Chapter 18/19 Decolonization
Chapter 18/19Decolonization
During WWII, Africans and Asians fought for their colonial rulers
The war brought soldiers from different colonies together
This helped to spur ideas for independence
Independence for colonies
Colonized nations see their chance to take action as result of WWII
WWII Weakens Colonial Empires
Recap Amritsar Massacre in 1920 sparked the
Indian resistance movement Gandhi emerged as a nationalist leader After WWII, the stage was set for a transfer
of power back to India What were the lingering problems with
permitting independence?
India
Religious hatreds between Hindus and Muslims led to many devastating riots
Last viceroy of India suggests partitioning India because of the religious tensions
Divided India into Pakistan (Muslims) and India (Hindus)
Partition of India
Partition of India and Pakistan
Division of civil service, military Actual movement of Hindus and Muslims to
different territories 10 million on the move One million died in violence on trains Death of Gandhi
Logistical problems of partition
Jawaharlal Nehru – first prime minister Dealt with lingering religious tensions over the
territory of Kashmir War with Pakistan over this territory United Nations arranged a cease fire in 1949 During the Cold War – India and other new nations
adopted a policy of neutrality in the Cold War 1964 – Nehru’s daughter – Indira Gandhi – chosen
prime minister Gunned down over a dispute with Sikhs Rajiv Gandhi will take over
Largest democracy in the world
Pakistan and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) achieve independence
Both countries will also suffer from religious and ethnic tensions
Formation of Bangladesh out of East Pakistan due to tensions
Pakistan
Muhammad Jinnah will die shortly after independence
Pakistan will face a series of military coups Military coups and civil wars leads to
unstable leadership for Pakistan
Leadership of Pakistan
¾ of Sri Lankans are Buddhists 1/5 are Tamils (Hindus) Militant group of Tamils have called for a
separate Tamil nation Civil war Article reading
Sri Lanka
..\activities\New Nations Informational Booklet2009.doc
Decolonization Assignment
First of the world’s colonies to achieve independence
US granted them independence in 1946 US promised to pay Philippines $600 million
in war damages in return for a free trade agreement with America
America also demanded a 99 year lease (given up in 1991)
Philippines
Ferdinand Marcos elected president in 1965 and rules until 1986
Authoritarian, stole millions from country, imposed martial law on country
Corazon Aquino will win an election against him in 1986 (Marcos killed her husband)
Aquino will get to lead, and they recover the 400 million plus dollars stolen
Government
Became a sovereign republic in 1948 – Myanmar
Aung San – nationalist leader who pressed for freedom from Japanese and the British
1962 – General Ne Win set up a military state
1988 Aung Sang Suu Kyi – daughter of nationalist leader – pressed for democratic reforms
Was placed under house arrest until 1995 Won the Nobel Peace Prize
Burma
During WWII the Japanese conquered the Malay peninsula, taking it out of the hands of the British
British return after WWII and try to organize Malaya into one state
Ethnic differences make this impossible 1957 – Federation of Malaya created from
Singapore, Malaya, Sarawak, and Sabah 1965 – Singapore separated Singapore remains one of the strongest
economic powers in the world
Malaysia and Singapore
Japanese occupied this area during WWII Sukarno, nationalist independence leader,
proclaimed Indonesian independence after Japanese are defeated
Dutch tried to maintain their colony Dutch will lose in1949 13,600 islands, 300 different ethnic groups,
250 languages, most of the world’s major religions, contains the world’s largest Islamic population
Indonesia gains independence from the Dutch
Sukarno declared himself president for life 1965 army officers attempted a coup that
was suppressed by general Suharto Suharto seized power for himself 500,000 to one million will die Suharto officially named president in 1965,
turned Indonesia into a police state Will be forced to resign in 19998
Military Coups
After WWII, African colonies refuse domination
Had to deal with the division of the continent (artificial borders that separated and united different ethnic groups)
New Nations in Africa
First African colony of the Sahara to achieve independence
Demanded “freedom now” Nationalist leader – Kwame Nkrumah – worked
to liberate, organized strikes and boycotts Nkrumah becomes the first prime minister Spent money building the economic and
educational infrastructure of his country – nearly bankrupted the govt
On a visit to China in 1966 – army and police seized power
Ghana
British farmers established home here / took prized farmland from Kikuyu
Jomo Kenyatta – Kenyan Nationalist leader Mau Mau – secret society made up of ethnic
Kikuyu farmers forced of the highlands by the British
Mau Mau’s wanted to frighten white farmers out of the highlands
Death of 10,000 black Kenyans and 100 white Kenyans
Kenya
Tried to unite the various ethnic groups Kenyatta died in 1978 New govt was corrupt and somewhat
undemocratic
Kenyatta President
Belgium grants independence to this nation in 1960
Patrice Lumumba becomes first prime minister
In the mineral rich southeastern province of Katanga, a leader named Moise Tshombe declared that region’s independence
Copper from Katanga was nation’s primary export
Congo
Belgians supported Tshombe Communists appealed to the United Nations
and then to the Soviet Union Military Coup by Mobutu Sese Seko –
overthrows Lumumba and turned him over to his enemy Tshombe where he will die
Mobutu will come to power for 32 years – he ruled over the wealthiest country in Africa and stole all of its money
Overthrown in 1997 Military rule
Outside intervention
Under the leadership of the Portugese who had no intentions of leaving
Three revolutionary groups emerged in Angola Portugal sent 50,000 troops to put them down The cost of the conflict amounted to almost half
of Portugal’s National budget Portugese withdrew from Angola in 1975
without formally handing power over to anyone Communists took over This lead to a prolonged civil war – with different
groups getting help from outsiders
Angola
Communist vs Capitalist – funding from United States and Soviet Union
1988 US and USSR pressed for a settlement and a cease fire was enacted in 1989
Civil war
Angola
Division of Palestine ordered to accommodate Israel
Middle East
Jews claim their homeland in this area going back 3,000 years
Palestinians (Christians and Muslims) claim that the land has belonged to them since the Jews were driven out in A.D. 135
Arabs say that the land has belonged to them since their conquest in the area in the 7th century
Couple this with the holocaust, Oil in the Middle East, and the results of imperialism === Conflict
Whose homeland is it?
