Operation Gandhi
Encyclopedia
Operation Gandhi was a pacifist group in the early 1950s in the United Kingdom that carried out the country’s first non-violent, direct action protests in 1952.
In 1949 the pacifist Peace Pledge Union
(PPU) responded to its relative inertia and to calls for more action by establishing seven “Commissions” to explore the best ways of moving forward. One of these was the Non-violence Commission. Members of this commission took it upon themselves to explore the question of civil disobedience
. Subsequently, at the beginning of 1952, many members of the commission who were dissatisfied with a lack of action formed a breakaway group, unaffiliated with the PPU, initially known as Operation Gandhi and then as the Non-violent Resistance Group.
The PPU had been interested in the teachings of Gandhi and the possibility of translating them into actions in the United Kingdom. Between 1936, when Peace News
was founded, and 1957, it had almost 350 articles on related topics. However, within the PPU there was significant opposition to the concept of civil disobedience.
At the end of 1951, Hugh Brock
, who would subsequently become editor of Peace News, proposed the formation of Operation Gandhi, for which he had already drawn up a plan of action. Its activities included a sit-down outside the War Office
at the end of January 1952. Eleven protestors squatted in front of the War Office having first notified the police. Following principals of non-violence, the protestors didn’t resist arrest, and pleaded guilty to charges of obstruction and obstructing the police.
There were other protests at Aldermaston, Mildenhall
, Porton Down
and the Atomic Energy Research Establishment
at Harwell. The protest march to Aldermaston in 1952 involved just 35 people and paved the way for the much larger Aldermaston Marches
of CND that began in 1958. Indeed Operation Gandhi can be said to have paved the way for all subsequent non-violent direct action in the UK, including protests against nuclear weapons by the Direct Action Committee
against nuclear war, by the Committee of 100
and by others.
Operation Gandhi did not last long. It changed its name to the Non-violent Resistance Group and by 1954 had been re-absorbed into the PPU's Non-violence Commission.
In 1949 the pacifist Peace Pledge Union
Peace Pledge Union
The Peace Pledge Union is a British pacifist non-governmental organization. It is open to everyone who can sign the PPU pledge: "I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war...
(PPU) responded to its relative inertia and to calls for more action by establishing seven “Commissions” to explore the best ways of moving forward. One of these was the Non-violence Commission. Members of this commission took it upon themselves to explore the question of civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
. Subsequently, at the beginning of 1952, many members of the commission who were dissatisfied with a lack of action formed a breakaway group, unaffiliated with the PPU, initially known as Operation Gandhi and then as the Non-violent Resistance Group.
The PPU had been interested in the teachings of Gandhi and the possibility of translating them into actions in the United Kingdom. Between 1936, when Peace News
Peace News
Peace News is a pacifist magazine first published on 6 June 1936 to serve the peace movement in the United Kingdom. From later in 1936 to April 1961 it was the official paper of the Peace Pledge Union , and from 1990 to 2004 was co-published with War Resisters' International.-History:Peace News was...
was founded, and 1957, it had almost 350 articles on related topics. However, within the PPU there was significant opposition to the concept of civil disobedience.
At the end of 1951, Hugh Brock
Hugh Brock
Hugh Brock was a lifelong British pacifist, editor of Peace News between 1955 and 1964, a promoter of non-violent direct action and a founder of the Direct Action Committee, a forerunner of the Committee of 100....
, who would subsequently become editor of Peace News, proposed the formation of Operation Gandhi, for which he had already drawn up a plan of action. Its activities included a sit-down outside the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
at the end of January 1952. Eleven protestors squatted in front of the War Office having first notified the police. Following principals of non-violence, the protestors didn’t resist arrest, and pleaded guilty to charges of obstruction and obstructing the police.
There were other protests at Aldermaston, Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
, Porton Down
Porton Down
Porton Down is a United Kingdom government and military science park. It is situated slightly northeast of Porton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. To the northwest lies the MoD Boscombe Down test range facility which is operated by QinetiQ...
and the Atomic Energy Research Establishment
Atomic Energy Research Establishment
The Atomic Energy Research Establishment near Harwell, Oxfordshire, was the main centre for atomic energy research and development in the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1990s.-Founding:...
at Harwell. The protest march to Aldermaston in 1952 involved just 35 people and paved the way for the much larger Aldermaston Marches
Aldermaston Marches
The Aldermaston marches were protest demonstrations organised by the British anti-war Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in the 1950s and 1960s. They took place on Easter weekend between the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston in Berkshire, England, and London, over a distance of...
of CND that began in 1958. Indeed Operation Gandhi can be said to have paved the way for all subsequent non-violent direct action in the UK, including protests against nuclear weapons by the Direct Action Committee
Direct Action Committee
The Direct Action Committee against nuclear war was a pacifist organization formed "to assist the conducting of non-violent direct action to obtain the total renunciation of nuclear war and its weapons by Britain and all other countries as a first step in disarmament"...
against nuclear war, by the Committee of 100
Committee of 100
The Committee of 100 was a British anti-war group. It was set up in 1960 with a hundred public signatories by Bertrand Russell, Ralph Schoenman and Reverend Michael Scott and others...
and by others.
Operation Gandhi did not last long. It changed its name to the Non-violent Resistance Group and by 1954 had been re-absorbed into the PPU's Non-violence Commission.