Famine Decimates Bengal.

A combination of circumstances led to one of the worst famines in modern world history. First, the British, having long occupied and ruled the region, fed their troops in the Middle East (fighting in battles of World War II) by exporting food from India; rice was a major food source not only for the troops but also for the region’s populations. To meet demands, the government of India bought the crops as they were harvested, leading to limited supplies of rice for the general population.