The Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) behavior of a high Mn austenitic stainless steel (SS) with 14.67 wt % Mn was studied in 1 M hydrochloric acid at room temperature as a function of potential. At open circuit potential (OCP) thick black surface film formation and a transgranular mode of cracking were observed. At all applied anodic potentials general dissolution and ductile cracking were observed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies were conducted to characterise the surface films formed at different potentials. The nature of the surface film was found to be different with a change in potential. The nature of the film formed was found to govern the dissolution behavior and therefore the fracture morphology of the alloy.