Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 1919: Date, Causes, and Historical Impact

Amritsar Tragedy 1919: British Soldiers Open Fire

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also referred to as the Massacre of Amritsar, took place on April 13, 1919, when British soldiers opened fire on a large gathering of unarmed Indians in the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar,  shooting a number of people and wounding many more.  

Causes and Timeline of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 1919 

• On 9 April 1919, two local Congress leaders from Amritsar, Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal, who were protesting the atrocity, were detained.
• Banning of Assemblies and Gathering: These arrests occurred at the same time as Gandhi’s, exacerbating the situation in Punjab. The order for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was given by General Dyer.
• On Baisakhi day, 13 April 1919, a large number of protesters assembled at Jallianwala Bagh to protest.
• Open Fire on Protesters: When Bg. General Reginald Dyer saw a large number of protesters, he ordered the Gurkha forces to open fire on the nonviolent protesters.
• Repression: According to official estimates, 379 people were killed, however, the figure was far too high. The savagery has not yet reached its apex. Punjab was placed under martial law, and repression was stepped up with arrests, torture, and other measures.
• Himalayan blunder: Gandhiji admitted to having committed a Himalayan blunder by offering the weapon of satyagraha to a people insufficiently trained in the discipline of non-violence. Gandhiji was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of total violence and withdrew from the movement on April 18, 1919.
• Knighthood and Hunter Commission: To condemn the massacre, Rabindranath Tagore resigned his knighthood. The British Indian Government created the Hunter Commission to examine the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Conclusion

The incident was an important turning point in contemporary India’s history. The episode irrevocably damaged Indo-British relations and allowed Mahatma Gandhi to commit himself fully to the cause of Indian nationalism and independence from Britain.

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