African Independence

African Independence

Why did so many of these nations struggle to achieve stability?

Berlin Conference 1885

Foundations of Independence

Pan-African Movement--The belief that all Africans should unite to fight for political freedom and economic development--Members from across globe, including WEB Du Bois--Held conferences in European cities like Paris and Manchester, beginning in early 1900s

World War II

• Africans fought with Europeans against fascism and Japanese imperialism

• The war weakened colonial rulers economically

Ghana—First to win freedom• British colony (indirect

rule)• Movement led by Kwame

Nkrumah (studied in US), using non-violent strikes and protests

• Jailed several times• Achieved independence in

1957, changed name from Gold Coast to Ghana

Challenges of Ghana

• Overspent on infrastructure, schools and health care

• Nkrumah may have been too focused on Pan-African issues

• Army seized power in 1966

• First free elections in 2000

Kenya

• British settlers in northern highlands resisted independence mvt

• Jomo Kenyatta (educated in Britain) led resistance

• Kenyatta supported Pan-African movement

Mau Mau

• Secret society of Kikuyu farmers who lost land to British settlers

• Tried to frighten white settlers and kill livestock

• Turned to guerrilla war tactics

• British sent in troops from 1952-1960

-Official British numbers:11,000 rebels killed while 32 whites died-Kenyan Human Rights Commission claims:90,000 Kenyans “executed, tortured or maimed” (BBC)

• Mau Mau were also brutal

--example: raid on village Lari while men were off fighting on behalf of British; Mau Mau killed 70 people, mostly women and children

Challenges in Kenya

• Kenyatta became first president and was able to keep ethnic groups unified

• Succeeded after death by Daniel arap Moi, leader from 1978-2002, who was accused of corruption

• Ethnic conflicts killed hundreds• Elections in 2002• Growing prosperity, but also problems with

Somalia and al Shabaab (mall shooting?)

Congo• Belgian colony given

freedom in 1960• Congo divided internally:• Patrice Lumumba

democratically elected prime minister

• Gave speech about humiliations and exploitation of colonial system that scared Western nations

• Province of Katanga (rich in copper and uranium) wanted to secede, led by Moise Tshombe

• CIA gave money and support to Lumumba’s opponents

• Lumumba betrayed and handed over to Tshombe, who had him beaten, tortured and shot

• Tshombe overthrown in 1965 by Mobutu Sese Seko (one of Lumumba’s betrayers)—changed name of country to Zaire

• Mobutu looted mineral wealth while leaving the people poor, but held power for 32 years

• US supported him as anti-communist

• Congo still struggling with instability

Rwanda

• Belgium had given status to Tutsi ethnic group over Hutu majority

• Given freedom from Belgium in 1962• New democratic government gave power to

Hutus• Ethnic violence broke out between these

groups several times over next few decades

Genocide• In 1994, Hutu

extremists led a genocide of Tutsis and of Hutu moderates.

• Over one million people were killed

Algeria• French colony with one

million colonists• About nine million Arab

and Berber natives• Algerian National

Liberation Front (FLN) led movement

• French used force to maintain power (beginning in 1945) and FLN led guerilla resistance

• Algeria gained independence in 1962

• Most of the French settlers left

• New nation struggled to modernize

• In 1988, Islamic militants rioted against secular government

• Civil War broke out in early 1990s

Angola• Portuguese colony—no

school system or health facilities; only limited commerce

• Independence movement began in 1960s

• Portugal sent 50,000 troops

• Withdrew in 1975 but without establishing a new government

• Internal fighting between– MPLA (Communist, helped by Cuba and USSR)– FNLA (helped by US and Zaire/Congo)– UNITA (helped by US and South Africa)

• War ended in 2002

• Why do you think so many African nations struggled to achieve stability after independence?