July 14, 1942 - Indian National Congress demands British withdrawal
The Indian National Congress passed a resolution calling for an end to British governance. Less than a month later, Gandhi spurred the Quit India movement, advocating peaceful civil disobedience. But the protests, which began as workers' strikes and marches, turned violent, prompting British authorities to arrest more than 100,000 people nation-wide, including many members of the Congress.

Aug. 16, 1946 - Jinnah calls for Direct Action Day in support of Pakistan
To rally support for an independent Pakistani state, Muhammad Ali Jinnah called for a Direct Action Day. The movement, however, broke into violence and thousands died.

March 24, 1947 - Mountbatten sworn in as final viceroy to India
Earl Louis Mountbatten was sworn in as the final viceroy to India to broker India's independence. Mountbatten was instructed to finalize a plan by August 1947 -- almost a year sooner than the original June 1948 date.

Two main factors determined Great Britain's decision to seek decolonization: The administrative costs needed to suppress Indian activists proved too much as England recovered from the economic devastation of World War II, and following the war, the United States pressured its European ally to withdraw its colonial interests.

Aug. 14, 1947 - Pakistan and India declare independence
Disputes between India and Pakistan stem from the 1947 British partitioning of India into two independent nations. The region's predominantly Muslim provinces were divided into East and West Pakistan, while predominantly Hindu areas became modern India. The border between the two states was conceived and finalized by the British lawyer Cyril Radcliffe. Boundaries were drawn hastily, using outdated census reports and maps.

Approximately 10 million Muslims migrated to the newly formed Pakistani state.

Aug. 26, 1947 - Jammu-Kashmir signed over to India, first India-Pakistan war over Kashmir starts
At the epicenter of the Indian-Pakistan conflict is the Jammu-Kashmir state, which, in 1947, had a predominantly Muslim population and was governed by a Sikh ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh. He signed Jammu-Kashmir over to India on Oct. 26.

Many Pakistanis say the Kashmir region, with its majority Muslim population, belongs in their Islamic state. Indians, meanwhile, argue India has a legal right to the Kashmir territory.

India currently controls two-thirds of the state, Pakistan controls about one-fifth and China has controlled the eastern region since 1963.

Since 1947, India and Pakistan have been locked in a tense and often hostile rivalry. The two countries have fought three wars, with two centering on the Kashmir conflict. As many as 50,000 people have died over the war-torn province.

Pakistan has refused to accept the legitimacy of India's claim to Kashmir, and Pakistani militias and Kashmiri Muslim rebels have fought to overthrow Indian rule. When Indian forces moved into the region to restore its control, the first major war between the two rivals began.