(A) Quit India Movement:

1. When the world was fighting the Second World War, the Congress Working Committee decided to end the Individual Satyagraha in January, 1942.
2. The British Government needed help from India to fight the war. So it sent Cripps Mission to India for constitutional reforms that India wanted and to decide India independence.
3. However, the British again cheated Indians through Cripps Mission. Therefore, people of India totally lost their faith in the British.
4. Hence, to give a final fight to the British, Gandhiji under the working committee of Congress held at Mumbai, announced to start ‘Quit India Movement’ on 9th August, 1942.
5. On the very second day of his resolution, the British arrested Gandhiji, Vallabhabhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad and other eminent Congress leaders.
6. The British also banned newspapers.
7. They arrested various regional and district level Congress leaders.
8. Arrest of Gandhiji and other leaders resulted in nationwide strike.
9. Gandhiji said “This is the last fight in my life and, therefore, people of India should make all attempt to achieve independence”. He gave the slogan “Do or Die”.

(B) Strikes during the Quit India Movement:

1. Workers went on strike in factories. Workers of iron factories in Jamshedpur and cotton mills at Madras also went on strike.
2. About 1 lakh mill workers of 75 cotton mill industries of Ahmedabad went on peaceful strike for 105 days.
3. Colleges and Schools also went on strike.
4. The markets of Ahmedabad remain closed for nearly three and half months.

(C) Harmful activities during Quit India Movement:

1. The British tried to suppress it violently and cruelly.
2. This ignited people’s anger and they reached violently. People ransacked and also destroyed post offices, telegram departments, police stations, railway stations, government buildings, school and college buildings, railway tracks, bridges and roads.
3. People also looted government assets and set on fire government properties.
4. The railway department incurred heaviest losses of all.
5. People also threw bombs in many areas.

(D) Failure of the government in crushing the struggle:

1. The government tried to suppress the movement.
2. It government imprisoned more than 70,000 people and fired 538 gunshots.
3. About 1028 people lost their lives and about 3200 were injured.
4. Students were injured in gunshots majority in Ahmedabad and Patna.
5. A unique political consciousness was created among people.
6. Through this movement, people gave a clear warning to the British Government and a message to the world that India cannot be kept under slavery.