1946 India Independence nears... Bombay riots...
Item # 725982
February 23, 1946
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Feb. 23, 1946
* Bombay, India riots
* Military - Navy mutiny
* Prelude to Independence
The top of the front page has a three column headline: "BOMBAY SWEPT BY FLAMES; MOB VIOLENCE DECREASING; NAVY MUTINEERS SURRENDER" with subheads. (see images)
Complete with 26 pages, rag edition in great condition.
background: The Bombay Riot of February 23, 1946, was the seismic "black swan" event that shattered the British Empire’s confidence and fast-tracked Indian independence. It wasn't just a protest; it was a total systemic collapse of colonial authority where the very military meant to protect the Crown turned its guns toward it. In a rare, electrifying moment of history, the rigid boundaries of religion and caste evaporated as the flags of the Congress, the Muslim League, and the Communists flew side-by-side on the masts of 78 warships. This explosion of civilian and military defiance forced the British Cabinet to realize that their rule was no longer a matter of policy, but an impossible logistics nightmare—proving that when the backbone of an empire (its armed forces) aligns with the heart of its people, even the world’s most powerful regime can be brought to its knees in less than a week.
* Bombay, India riots
* Military - Navy mutiny
* Prelude to Independence
The top of the front page has a three column headline: "BOMBAY SWEPT BY FLAMES; MOB VIOLENCE DECREASING; NAVY MUTINEERS SURRENDER" with subheads. (see images)
Complete with 26 pages, rag edition in great condition.
background: The Bombay Riot of February 23, 1946, was the seismic "black swan" event that shattered the British Empire’s confidence and fast-tracked Indian independence. It wasn't just a protest; it was a total systemic collapse of colonial authority where the very military meant to protect the Crown turned its guns toward it. In a rare, electrifying moment of history, the rigid boundaries of religion and caste evaporated as the flags of the Congress, the Muslim League, and the Communists flew side-by-side on the masts of 78 warships. This explosion of civilian and military defiance forced the British Cabinet to realize that their rule was no longer a matter of policy, but an impossible logistics nightmare—proving that when the backbone of an empire (its armed forces) aligns with the heart of its people, even the world’s most powerful regime can be brought to its knees in less than a week.
Category: The 20th Century
