The only two world powers to officially and actively support decolonization in africa through the entire 20th century were the soviet unionand the peoples republic of china all others varied their. The only two world powers to officially and actively support decolonization in africa through the entire 20th century were the soviet unionand the peoples republic of china all others varied their opinions from the strong and. May 19, 2008 three interconnected factors produced largescale decolonization in the years after 1945. After 1942 though, the allied powers, which included britain, the united states, and the soviet union, successfully fought back and won critical victories. When the united nations was founded in 1945, some 750 million people, nearly a. This work examines the causes and events which led to the rapid decolonization of africa by the european governments after world war ii, it considers the differing experience of decolonization across the continent, as well as the continuing influence of the former colonial powers. Addressing the changing problems and perspectives of africa, leading africanists examine economic, political, and ideological trends in the subsaharan region since the time of independence, and assess their probable impact on the future of the subcontinent. Between 1922, when selfgovernment was restored to egypt, and 1994, when nonracial democracy was achieved in south africa, 54 new nations were established in africa.
Southern africa independence and decolonization in. These old colonial empires knew that decolonization was a possibility, but did not think much of. Decolonization after 1945 the reasons why decolonization took place are many and complex, varying widely from one country to another. A disadvantage is that temporal factors not related to decolonization. Decolonization american english or decolonisation british english is the undoing of. Between 1945 and 1960, three dozen new states in asia and africa achieved autonomy or outright independence from their european colonial rulers. This edited volume gathers contributions which show the veterans involvement in all the major historical processes shaping the world after world war ii. With this in mind, this essay will discuss the nature of decolonization that occurred throughout the british empire in the postww2 era, with the.
The term refers particularly to the dismantlement, in the years after world war ii, of the neoimperial empires established. Harold macmillan, british prime minister, helped begin decolonization milestones. Western africa western africa decolonization and the regaining of independence. The impact of the second world war on the decolonization. The decolonization of africa followed world war ii as colonized peoples agitated for independence and colonial powers withdrew their administrators from africa. Three key elements played a major role in the process. Decolonization and influence of the cold war essay bartleby. It means that to some extent, a movement began following wwi and gained momentum after wwii, where people around the world said that people have the right to govern themselves. It captured the imagination of a new generation of idealists who enthusiastically proclaimed their belief in racial equality and individual liberty. Some colonial powers introduced political and constitutional changes that aimed eventually to transfer power.
After world war two and the defeat of the axis powers, france and britain controlled most of africa. The united nations and decolonization after world war. The end of the colonial period and the establishment during 195776 of all the former colonies as independent states was attributable both to a change in european attitudes toward africa and the possession of colonies and to an african reaction to colonial rule born of the economic and social changes it had. Running a colony was very expensive, and the government didnt always see a strong return on their investment.
Africa really isnt an area of expertise for me though. Decolonization after world war 2 lessons tes teach. Decolonization for many countries meant granting colonies independence, which led to the eventual end of an empire. In extreme circumstances, there is a war of independence. Chapter 33 the cold war and decolonization, 19451975. However, these movements would gain full potential only after world war ii. In southern africa, however, the transfer of power to an african majority was greatly complicated by the presence of entrenched white settlers.
Decolonization is the contrary of colonialism, this is the process whereby one nation establishes itself independent and separate from the state it had emerged from. Decolonization after world war ii problems in european civilization smith, tony on. On one hand, it allowed african groups to throw off foreign rule and institute selfgovernment. World war ii on the decolonization effect history essay. Imperialism is the action that nations take in expanding their holdings by conquering foreign nations and establishing overseas colonies. They examine whether country x grew faster after gaining independence than during the preceding years and find that economic growth increased after independence. Frantz fanon also analyzes decolonization during the cold war and argues that the u. The decolonization was sudden, unexpected, and total. Chapter 33 the cold war and decolonization, 19451975 i. After world war ii, european countries generally lacked the wealth and political support necessary to suppress faraway revolts.
