While raising men and money from the subcontinent, the British promised to deliver self-rule to India at the end of the war. Had they kept that pledge, the sacrifices of India’s WWI soldiers might have been seen in their homeland as a contribution to India’s freedom.
在从印度次大陆招募兵员和资金时，英国人曾许诺在战争结束后允许印度自治。如果他们信守了自己的诺言，那么印度一战士兵的牺牲或许会在国内被视为对印度自由的贡献。但英国人却自食其言，民族主义者也没有理由对印度士兵感恩戴德。他们不过是替外国主子卖命罢了。受命于殖民统治者在国外战争中丧生是一种职业危险；他们根本没有因为国家服务而受人称道的资格。