peaceful Indian protesters, several of whom hold Indian national flags. The boot of the first white soldier presses down upon one protester; the words ‘British Brute Regiment’ are written across one of the soldier’s belt.

The slogan ‘Britain’s Second Front’ alludes to the idea that the Indian independence movement was as much of a threat to Britain as the enemy countries it was fighting against in World War Two.

What was the Quit India movement?

On 8 August 1942 Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India movement to demand an end to British rule. The Indian National Congress encouraged people to challenge and disregard British rule through boycotts, non-violent protests and destruction of government property. In response, the British Indian government arrested most of the Congress leaders, including Gandhi, with many remaining imprisoned right until the end of World War Two in 1945.

About the India Office Records

This poster is held within the India Office Records. The India Office Records is a vast collection of archives relating to the administration of the East India Company (1600–1858) and its successor the India Office (1858–1947). The collection includes hundreds of official publications and records, manuscripts, photographs, maps and private papers. These archives document the complex story of British trade with the East, politics, the development of the British Empire and the road to Indian independence.