"World War II was a global catastrophe. Far broader than just the critical struggle between Allies and Axis, its ramifications were felt throughout the world. It was a time of social relocation, reorienting ideas of patriotism and geographical attachment, and forcing the movement of people across oceans and continents. In India at War, Yasmin Khan offers an account of India's role in the conflict, one that takes into consideration the social, economic, and cultural changes that occurred in South Asia between 1939 and 1945-and reveals how vital the Commonwealth's contribution was to the war effort. ... This authoritative account offers a critically important look at the contributions of colonial manpower and resources essential to sustaining the war, and emphasizes the significant ways in which the conflict shaped modern India."--Publisher's Web site.

"First published in Great Britain in 2015 as The Raj at War by The Bodley Head"--Title page verso.

Prologue -- 1. An Empire Committed -- 2. Peasants into Soldiers -- 3. Into the Middle East and North Africa -- 4. Free and Willing Human Beings -- 5. Not a Paisa, Not a Man -- 6. Bombed to Hell -- 7. Money Coming, Money Coming -- 8. An Empire Exposed -- 9. Urban Panic -- 10. The World at the Door -- 11. Thirty Months Too Late -- 12. Welcome to Bombay -- 13. Plantations and Paddyfields -- 14. Living Dangerously -- 15. Scorched Earth -- 16. The Cogs in a Watch -- 17. Longing and Loss -- 18. Catalyst of Change -- 19. Man-a-Mile Road -- 20. Insults and Discriminations -- 21. Empires, Lost and Found -- 22. Celebrations and Recriminations -- 23. The Sepoy's Return -- Chronology of Major Events -- List of Illustrations -- List of Maps -- List of Abbreviations -- Glossary -- Note on Sources.