On February 21st, the German 8th Army captured Mumbai, and subsequently, the 8th Army advanced north along the coastline.
A day later, the German 4th Army landed at Mumbai and began pushing southward along the coast. Two armies, one advancing north, the other south, swept across the western coast of India.
Meanwhile, the Indian Ocean Fleet provided full fire support to these two armies. Under the relentless German assault, the British Indian forces were utterly unable to withstand the onslaught. It could be said that the entire British Indian military along the western coast was in retreat.
The situation on the battlefield grew increasingly dire for the British Indian forces.
In Delhi, at the British Indian military headquarters, Lord Charles Hardinge, the Governor-General of India, along with the Indian National Congress's Tilak, Gandhi, Nehru, and Jinnah of the Green Party alliance, had all gathered. They had invested all their efforts into this fight against the German forces. However, the unfolding situation filled them with deep concern.
"My lord, what is the current state of the war? Can we hold off the Germans?" Baron Charles Hardinge asked, his brow furrowed in worry. He was also deeply pessimistic about the current situation. At this rate, resisting the German advance in India seemed increasingly difficult. Should the plan fail, the Germans would occupy the entire subcontinent. Worse still, the native Indian forces would be severely weakened during the conflict. Eventually, German rule in India would become firmly entrenched, as those who dared to resist would have already perished in the war, leaving only those subdued and resigned to oppression and exploitation.
"Your Excellency, the situation is indeed grave! The Germans are simply too formidable. With two armies and four hundred thousand men, they have easily overrun our forces, numbering over a million, deployed along the western coast. The entire western coastline has already been swept away by them," Lord William Nicholson lamented, his face a picture of helplessness.
He had to admit that the current situation was entirely unexpected. The strength of the German army and the weakness of the British Indian forces were both beyond his anticipation, leading to the British Indian forces being utterly routed in this war.
"General, does this mean we are doomed to lose the war?" Tilak asked, his voice filled with apprehension.
The expressions of several Indian elites were dark. The news they had received was dire; the British Indian forces had been routed along most of the western coast. Not only had Mumbai fallen, but the entire western coastline was close to being captured by the Germans. The British Indian forces had suffered catastrophic losses, especially among Indian soldiers. Hundreds of thousands had been killed or wounded, while many more had been captured or fled.
"It is still too early to say we are defeated," Lord William Nicholson replied, his tone firm. "Though we have suffered heavy losses, we still have millions of troops at our disposal. Furthermore, the second wave of mobilization is proceeding rapidly, with large numbers of soldiers being trained. We have enough strength to continue fighting the Germans!"
Although he was also pessimistic about the situation, he refused to concede that the war was lost.
"My lord, our casualties are truly devastating. These are the young men of India, the promising youth! While we know that sacrifices are necessary for India's independence, the losses are staggering. I implore you, my lord, to consider the value of their lives in the command of the military, and avoid needless sacrifices!" Gandhi said solemnly.
Despite their earlier commitment to fully cooperate with the British Indian colonial authorities and the knowledge that many of their countrymen would be lost, Gandhi and his allies now regretted their decision. The losses had far exceeded their expectations. They realized that, should this continue, India might lose millions of young men. While India had a large population, it was these young men—vital to the nation's future—that would be most affected. Such losses could have a profound impact on the future of India.
Both Lord Charles Hardinge and Lord William Nicholson's expressions darkened. The native Indians had dared to accuse them—this was a most troubling development.
"There is no fault with my command. The problem lies with the British Indian army's combat capabilities. Yes, we may be slightly outclassed in terms of weapons and equipment, but the difference is minimal. If the soldiers had fought with more courage, perhaps the situation wouldn't have turned out this way," Lord William Nicholson said, shifting the blame entirely onto the Indian soldiers.
Immediately, Tilak and the others' expressions darkened further. Their people were dying and sacrificing on the battlefield, only to be disrespected and insulted. No one could tolerate such treatment.
"My lord, I believe your words are highly biased! I admit that Indian soldiers may lack strength, but it is not their fault. For years, they have been subjected to unjust treatment, receiving the lowest pay while performing numerous tasks unrelated to warfare. Their training has been woefully inadequate. When the Germans arrived, you hastily sent them to the front. Now, when we are losing to the Germans, you blame them—this is utterly wrong!" Tilak replied, his face flushed with anger.
Lord William Nicholson was about to retort, but Lord Charles Hardinge intervened.
"Enough! Stop arguing! The Germans are about to strike, and we are embroiled in internal conflict. How can we hope to defeat the Germans like this?" Lord Charles Hardinge said sternly, his face dark with anger.
Instantly, everyone fell silent. As the Governor-General of India, Hardinge commanded great respect.
"The situation is indeed unfavorable, but I still believe we have a chance to defeat the Germans. In these times, we must unite. Otherwise, we truly will have no hope. My lord, I expect you to devise practical strategies in the upcoming battles and minimize our losses in order to win this war!" Lord Charles Hardinge declared.
"Yes, Your Excellency," Lord William Nicholson nodded.
Tilak and the others remained silent. After all, it was for Hardinge's promises that they had agreed to cooperate with the British Indian colonial authorities. A rift between them would be to no one's benefit.