There is a huge and ever growing number of books (novels and non-fiction) on the second world (and I am a big fan) - but much less known is the conflict that arose when just after the war, when Great Britain freed India, its long held colony and the jewel in its empire. The bloodshed that resulted, as Hindus and Muslims fought one another, exceeded the total number of deaths in WW2.
This fascinating film chronicles the events leading up to freedom. Lord Louis Mountbatten has been appointed the last viceroy, who will oversee the freeing of India. He is courted by the urbane Muhammed Ali Jinnah, who has a vision for a divided India, with his part being an Islamic state. The pacifist and much admired Mahatma Gandhi, on the other hand, insists for the good of the Indian people that the nation must remain united. Yet, partition seems the only road forward, if the large minority of Muslims are to go along with the plan, so the date is set for freedom from Great Britain, and the formation of two new nations, on August 14, 1947. Meanwhile, Louis's wife Edwina expresses concern over the Indians' lack of education and good health care and worries, along with her husband, that they will need better training to rule their vast country without the resources of the UK. Of course she is right, and the two new nations are destined for strife, but the magnitude of the slaughter (egg, whole train cars arriving full of dead passengers) is horrific, and a bad omen for the birth of the new countries, now over 70 years ago.
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