What created the conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir?
The problem grew out of the breakup of the English empire in India in 1947 after World War 2. Despite the wishes of Mahatma Gandhi, two separate countries were created primarily for religious reasons: India and Pakistan. Pakistan was actually two entirely separate territories on either side of India. In reality, many of the remote areas of the subcontinent such as Kashmir were feudal and had little connection to a national government. These areas were ruled by monarchs known as Maharajas. India was predominantly Hindu, Pakistan was mostly Muslim. At the time of the creation of India and Pakistan the status of Kashmir (a predominantly Muslim area) was left uncertain. Two months after the countries were created, an arrangement was made between the national government in India and the Maharaja of Kashmir which gave control to India. War immediately erupted between India and Pakistan. After a U.N.-arranged ceasefire in July 1949, Pakistan gained one third of Kashmir territory. The remainin
