The viceroy and the clothes viceregina coronation Lord Mountbatten knows and deeply loves India, nation visited on several occasions, becoming friends with many people. But there is also a deep and romantic between Mountbatten and the mysterious country that at the end of World War II is crying out for independence. In New Delhi, in February 1922, the young lord Louis, then adjutant of the Prince of Wales on the road in the dominion of the Crown, asked her to marry Edwina Ashley. Twenty-five years later, despite a tumultuous marriage to say the least and a war that saw them heroically in the front line, the two are once again in New Delhi. The task ahead of them need all their energy and a good dose of recklessness on the part of both. The plural is necessary because the role of Edwina with her husband last viceroy with the thorny task of managing the transition, is crucial.
From left Nehru, Mountbatten and Jinnah, Mountbatten behind General Ismay
According to General Ismay, a close associate of Lord Louis, to become Viceroy of India was how to take command of a burning ship in the middle of the ocean and the hold full of ammunition. On paper, the job seems easy, sign on some documents, the organization of the return of British officials, the celebration of some lavish ceremonies, but the reality is more complex because the Indian people do not exist in name and fact. The 360 \u200b\u200bmillion inhabitants of the subcontinent are divided into many communities that do not love (260 million Hindus, 95 million Muslims, 500 principles and maharaja independent siksa, Parsis, Christians, Jews), and while the Congress Party led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi argues for an India united the Muslims of Jinnah want at all costs an independent state. For months the country is on the brink of civil war and when King George VI and Prime Minister Attlee to Mountbatten asked to accept the daunting task, Lord Louis, perhaps for the first time in life, is confused and hesitant. The prevailing sense of duty and loyalty to the King and his cousin, but in exchange for full power and total freedom of action. On 24 March 1947, the enthronement ceremony is magnificent and in the days to follow the Maharaja, which Mountbatten had good relations, I accept the transition to the new republic, but the negotiations are unlocked sull'irremovibilità of Jinnah. The leader of the Muslims want an independent state, for which already has a name, Pakistan, the initials of the adjoining regions: Pendiab, Afghan, Kashmir, Indis, Sind and Balouchistan.
Over the weeks the clashes turned into riots that often degenerate into slaughterhouses and faced with a situation like Mountbatten is decided, the principle of the division in May in two states is acquired and the date for the handover is August 15, meanwhile border minorities make your luggage. Edwina its part, strives to bring aid and assistance to people devastated by what not only a political crisis is also a major humanitarian emergency. In the chaos the restless vice queen is also the manner and time to fall in love and relationship, perhaps only platonic, but certainly very intense, and soon became well known because he's Nehru. An important relationship for both tolerated by Lord Mountbatten, who among other things, greatly esteem the leader of the Congress Party and has excellent relations with the Gandhi. Lord Louis on the other hand can not penetrate the armor Jinnah's "cold as ice, arrogant, conceited, relentless." "It seemed that the Indian subcontinent - writes the biographer of Mountbatten, Richard Hough - were scattered bombs political race to watch. While Mountbatten was running around the country to defuse them, others were placed a bit 'everywhere. " Soon the riots and massacres convince the viceroy of the need "to do quickly." Edwina is always at his side to bring aid where possible and visit the massacres took place, often with cries el'affranta viceregina Nehru for Mother India. A restless and unfaithful wife, but crucial to Mountbatten, which concluded the handover becomes Governor of the new Indian state, because the charm, charm and temperament of the beautiful Edwina decided to win a lot of mistrust. Episodes of unprecedented violence and anarchy continue even after independence and Lady Mountbatten as may strives to bring comfort and aid to suffering people with the same desperate energy that he had sustained during his mission in Southeast Asia.
January 30, 1938 When is killed Gandhi, Mountbatten is among the first to reach the scene and the angry mob ready to accuse the Muslims replied "no it was a Hindu. " "I was drawn to guess," he confessed later, but turn out to be true, and his presence of mind to at least prevent another massacre.
The war hero does not come out well from this experience in India, the criticism was fierce and the last viceroy, was accused of "having your foot on the accelerator pushed too hard and not being able to negotiate with Jinnah, more irritated by friendly relations with Nehru and Gandhi. A Mountbatten's no excuse to say that Prime Minister Attlee would not accept negotiations and indeed had long decided that everything was completed quickly, but the fast partition was a tragedy. The result was the most terrible and ferocious battles interracial and the most horrendous carnage that India had ever known. Many had advised Mountbatten not to accept this assignment "a hopeless mission," because "he had obtained any result would still be frowned upon and criticized." In addition, Lord Louis, despite the experience of war in Southeast Asia (and the alleged sympathies that Labor had made him special sympathy to the British Prime Minister) was "constitutionally inappropriate" because of his Teutonic mentality and a soldier, "a lead to slow, patient negotiations with the East, to sail between the rocks and the currents of politics, religion and races. " After
periodo trascorso in India, Mountbatten torna al servizio attivo in Marina e qualche anno dopo raggiunge finalmente il suo obiettivo e chiude un cerchio, ma questa è un'altra storia.
II - segue.
ps se volete saperne di più vi consiglio di leggere "Stanotte la libertà" di Dominique Lapierre e Larry Collins. A metà fra il saggio ed il romanzo è coinvolgente, molto documentatto e ben scritto, lo trovate qui
The Mountbatten with Gandhi
Lord Mountbatten with Jinnah
January 30, 1938 When is killed Gandhi, Mountbatten is among the first to reach the scene and the angry mob ready to accuse the Muslims replied "no it was a Hindu. " "I was drawn to guess," he confessed later, but turn out to be true, and his presence of mind to at least prevent another massacre.
The war hero does not come out well from this experience in India, the criticism was fierce and the last viceroy, was accused of "having your foot on the accelerator pushed too hard and not being able to negotiate with Jinnah, more irritated by friendly relations with Nehru and Gandhi. A Mountbatten's no excuse to say that Prime Minister Attlee would not accept negotiations and indeed had long decided that everything was completed quickly, but the fast partition was a tragedy. The result was the most terrible and ferocious battles interracial and the most horrendous carnage that India had ever known. Many had advised Mountbatten not to accept this assignment "a hopeless mission," because "he had obtained any result would still be frowned upon and criticized." In addition, Lord Louis, despite the experience of war in Southeast Asia (and the alleged sympathies that Labor had made him special sympathy to the British Prime Minister) was "constitutionally inappropriate" because of his Teutonic mentality and a soldier, "a lead to slow, patient negotiations with the East, to sail between the rocks and the currents of politics, religion and races. " After
periodo trascorso in India, Mountbatten torna al servizio attivo in Marina e qualche anno dopo raggiunge finalmente il suo obiettivo e chiude un cerchio, ma questa è un'altra storia.
II - segue.
ps se volete saperne di più vi consiglio di leggere "Stanotte la libertà" di Dominique Lapierre e Larry Collins. A metà fra il saggio ed il romanzo è coinvolgente, molto documentatto e ben scritto, lo trovate qui
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