SpanAm War.

The independance of India was already in the works before World War II had started. Britain postponed that to secure India's safety from foreign attack and civil unrest.

After a balance was created Britain pulled out of India, Burma and other South-East Asian countries. What Britain did hold was vital points over the world which it did want, Gibralter, Hong Kong and the Falkland Isles to name a few.

RG_Lunatic said:

[Britain clearly wanted to hold onto India but it clearly could not.

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Yes - to stop the Hindus and Moslems from killing each other! Sadly - there was no more money to run the place. Couple that with a rising tide of Indian Nationalist violence, and Britain was just about ready to say so long to the jewel in its crown.

By the time the British left there were Indians in key positions of Local Government - Magistrates and Councillors for example. Gandhi himself was a fully trained solicitor!

By the mid-nineteenth century, there was a view in Britian that the colonies were 'children' - Britain was the 'mother' and that it would take care of the affairs of these places until such a time as they were fit to govern themselves.

Anyway, in 47 the British left, and what did the Hindus and Moslems do? Oh, yes - they killed each other.