Memory and history of the Great(er) War and India: from a national-imperial to a more global perspective

Abstract

This essay explores memorial and historiographical aspects of British India in World War One. In India today there is little interest in either commemorating or researching the topic. In the West, there is growing interest in the contribution of Indian troops and the commemorations of the Great War centenary. We argue that India’s role in the First World War is a subject that should not be overlooked in the new global historical perspective on the conflict. We submit that studying the war in relation to the contribution of the colonial empires, particularly the British Empire in India is of crucial importance in understanding the post-war world, the anti-colonial movement, the stability of the British Empire in Asia and the international relations of the sub-continent.

Keywords

• First World War
• British India
• empire
• global history
• memory
• historiography