201. The Raj at War

In this episode of the "Empire" podcast, co-hosts Afua Hirsch and William Dalrymple interview Yasmin Khan, author of "The Raj at War," to discuss the Indian Army's contributions during World War I and World War II. The conversation explores the complex motivations of Indian soldiers, the political landscape in India leading up to and during the war, including the roles of key figures like Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, and Subhash Chandra Bose. They delve into the British perspective, particularly Churchill's controversial decisions during the Bengal famine, and examine the social and economic transformations India experienced as a result of the war. The episode concludes by reflecting on the state of India at the end of the war and the factors that contributed to the partition.