The decade preceding partition is of momentous importance in the history of freedom movement of the country. It witnessed a rapid development of events which, not only resulted in the withdrawl of the British from India, but also gave birth to Pakistan. Though the partition idea was not a bolt from the blue as its smoulderings could be seen even towards the close of the last century, yet the present work is confined to the period 1937-47, mainly because, the Pakistan movement which was considered only as a chimera in the late thirtees, became a hard reality in 1947.

A commentary and analysis of the 1947 Partition from Dr. Chester. "Drawing from her dissertation, she considers here the background to timely questions associated with the Kashmir dispute. She raises the policy question of partition as a tool for crisis management or resolution, and she provides useful historical evidence for scholars wishing to draw contemporary lessons."