Brief for the Führer on "British India", 13 November 1941

No. 468 41/28229-39

Memorandum by the Foreign Minister

[This document is based on a more detailed memorandum in two parts which Woermann submitted on Nov. 6 (41/28200; 41/28202-14). The first part bore the title "Questions of the Near East", the second part "Special Assignments for Matters of the Near East". The memorandum was drawn up in compliance with a request of the Foreign Minister, transmitted by Bruns on Oct.27 (41/28201), for an interim report by Woermann on what had been done so far in Pan-Arab, Pan-Turanian, and Indian matters.]

                                                                                                           WESTFALEN, November, 13, 1941.

BRIEF FOR THE FÜHRER [Marginal notes: "Shown to the Führer". "See separate memorandum. Hew[el], Nov. 15." The last marginal note apparently refers to document No. 475.]

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II. British India.

Preparations for stepping up our propaganda with a view to encouraging India's independence movement are in the hands of State Secretary Keppler, who is working closely with the Indian, Bose, in this matter. At the moment the chief element of this preparatory work concerns the establishment of an Indian Legion recruited from Indian prisoners of war in our hands, and the organization of a "free India" central office under Bose's direction. The point of departure for our policy with regard to India, similarly to that toward the Arab question, must be the publication of a declaration by the Axis Powers concerning a free India. We know that Bose has been insistently urging since the spring that such a declaration be issued by the Axis Powers as early as possible. [See vol. XII of this series, documents Nos. 300, 323, and 553.] The moment for such a declaration, however, will come only when it is clearly discernible that England does not manifest any willingness to make peace even after the final collapse of Russia. There is no need for the declaration on a free India, to coincide in time with the one regarding the independence of the Arab countries; rather, it would seem preferable to issue the declaration regarding the Arab countries first and to issue the one relating to India on a separate occasion, so that each measure would carry its own full effect.

Large-scale propaganda directed at India will become possible only when the declaration regarding a free India has been published. Such propaganda effort will have to operate chiefly with radio broadcasts for which at present the Berlin transmitter has already been made available. The use of the Zemun transmitter for broadcasts of the free India central office is being planned. Further intensification of this propaganda. will become possible when, as a result of our troops advancing into Caucasia, stations located nearer to India, such as perhaps the transmitter at Tiflis, can be utilized for this, or provision is made for mobile transmitters.

As may be seen from the enclosed copy of State Secretary Keppler's memorandum of November 13, an English counterpropaganda action has recently begun which is intended to discredit Bose with the Indian population as having gone over to the Axis Powers and to promote his antagonist, Pandit Nehru, as in accordance with England's intent. [Not printed (41/28242-44).]

In other ways, too, Bose's activities in Germany have already been made known, as shown by the telegram mentioned in the memorandum which was sent to Bose by the Indian Independence League in Japan. I intend to act in accordance with State Secretary Keppler's proposal that I discuss personally with Bose the resulting new developments in the situation. [See document No. 521.] Our decision to defer for the time being a declaration of the Axis Powers concerning a free India will not have to be alts by us despite the reports circulated by the English. On the contrary, they confirm that the English camp is already beginning to show anxiety as a consequence of Bose's presence in Germany.

R(ibbentrop)

From: US Department of State. Documents on German Foreign Policy, 1918-1945. Series D (1937-1945), Vol. XIII, The War Years June 23-December 11, 1941. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1964, 774 and 777-779.