Hindu–German Conspiracy facts for kids
The Hindu–German Conspiracy was a secret plan between 1914 and 1917. It involved Indian groups who wanted to free India from British rule during World War I. This plan was made by Indian freedom fighters living secretly in India and those living outside India, especially in the United States. Groups like the Ghadar Party and the Indian independence committee in Germany were key players.
The plot started when World War I began. It had strong support from the German government, especially their office in San Francisco. Some help also came from the Ottoman Empire and the Irish independence movement. The main goal was to start a big mutiny (rebellion) among Indian soldiers in the British Indian Army. This rebellion was planned for February 1915, aiming to overthrow British rule across India. However, British spies found out about the plan, and many leaders were arrested. Smaller rebellions in India were also stopped.
The British government worked hard to stop this alliance and secret plan around the world. American intelligence also arrested important people after a ship incident in 1917. This conspiracy led to major trials, including the Lahore conspiracy case in India and the Hindu–German Conspiracy Trial in the United States. The trial in the U.S. was the longest and most expensive of its kind at that time. These events were very important for the Indian independence movement. They also made the British change some of their policies in India. Similar efforts to gain independence happened during World War II, with leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose forming the Indian National Army.
Contents
Why it Started
Nationalism means a strong feeling of pride and loyalty to one's own country. This feeling grew in India during the late 1800s. This was because of many changes in society, economy, and politics under British rule. The Indian National Congress, started in 1885, was a group that asked for more freedom and self-rule for Indians.
The movement for independence became stronger with secret groups forming in the 1890s. It was especially powerful in Bengal and Punjab. Smaller movements also grew in other parts of India. In Bengal, many educated young people from cities joined the cause. In Punjab, people from rural areas and soldiers were often involved in these secret actions.
Other important events connected to this plot include:
- The 1915 Singapore Mutiny, a rebellion by Indian soldiers.
- The Annie Larsen arms plot, about a ship carrying weapons.
- The Jugantar–German plot, another plan to get weapons.
- The German mission to Kabul, an effort to get support from Afghanistan.
- Some people even link it to the Black Tom explosion in 1916 in the U.S.
Parts of the plan also aimed to turn Indian soldiers against the British in the Middle East.
Major Trials and Their Outcomes
The secret plan led to several important trials in India. The most famous was the Lahore Conspiracy trial, which began in April 1915. This happened after the main rebellion plan failed in February. Other trials took place in places like Benares and Delhi.
In Lahore, a special court was set up. A total of 291 people involved in the plot were put on trial. Out of these, 42 were sentenced to death. 114 were sent to prison for life, often to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands. 93 people received shorter prison terms. 42 people were found not guilty. The Lahore trial clearly showed the links between the plans made in the United States and the failed rebellion in India.
In the United States, the Hindu–German Conspiracy Trial started in San Francisco on November 12, 1917. This trial began after the details of the Annie Larsen ship incident became known. One hundred and five people were part of this trial. This included members of the Ghadar Party and German officials from their San Francisco office.
The trial lasted from November 20, 1917, to April 24, 1918. On the very last day, something shocking happened. The main person accused, Ram Chandra, was shot and killed in the courtroom by another defendant, Ram Singh. Ram Singh believed Ram Chandra was a spy for the British. A U.S. Marshal immediately shot Ram Singh, killing him.
In May 1917, a group of Indian nationalists from the Ghadar Party were accused of planning a military action against Britain. Later, some people said this trial was mostly a "show trial." This means it was designed to please the British government. The jury for the trial was carefully chosen to avoid anyone who supported Irish independence.
The trial ended with 29 people being found guilty, including 14 Indian nationalists. The British hoped these Indians would be sent back to India. If they had been, they would have faced much harsher punishments, possibly even the death penalty. However, in the U.S. trial, they faced less serious charges of breaking American neutrality laws. Their prison sentences ranged from 30 days to 22 months.
There was strong public support for the Indians in the U.S. Many Americans also felt less friendly towards Britain after World War I. This allowed the Ghadarite movement to become active again, despite British concerns.
Why the Name "Hindu-German"?
This secret plan is known by several names. These include the 'Hindu Conspiracy,' 'Indo-German Conspiracy,' 'Ghadar Conspiracy,' or the 'German Plot.' The name Hindu–German Conspiracy became popular after the Annie Larsen incident in the U.S. and the trial that followed. That trial was officially called the Hindu–German Conspiracy Trial.
However, the plan involved more than just Hindus and Germans. Many Muslims and Punjabi Sikhs were also part of it. There was also strong support from the Irish independence movement even before Germany and Turkey joined. The word Hindu was often used in America at that time to refer to all Indians, no matter their religion. Also, "conspiracy" often had a negative meaning. The U.S. government used the term Hindu Conspiracy to make the Indian freedom fighters look bad. This happened when the U.S. was about to join the war against Germany.
The term 'Ghadar Conspiracy' usually refers more specifically to the rebellion planned for February 1915 in India. The 'German plot' or 'Christmas Day Plot' often refers to the plans to send weapons to Jatin Mukherjee in 1915. All these were parts of the larger secret plan. Most experts looking at the American side use the name Hindu–German Conspiracy. Those who study the whole plan, from Southeast Asia to Europe and the U.S., often use the term Indo-German conspiracy. In British India, a committee that investigated these events called them "The Seditious conspiracy."
Remembering the Conspiracy
The Ghadar Memorial Hall in San Francisco honors members of the Ghadar Party who were executed after the Lahore conspiracy trial. Another Ghadar Party Memorial Hall in Jalandhar, Punjab, also remembers the Ghadarites involved in the plot.
Many of those who died during the conspiracy are honored in India today. For example, Kartar Singh has a memorial in his home village. A college in Ludhiana is also named after him. The Indian government has even released postage stamps honoring people like Har Dayal, Bhai Paramanand, and Rash Behari Bose, who were part of the conspiracy.
A memorial plaque for the Komagata Maru ship was put up in Calcutta in 1954. Another plaque was unveiled in Vancouver, Canada, in 1984. A foundation was also started in 2005 to remember the passengers from the Komagata Maru who were not allowed into Canada.
In Singapore, two memorial tablets and four plaques remember the British soldiers and civilians killed during the Singapore Mutiny. In Ireland, a memorial in Dublin honors those who died in the Jalandhar mutiny of the Connaught Rangers.
Images for kids
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Rash Behari Bose, a key leader of the Delhi–Lahore Conspiracy and later of the February plot.
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An immigrant Punjabi family in America, around 1900s.
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Ghadar di gunj, an early book of nationalist writings, was banned in India in 1913.
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Punjabi Sikhs aboard the Komagata Maru in Vancouver, 1914. The ship was forced to return to India. This event helped the Ghadarite cause.
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Franz von Papen, who helped organize the arms shipments.
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Mahendra Pratap (center) with German and Turkish delegates in Kabul, 1915.
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Francis Cunliffe-Owen.
See also
- Horst von der Goltz
- Hinduism in Germany
