Indian Independence

            Now that we transition into a different part of the academic year, we shift the study of war onto ourselves. Humanities core forces us to challenge our intellectual ability, and with the research project we are taking on, I fully plan to do so. For this project, I will be writing about the India’s struggle for independence.

            With family that has been affected, during India’s struggle with Brittan, this is a topic that is very close to me, and one that I intend to pursue in detail. This posting will continually be added on to, as my research progresses, with new findings and information that I have gathered, or have found particularly interesting. With that being said, I am excited to begin my research process, and learn more about my home country, while sharing it with my readers. 
           As I expand my knowledge on the practices of Gandhi, with all that he has done for India and frankly the world, I have learned about some rather questionable things that he has said. Though he is a prolific writer and an incredibly respected person in history, he has been quoted as saying if "...a single Jew standing up and refusing to bow to Hitler’s decrees," it might have been enough to "melt Hitler’s heart." In addition to this, he has stated that “India’s salvation consists in unlearning what she has learnt during the past fifty years. The railways, telegraphs, hospitals, lawyers, doctors, and such like have all to go, and the so-called upper classes have to learn to live conscientiously and religiously and deliberately the simple peasant life.” To see a very well done pro and con debate, referencing numerous pro and anti Gandhi Indians, Europeans, and South Africans, check out this source. While I can see where he came from with this statement, it is grossly impractical statement to make, assuming that all will change based on his recommendation. Though I am sure he would like this to happen, so everyone can have the experience, there is no possible way that he thought this was a practical solution.
        All in all, my readings of various Gandhi works, such as Satyagraha, Hind Swaraj, along with very well done adaptations, and the argument of his opposition, have allowed me to better understand the meaning behind the strategic choices he made, allowing the country to gain its independence. Knowing this, I feel like I have an increased respect for everyone that participated in Gandhi's non-violent resistance, and the country, for having to overcome the oppression of the British. This assignment has both furthered my knowledge, and brought me closer to home.