Indian Soldiers Self-Determination

Indian soldiers were directly influenced by the experience of war, and the insight gained as a result. This had more of an impact on the self-determination campaigns than unattainable ideals. The most important aspect of this was the way the Indian national consciousness developed. War saw the Indian forces gain an unparalleled amount of political awareness, and understanding. Indian soldiers were confronted with racist perspectives, foreign environments, the power of the Empire, and the ability for national agency to challenge this power. This new perspective was fundamental to the self-determination movement as it saw a body of Indian civilians developing an appreciation for political ideologies, as well as first-hand knowledge of the ways in which campaigns affect
The events and consequences of the war lay the foundation for political change. A Samoan case study discerns the difference between the explicit, and implicit influence of war. In the Samoan context, the involvement in the war was limited, and geographically separate from the Western Front. Yet the status-quo of society shifted in the years of the war, and those following it, such is the evidence for how underlying this change was. The occupation of German Samoa by New Zealand was a direct result of WWI. The Empire needed to assert its dominance over German territories, and German influence - seizing Samoa was a means of achieving these objectives. The differences between German and New Zealand rule was stark, and resulted in society wide resentment. The German authorities had created a system of restricted indigenous autonomy, in which cultural practices were respected, and left largely unchallenged. The Samoan identity was protected, and there existed a mutual understanding between the Samoan and German elites. Comparatively, the New Zealand colonisers emphasised unhappiness, and dominance within Samoa. The New Zealand