The Mechanisms of Memory: Britain’s Remembrance and Forgetfulness of the British Raj in World War Two

In 1945, The British Empire stood victorious among the ashes of the Second World War. Two years later, in 1947, The British Raj, one of Britain’s most prized and longest-held colonial possessions, broke free from Britain and asserted their independence. Throughout the war, India had provided for the Allies over two-and-half million soldiers, massive amounts of labor and materiel, and a strategically important geographical position in Asia, all under the flag of the British Empire. Today, over seventy years after these events, World War Two has become one of, if not the most, popular areas of history, covered continuously through just about every contemporary form of media and information. This continuous coverage has formed a collective memory about World War Two, that shifts based on what materials are most prevalent based on geographic location. The purpose of this thesis is to examine if the Britain of today remembers their former colony in India’s role and participation in the Second World War, and how that memory is created. By examining the dynamics of Britain and India’s colonial relationship, along with the most accessible and pervasive forms of history-teaching materials, this thesis explores Britain’s memory of India’s role in World War Two, fighting on behalf of the British Empire