Trace the circumstances leading to the Quit India Movement.

The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement, was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 during World War II. It was called for by Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress, and demanded an end to British rule in India.

The circumstances leading up to the movement were complex and multifaceted. One major factor was the increasing disillusionment of the Indian National Congress with the British government's failure to address India's demands for independence. Despite repeated demands and negotiations, the British government had consistently refused to consider transferring power to the Indians. This had led to a growing sense of frustration and anger among Indian nationalists, including Gandhi.

Another factor that contributed to the Quit India Movement was the changing international situation. By 1942, World War II had been raging for several years, and the situation was not going well for the Allies. Japan was making rapid gains in Southeast Asia and posed a serious threat to India. In this context, Gandhi and other Indian nationalists believed that it was time for the British to leave India so that the country could focus on its own defense.

The final trigger for the Quit India Movement was the arrival of Lord Linlithgow, the British Viceroy of India, in Bombay (now Mumbai) on July 31, 1942. Gandhi and other Congress leaders had been hoping to meet with Linlithgow to discuss India's demands for independence, but the Viceroy refused to meet with them. This was seen as a major snub, and it further inflamed the already tense situation.

On August 8, 1942, Gandhi delivered a speech at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay, calling on the British to "Quit India" and announcing that the Congress would launch a mass civil disobedience movement. The movement was launched the next day, with strikes and protests breaking out across the country. The British responded with a crackdown, arresting thousands of Congress leaders and using force to suppress the protests. Despite this, the movement continued for several months, and it became one of the most significant events in the Indian independence struggle.