Question

Answer the following question in one or two words/ sentences:

Why did the Indian nationalists support the war effort of the British when the First World War broke out?

Answer 1

Initially, there was an outburst of loyalty and the Indian nationalist leaders supported the British government with men and money. More than a million Indian soldiers were sent overseas to join the British army and a hundred million pounds were given to the British government.
The British and their allies declared that they were fighting the war to make the world ‘safe for democracy’ and to promote the right of all nations to form self-government. This led the Indian nationalists to believe that a grateful Britain would reward India’s loyalty and fulfill its demands for self-government.