The term refers particularly to the dismantlement, in the years after world war ii, of the neoimperial empires established prior to world war i throughout africa and asia. The weakening of the colonial powers in the second world war, together with the aforementioned social change in africa, created the favorable conditions for. This bondage formed a common goal to fight for freedom. The impact of the second world war on the decolonization of africa. The author argues that decolonization was a result of three factors. Decolonization postworld war ii flashcards quizlet. The conservative party and british colonial policy in tropical africa, 19511964 by philip n. By 1990, formal european political control had given way to african selfruleexcept in south africa. The colonising countries couldnt afford to maintain presences in the colonised countries.
Rejecting the colonial politics of recognition iyko day. These include deep economic problems, inhibiting growth and widening disparities between the northern and southern part of the globe. Contributors deal with such essential topics as the influence of ideology on the evolution of african politics. A product of failed postworld war ii transitional justice that left many colonial legacies intact, this culture both contests and. The liberation of africa from european rule followed on. Was british decolonization after 1945 a voluntary process. Yet the nations and regions of africa experienced it with varying degrees of success.
Decolonization was gradual and peaceful for some british colonies largely settled by expatriates but violent for others, where native rebellions were energized by nationalism. African decolonization was more gradual, though, with many african states remaining colonies until the 1960s. In africa and also south east asia, the french resisted decolonization in algeria the french fought a bloody and miserable war that started in 1954 the same year franked lost at dienbienphu in the 1950s and 1960s, france granted independence to its colonies in morocco, tunisia, and colonies in west and equatorial africa this time. These old colonial empires knew that decolonization was a possibility, but did not think much of it. After world war ii, this lack of unification was no longer an issue. Cold war politics, racial conflict, decolonization, statebuilding, and the reshaping of war memory were phenomena in which former soldiers and excombatants were directly involved. The decolonisation of africa took place in the midtolate 1950s to 1975, with sudden and radical regime changes on the continent as colonial governments made the transition to independent states. Nazi germany was trapped on both fronts and eventually stopped fighting after may of 1945. Please note that this timeline is largely about european colonization of african countries in the 19th century.
Decolonization of asia and africa, 19451960 19451952. Southern africa southern africa independence and decolonization in southern africa. More often, there is a dynamic cycle where negotiations fail, minor disturbances ensue resulting in suppression by the police and military forces, escalating into more violent revolts that lead to further negotiations until independence is granted. Is decolonization a consequence of second world war. Decolonization is the process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing country. The decolonization of africa between the 1950s1970s had both positive and negative consequences. Primary sources primary source collections internet african history sourcebook this popular online source collection, maintained by fordham university, includes sources ranging from the old kingdom to the continental slave trader to rhodesian independence. Decolonization, process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing country. The end of the colonial period and the establishment during 195776 of all the former colonies as independent states was attributable both to a change in european attitudes toward africa and the possession of colonies and to an african reaction to colonial rule born of the economic and. After world war ii, european countries generally lacked the wealth and political support necessary to. There was widespread unrest and there were organized revolts in both northern and subsaharan. One of the most important effects of decolonization is the instability of the postcolonial political systems, which entails another, farreaching consequences. Categories european imperialism, the fight for independence, and modern africa list over a hundred publicly accessible.
After an initial phase from 1945 to about 1958, in which white power. The effects of decolonization in africa world scientific. Opposition developed within the nonselfgoverning territories to the continuation of colonial rule. These include deep economic problems, inhibiting growth and widening disparities between the. The end of the colonial era is celebrated in the history books as a triumph of national aspiration in the former colonies and of benign good sense on the part. After the war the imperial powers were under strong international pressure to decolonize. Longestablished imperial regimes collapsed, some more or less. Decolonization, then, was a process as well as a historical period. European powers divided the dark continent like a home made peach pie. The 4t1i section discusses decolonization within north america. In the decades that followed independence, they worked to shape the cultural. This fact, to lose everything at once, played a role also in russia. Naively, most african leaders believed that they could navigate the political land mines of the cold war through political neutrality.