People who favor a Jewish homeland in Palestine
They had settled in this region in the 1800’s and 1900’s
Ottoman empire owned this area until WWI After WWI, the British was asked by the
League of Nations to oversee Palestine until it was ready for independence
Zionists, Ottoman Empire, WWI
Palestinians feared that an increasing number of Jewish immigrants would result in hardships for them
Jews wanted a Jewish nation carved out of Palestine
Promises to Jews and Palestinians?
Britain’s “promise” to be amenable to a Jewish homeland and to be respectful to existing population
Two sides could not work together – Jews and Palestinians
Britain called for a partition of the country and then left the matter to the United Nations
The UN, in 1947, called for a partition of Palestine into a Palestinian state and a Jewish state
Balfour Declaration
1947 partition
All of the Islamic countries voted against partition and the Palestinians rejected it outright
Palestine said that the UN did not have the right to partition a country without considering the wishes of the majority
Do they have a point?
Hostility
Terms were very favorable to them They got 55% of the territory even though
they made up only 34% of the population United States and Europe favored the
partition May 14, 1968 - done
Jews Welcome the Proposal
The day after it proclaimed itself to be a state – six Arab nations invaded – Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria
Israel depended on American support Full scale war will break out in 1956, 1967
and 1973
Conflict - Immediately
Israel seized half of the land in the 1948-49 fighting
Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip Jordan annexed the West Bank
Palestinian state never came into existence
West Bank and Gaza Strip
1965 Suez Crisis Egypt seized Suez canal in 1956 Britain, France and Israel fight back and win control US asks that Israel give up and withdraw from Egypt Egypt was left in control of Suez Canal 1967 Six Day War Egyptian president Nasser, with backing from Soviets,
threatened war Israelis preemptively strike Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Syria Won Old Jerusalem, Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, West
Bank Palestinians who lived in Jerusalem could become
Jordanian or Israeli / some in other parts became stateless
War, War, War
1973 war Anwar Sadat (successor of Nasser) planned
a joint Arab attack on Yom Kippur Golda Meir, Israeli Prime Minister, launched
a counter attack
War, War, War
Four years after the Yom Kippur war, Anwar Saddat (Egyptian President), officially recognized Israel as a state
In return for peace, Israel was supposed to recognize the rights of Palestinians and withdraw from territory seized in 1967
Camp David Accords: Jimmy Carter arranged a meeting with Sadat and Begin. Israel gave back Sinai Peninsula
1981 – Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists
Cooperation
PLO – Palestinian Liberation Organization, lead by Yassar Arafat
During the 70’s and 80’s, military wing of the PLO conducted a campaign of armed struggle
Israel fought back by bombing Palestinian strongholds in Lebanon
1987 – Intifada – program of civil disobedience by the Palestinians - boycotts, demonstrations, attacks with rocks on Israeli soldiers
Led to 1991 peace talks
Palestinians and Israelis
1993 – secret talks in Oslo led to an agreement – agreed to give Palestinians
Prime Minister Rabin – assassinated by a Jewish Extremist
Netanyahu made efforts – peace has been complicated since them
Declaration of Principles
Racial conflict was the result of colonial rule From its beginnings under Dutch and British
rule, South Africa was racially divided A small white minority ruled a large black
majority 1910 – gained self rule as a dominion 1931 – became an independent member of
the commonwealth
South Africa
1948 – National Party came to power in South Africa
Promoted the Afrikaner, or Dutch South African, nationalism
Instituted a policy of apartheid – a complete separation of the races
Established segregated schools, hospitals and neighborhoods – best facilities for whites
Blacks also got only 13% land access – they were not allowed to live in white areas
Apartheid
1912 – formation of African National Congress – organized strikes, boycotts
During one demonstration in 1960 – police killed 69 people
Govt banned the ANC and jailed many of its members – including Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela and Protest
1980’s Bishop Tutu led an economic campaign against apartheid
Asked foreign nations to NOT do business with S. Africa
They were also banned from the Olympic games
1984 – Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize
Desmond Tutu
Elected in 1989 1990 – legalized the ANC and freed Nelson
Mandela First elections voted by all races happened
in 1994 Nelson Mandela was elected president
F.W de Klerk