Europe & the World: Decolonization
Feb 23, 2016
What is Decolonization? • Decolonization:• Becoming free
(from colonial rule)
• Between WWI & WWII, several movements began throughout Africa and Asia
• Empires were reluctant to let go of their colonies; however, their colonial domination seemed at odds with Allied goals during WWII
• Between 1947 and 1962, virtually every colony achieved independence and statehood
• BITTER & DIFFICULT process• Ended the era of western
domination
What is Decolonization?
Decolonization: India
• World War I • India provided troops
to the British army
• Promised Indian self-rule in return• World War II Ends • Self-rule was NOT GRANTED• As a result, nationalism & demands for
independence increased
Decolonization: India
Decolonization: India • 1920s• Mohandas Gandhi
emerged as a leader of the independence movement
• Urged Indians to use non-violent tactics in order to achieve their goals
• Civil disobedience, peaceful protest, etc.
Decolonization: India • 1935• Great Britain granted India
limited self-rule, but not total independence
• Self-rule created tensions between the Hindu majority & the Muslim minority
Decolonization: India • World War II• Britain committed Indian
troops to the war effort• Did not seek permission
from India’s self-governing assembly
• Led to an increasing number of protests and renewed calls for independence
• World War II Ends
• Great Britain weak, in debt & ready to grant India its freedom
• Problem? • Violence between Hindus and Muslims made
granting independence difficult• Possible solution?
Decolonization: India
Decolonization: India • 1947• Great Britain agreed to a
partition of India• Granted independence to
two nations: INDIA & PAKISTAN
• During the partition– 10 million people relocated– Widespread violence
(1 million dead)– Gandhi was assassinated in 1949
Decolonization: India • At this point, India
became the world’s LARGEST democratic nation
• First Prime Minister• Jawaharlal Nehru • Emphasized democracy,
unity & modernization
Decolonization: Africa
Decolonization: West Africa • World War II Ends• Colonial rule in Africa would have to
end• Unfortunately, little had been done to
prepare the colonies for self-rule• 1950s & 1960s• African colonies experienced
decolonization and gained independence
• After World War II, Great Britain allowed Africans on the Gold Coast to participate in local self-government
• DID NOT grant independence
Decolonization: West Africa
Decolonization: Africa • 1947• Kwame Nkrumah used
Gandhi’s non-violent strategies to pressure Great Britain for independence
• Nkrumah supported Pan-Africanism & hoped to createa “United States of Africa”
Decolonization: Africa • 1957• After a decade of struggle,
GB finally granted the GoldCoast independence
• The nation was renamed Ghana
• Kwame Nkrumah was elected president for life…
• Problems?
Decolonization: South Africa • Unlike Ghana, demands for
independence in South Africa were led by white colonists
• 1931• South Africa gained independence • White Afrikaners gained power &
created a policy of apartheid• Apartheid• Laws that created strict racial
segregation between blacks and whites
• Black South Africansprotested apartheid and violent riots often broke out
• Anti-Apartheid Leader• Nelson Mandela • 1964• Mandela arrested • Given a life sentence for
opposing apartheid laws
Decolonization: South Africa
Decolonization: South Africa • 1990 • New South African President F.W. de
Clerk released Mandela• The South African parliament repealed
all apartheid laws & announced the first multiracial election
• 1994• Nelson Mandela won the election and
became South Africa’s first black president