August 14, 1947: What Happened In History On This Day

What happened on 14 August 1947: India celebrates its Independence Day on August 15 every year, while Pakistan marks the occasion on August 14. Pakistan was created from the Partition of India in 1947. The difference in dates comes from historical events and the timing of the power transfer.

In early 1947, Britain’s Labour government appointed Lord Louis Mountbatten as the last Viceroy of India. He was tasked with overseeing the transfer of power from the British to Indian leaders. Initially, the transition was scheduled for June 1948. However, increasing communal violence and deteriorating law and order forced Mountbatten to move the date forward to August 1947.

Passing of the Indian Independence Act

The British Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act on July 4, 1947. It declared that British rule in India would end on August 15, 1947. On this day, two new nations India and Pakistan came into existence. However, the exact borders were not revealed until August 17, to prevent unrest in the newly divided territories.

Mountbatten’s Reason for August 15

Lord Mountbatten later stated that he chose August 15 partly because it marked the second anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. This date symbolised the end of an imperial conflict, making it significant in global history.

Why Pakistan Chose August 14

Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah and official documents initially referred to August 15 as Independence Day. But in 1948, Pakistan shifted its celebrations to August 14. The main reason was the timing of the ceremonies Mountbatten handed over power in Karachi on August 14, 1947, before travelling to New Delhi for India’s midnight independence ceremony on August 15. 

Another reason for Pakistan’s choice was that August 14, 1947, fell on the 27th day of Ramadan, a sacred date in the Islamic calendar. This gave the occasion religious importance in Pakistan. Since then, Pakistan has celebrated August 14 as Independence Day, while India continues to observe August 15 as its day of freedom.

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