A new study provides scientific backing for arguments that British policies under Winston Churchill's wartime cabinet significantly exacerbated the Bengal famine of 1943, which killed up to 3 million people. The research, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, is the first to use weather data to argue that this famine was unique in modern Indian history for not being caused by drought.
Researchers from India and the US analysed soil moisture deficits during six major famines in the Indian subcontinent between 1873 and 1943. While five famines correlated with significant deficits, the 1943 Bengal famine occurred despite above-average rainfall at its peak in late 1943. Lead researcher Vimal Mishra stated: 'This was a unique famine, caused by policy failure instead of any monsoon failure.'
Natural disasters, crop infections, and the fall of Burma to Japan reduced food supplies before 1943. However, economist Amartya Sen argued in 1981 that enough food existed, blaming wartime inflation, speculative buying, and panic hoarding. More recent research by journalist Madhushree Mukerjee highlighted that Churchill's cabinet continued exporting rice from India despite warnings of famine, and denied urgent requests for emergency wheat supplies.
Britain's 'denial policy' in Bengal confiscated rice and boats to deny resources to a potential Japanese invasion. In contrast, during the 1873-74 Bihar famine, swift relief efforts led by Sir Richard Temple prevented deaths, but Temple was criticised for spending too much, leading to reduced responses in later famines and increased mortality.
Since independence, India has largely eliminated famine deaths through improved irrigation, seed yields, food distribution, and transport networks.