In many others, independence was achieved only after a protracted revolution. Books another major nation whose independence saw great conflict was the belgian congo which was decolonized in 1960 and that nation was soon riven by ethnic centrifugal tendencies that erupted into armed conflict. British india was the lynch pin of the british empire in the east. Although second world war, can be seen as a primary consequence for some countries, there were those countries that had. We use your linkedin profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads. Indians had long fought, argued, protested and negotiated. Speeches and writings of amilcar cabral aime cesaire discourse on colonialism glen coulthard red skin, white masks. This bold, popularizing synthesis presents a readily accessible introduction to one of the major themes of twentiethcentury world history. The effects of decolonization decolonization for britian occured post war which was. This work examines the causes and events which led to the rapid decolonization of africa by the european governments after world war ii, it considers the differing experience of decolonization. Although second world war, can be seen as a primary consequence for some countries, there were those countries that had more important reasons for decolonisation. Months later, japan surrendered after america dropped atomic bombs on both hiroshima and nagasaki. Jan 25, 2015 the decolonization of africa followed world war ii as colonized peoples agitated for independence and colonial powers withdrew their administrators from africa.
May 07, 2007 we use your linkedin profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads. Decolonization in africa was certainly influenced by the concepts of justice, equality, etc. This practice continued after independence, and the farmers remained vulnerable to the vagaries of the world market. Special committee of the 24 on decolonization, the committee of 24, or simply, the decolonization committee was created in 1961 by the general assembly of the united nations with the purpose of monitoring implementation of the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and. Decolonization and the cold war by brian roberts on prezi. It will be seen that the liberation ofindigenous peoples in n.
Special committee of the 24 on decolonization, the committee of 24, or simply, the decolonization committee was created in 1961 by the general assembly of the united nations with the purpose of monitoring implementation of the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples and to make. All colonial powers have wrestled with decolonization after world war ii, but while england and france in particular were driven step by step from their global positions, the netherlands lost everything at once. The administrative and judicial elements of this process were linked to the 20thcentury decline in the ability of the european nation states to project. After world war ii western leaders perceived the soviet union as the center of a world revolutionary movement, while soviet leaders felt themselves surrounded by the western countries and their north atlantic treaty organization founded 1949. The politics of colonization jodi byrd transit of empire. Reasons for the end of imperialism, decolonization and. The exceptional moment announcing the fact occurred at midnight on june 30, 1997, the beginning of the first day of hong kongs reversion to china after a centuryandahalf of british control.
Post wwii decolonization overview flashcards quizlet. What were the factors that led to decolonization following. The midtwentieth century experienced the end of the colonial empire, a global phenomenon which left profound changes that have contributed to the shape of the modern international political, social and economic system. Importance of decolonization during the cold war 1627 words 7 pages. The forcible eviction of the colonial power by another outside power, as with germany after 1918 or the end of japanese control over korea in 1945, is not usually classed as decolonization. Following world war ii, a large part of the world was in the hands of european powers, established as colonies in the previous centuries. The special committee on decolonization also known as the u. Well, a big reason for the numerous amount of countries in the world today is the process of decolonization that occurred after world war ii wwii in asia, africa, and the middle east. Western powers viewed african independence through the lens of the cold war, which rendered african leaders as either prowest or proeast. In decolonization, raymond betts considers this process and the outcomes which have left a legacy of problems, drawing on numerous examples including ghana, india, rwanda and. The decolonization of africa was one of the turning points in the history of the postwar world. May 10, 2016 the colonising countries couldnt afford to maintain presences in the colonised countries. Through the process of decolonization that began, in most african territories, at the close of world war ii, african leaders gained greater political power under european rule.
Is decolonization a consequence of second world war history essay. Decolonization after world war iidecolonization and nationalism triumphant. Western africa decolonization and the regaining of. Harold macmillan, british prime minister, helped begin decolonization.
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