World War II was India’s biggest and most devastating war. It was also a war in which Indians fought for both the Allied and Axis powers. While the Indian National Congress was opposed to the totalitarian and racist regimes of the Axis powers, it also felt that it should not fight for the British, who had denied India its own freedom.  At the outbreak of war, the Indian Army had 205,000 men. This later rose to some 2.5million, all of whom were volunteers. It was the largest volunteer contribution of any nation during the War.

Indian troops played a major role in the Middle East and African campaigns, fighting against the Nazis and Italian fascists. They were also the third largest Allied contingent (after the Americans and British) in the liberation of Italy. Crucially they played a key role in defeating the Japanese in Burma.