congress, and particularly to make clear such problems as follows:
(1) the reason why Gandhi suddenly tried to make British ruling power withdraw from India even by starting a mass movement in that emergency situation.
(2) the reason why and the way in which J. Nehru and A. K. Azad who opposed starting a mass movement in the early days of Gandhi's advocacy merged with Gandhi's position finally.
(3) the reason why the movement suggested as a non-violent mass struggle by Gandhi and the Congress was not carried out so thoroughly and consistently.
(4) the manner in which Gandhi and the Congress leaders acted for the suggested movement before their arrest, and in which their activities were reflected in the subsequent rebellion.
Through research and examination of the published speeches and writings of Gandhi and the Congress leaders with the information reported by the Government of India, the author has reached the following conclusions: (1) Gandhi was convinced of Britain's defeat if the British Government would continue their war effort without whole-hearted support of Indian people. For Gandhi the defence power was not anything but moral power based on justice. He tried to get independence immediately to relieve Indian people from the grievances under the war structure of the British Government and to release their energy and enthusiasm, which he thought was the only way to defend India. Thus Gandhi's activity, which J. Nehru and A. K. Azad recognized as an offensive move, was started by him as a defensive move. (2) The 'Quit India' resolution was the product of a compromise between Gandhi on the one hand and J. Nehru and A. K. Azad on the other. The former gave way to the continued presence of the Allied troops in India, and the latter gave way to starting a mass struggle. J. Nehru and A. K. Azad were forced to compromise for the following reasons: (i) they feared the split of the Congress, (ii) the war situation did not change for the better, (iii) they could not find any alternative way due to the breakdown of negotiation with Cripps. (3) The agreement of J. Nehru and A. K. Azad to start the mass movement was not achieved until just before the Congress Working Committee meeting of Wardha on 6th July, 1942. Moreover they laid more hope on the pressure from the U.S.A. on the British Government than the suggested movement itself, and postponed the final decision till the All-India Congress Committee meeting in August. Thus the co-operation between Gandhi and the Congress was not so complete. (4) The day Gandhi made clear his own programme for the suggested movement was two days before his arrest. But the discussion and the preparations for the suggested movement were carried on among the Congress leaders in their own way leaning on the speeches and writings of Gandhi, which were somewhat reflected in the subsequent rebellion.