The Cripps Mission consisted of a series of meetings which took place in Delhi from March 22 to April 12, 1942. Headed by Sir Stafford Cripps, it was a failed attempt by the British to secure full cooperation and support from the Indians for Britain’s World War II campaign.
In the spring of 1942, the Japanese were advancing through Burma (now Myanmar) to the borders of India. As a result of this, the British government made an attempt to rally Indian support for the defence of the country against an invasion.
With this objective in mind, Cripps was sent to negotiate an agreement with leaders of the Congress and the Muslim League. His mission was to keep India loyal to Britain’s war efforts in exchange for full self-government once the war was over.
His proposals were rejected by the Congress who viewed this as just another delaying tactic by Britain. Nehru shared this frustration but nevertheless tried to work out some arrangement which would allow the Congress to collaborate in defending India against the Japanese. He was unable to do so and Cripps returned to London, failing in his mission to secure any of the assurances he had desired.
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