American propaganda, the Anglo-American alliance, and the “delicate question� of Indian self-determination

This article examines the American-British relationship during and after World War II with regards to national self-determination in the British empire. The U.S. wanted to promote autonomy and freedom but this commitment often was at odds with strategic interests. The author focuses on America's involvement with India's independence and how propaganda embodied the mixed messages and contradictory impulses that lay behind American foreign policy. A brief history of U.S.-Indian relations throughout the 20th century is also presented.