'Alarmist stories and defeatist views': Censorship and morale in India during the Second World War. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sethi, Devika
• Is Part Of: War in history. Volume 26:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 250
• Page End: 264
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Censorship -- morale -- India -- Second World War -- rumour -- public opinion; War -- History -- Periodicals; Military history -- Book reviews -- Periodicals; 355.0209
• DOI: 10.1177/0968344517702182
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0968-3445

Abstract

This article identifies three loci of the British colonial state's anxiety about communication of news and views in India during the Second World War: its own officials (and their families); the press (both English language and vernacular); and the Indian public. It explores war-time dilemmas of the state with regard to censorship of both news and rumour, and it discusses the central paradox of censorship in colonial India during war-time.