Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: The British Atrocity at Amritsar

Q: What happened in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?

The 1919 Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre in Amritsar, India saw the British General Dyer order his men to fire on an unarmed civilian crowd, killing hundreds and wounding over 1,500. Dyer later said he had wanted to prevent a rebellion.

Q: How many died in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?

The official death figures for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre were 379, but there were likely more than that. There were also over 1,500 wounded.

Q: Why did General Dyer shoot civilians in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre?

General Dyer ordered his men to shoot civilians in the Jallinawala Bagh Massacre of 1919 because there had been several riots in the Punjab and he feared these would develop into a full rebellion against British colonial rule in India.

Q: What happened to Brigadier-General Dyer?

Brigadier-General Dyer was retired from the army following the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in Amritsar, India, in 1919. An official committee found that he had used excessive force, but many of the British public thought him a hero and raised a large pension fund for him.

Mark Cartwright

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Definition

The 13 April 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (aka Amritsar Massacre) was an infamous episode of brutality which saw General Dyer order his troops to open fire on an unarmed crowd of men, women, and children trapped in an abandoned walled garden during a Sikh festival. At least 379 people died, and over 1,500 were injured in the massacre.

More about: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Timeline

Mar 1919
The Rowlatt Acts impose restrictions on civil liberties in India.
10 Apr 1919
Riots in Amritsar involve the murder of five British men and British control of the town is lost.
13 Apr 1919
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre when the British General Dyer orders the shooting of unarmed civilians in Amritsar.
13 Apr 1919
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (Amritsar Massacre) occurs in Amritsar, Punjab, India when British troops under Brigadier General Reginald Dyer open fire on unarmed, peaceful protesters, killing between 379-1,500 people. Dyer was later honored for his service. The massacre inspired the non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi to free India from English colonial rule.
Nov 1919
The Hunter Committee conducts a public hearing into the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and wider riots in the Punjab.