Amritsar 1919
AN EMPIRE OF FEAR AND THE MAKING OF A MASSACRE
British military history is replete with massacres. Examples include the retreat from Kabul in 1842, the Zulu victory at Isandlwana in 1879, and the Waffen-SS murders of prisoners of war at Wormhoudt in 1940. These massacres, of course, were committed against the British. However, lesser-known instances where the British themselves were the perpetrators similarly exist, including the tragic events at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar.
Although the massacre is well known to military historians and those with an interest in Indian history, few in Britain today could recount how or why it happened. However, it was a landmark in the history of the British Empire – an estimated 379 civilians were killed when British troops opened fire on a crowd of Indian protestors. Kim A Wagner’s book is a welcome and timely addition to the existing literature in this centenary year. However, he does not offer the reader either of the traditional views that persist on Amritsar. He does not provide comfort to those who are nostalgic about the Raj, nor does he accept the views of Indian nationalists. Rather, he seeks to challenge both by drawing on newly discovered eyewitness accounts and other previously unpublished sources.
An extremely well-researched and highly readable account, Wagner’s book will appeal to anyone who has an interest in Anglo-Indian history or those with ancestors in India at the time.
Mark Simner is an expert in British military history. Don’t miss his Record Masterclass on muster rolls, which begins on page 54