Question

Who was appointed as the Viceroy of India in place of Lord Wavell in February 1947?

• A. Lord Willingdon
• B. Lord Linlithgow
• C. Lord Irwin
• D. Lord Mountbatten

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Lord Mountbatten

Lord Mountbatten's Appointment

In February 1947, Lord Mountbatten was appointed as the Viceroy of India. He succeeded Lord Wavell.

Key Responsibilities and Context:

• Lord Mountbatten's primary and most significant responsibility was to oversee the transfer of power from British to Indian hands.
• His appointment came at a crucial juncture in Indian history, with the Indian independence movement reaching its peak.
• He was tasked with the immense challenge of partitioning British India into two independent nations: India and Pakistan.

Background Information:

• Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, was a British statesman, naval officer, and the last Viceroy of India.
• He was a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and the former Commander of the Allied Forces in South East Asia during World War II.
• His tenure as Viceroy was notably short, lasting only from February 1947 until August 1947, when India gained independence.

Significance in Indian History:

• Lord Mountbatten played a pivotal role in the final stages of British rule in India.
• The Mountbatten Plan, announced in June 1947, laid out the framework for the partition and independence of India.
• His decisions and actions significantly shaped the course of the subcontinent's partition, leading to widespread communal violence and displacement.