This book is a seminal work of historical research by Dr. Kalyan De and is based on authentic documents from the British archives, declassified in 1971. These documents are in the form of carefully selected letters, reports and minutes exchanged between the main protagonists of the British Raj in India – the Viceroy Field Marshal Viscount Wavell, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army General Sir Claude Auchinleck and other functionaries, such as the Governors of various states and the Intelligence Department on the one hand and Secretary of State for India, Lord Pethick Lawrence and other functionaries of the British administration in London on the other, leading to their ultimate decision to leave India as early as possible.