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. A disadvantage is that temporal factors not related to decolonization. Both eximperial states and postcolonial regimes have promoted a selective and sanitized version of decolonization that casts their own conduct in a positive light, characterizing. The decolonization of africa was one of the turning points in the history of the postwar world. After the japanese surrender in 1945, local nationalist movements in the former asian colonies campaigned for independence rather than a return to european colonial rule. How the second world war decolonised africa the new. Roosevelt and british prime minister winston churchill met to discuss their postwar goals. After world war ii, european countries generally lacked the wealth and political.
The liberation of africa from european rule followed on. After the war, african colonies were still considered children and immature therefore democratic government was only introduced at the local levels. The impact of the second world war on the decolonization. In 1939, nazi germany initiated the second world war by attacking and invading poland. They examine whether country x grew faster after gaining independence than during the preceding years and find that economic growth increased after independence. The challenge of decolonization in africa benjamin talton temple university. Chapter 33 the cold war and decolonization, 19451975. Decolonization and influence of the cold war essay bartleby. 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. World war ii led to decolonization of africa by affecting both europe and africa militarily, psychologically, politically, and economically.
From a global perspective, decolonization has its hot and most decisive phase in the middle of the twentieth century during the three decades following the second world war. The cold war did not cause the end of the colonial empires, but new nations became entangled in the dispute between east and west. Decolonization is the contrary of colonialism, this is the process whereby one nation establishes itself independent and. For millions of africans all over the continent, the second world war was an important internationalising experience. 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. In the aftermath of world war ii, the decolonization of the philippines, followed by the transfer of power from britain in. After world war ii, this lack of unification was no longer an issue. The atlantic charter the atlantic charter was a document produced in 1941 that entailed the goals of the allied powers if they should win world war two one of the previsions of that charter was. In august 1941, united states president franklin d. The beginnings of decolonisation and the emergence of the non. After the japanese surrender in 1945, local nationalist. But did outcomes improve after colonial rule ended.
Following the invasion and occupation of the philippines by japan during world war ii, the philippines gained independence peacefully from the united states in. On other hand, mussolini the italian dictator occupied ethiopia in. After poland, nazi germany invaded belgium, holland, and france. The intersection of the cold war and decolonization produced a sustained engagement global in its reach. Definition decolonization is the process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing country. The decolonization of africa followed world war ii as colonized peoples agitated for independence and colonial powers withdrew their administrators from africa.
After the vietnam war, all of vietnam was reunited to form one communist nation. Running a colony was very expensive, and the government didnt always see a strong return on their investment. After all, the usa has a fought a war for independence against the british. When britain declared war on germany on september 3, 1939, the united party split.
After the war concluded, however, a worldwide process of decolonization commenced in which britain granted independence to all of its major colonies, beginning notably in india. It was also critical to the genesis of contemporary human. Hitler also wanted to regain territories in africa lost as a result of treaty of versailles of 1919. The first world was the us and its liberal democratic, capitalist allies, the second world was. Decolonization, selfdetermination, and the rise of global. This was done in almost every conceivable way and with broad range of outcomes.
Decolonization of asia and africa, 19451960 office of the historian. 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. It is worth noting, however, that the origins of nationalist and anticolonial revolt across the british empire were often rooted in the early twentieth century. Between the world wars, anticolonial movements emerged in several exploitation colonies, with british india in the lead. Smutss faction narrowly won the crucial parliamentary debate, and hertzog and his followers left the party, many rejoining the national party faction malan had. International factors changes in the intl distribution of power, military and economic effects of world war ii domestic factors former colonies and most other developing nations. Decolonization is the term commonly used to refer to this transition from a world of colonial empires to a world of nationstates in the years after world war ii.
United states in early 1800s or the rise of anti%imperial powers after world. What were the factors that led to decolonization following. Decolonization after 1945 the reasons why decolonization took place are many and complex, varying widely from one country to another. Decolonization and the collapse of the british empire. Studying postworld war ii independence cases, we statistically examine consequences of postwar decolonizationwhich includes both colonial autonomy and independencefor democracy, internal conflict, government revenue growth, and economic growth using twoway fixedeffects models. Decolonization, process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing country. Treaty organization and the warsaw pact that emerged after 1945. Is decolonization a consequence of second world war. The british empire reached its greatest extent after the first world war, by which time it covered one quarter of the earths surface and governed a similar proportion of the world s population. Decolonization for many countries meant granting colonies independence, which led to the eventual end of an empire.
Reasons for the end of imperialism, decolonization and. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Decolonization postworld war ii flashcards quizlet. World war ii on the decolonization effect history essay. Decolonization and development lecture summary empires dismantled after 1945. Decolonization of africa 2 parliament, he purposely mistranslated the colonies to be recently captured countries by germany in order to get it passed. Following world war ii, rapid decolonization swept across the continent of africa as many territories gained their independence from european colonization. This a process that began with the united states gaining independence in the 18th century, but when historians and most people talk about it, theyre talking about the era of decolonization, which is the period after the second world war, when local nationalist movements forced various european empires to leave asia, africa, and the middle east. The british empire reached its greatest extent after the first world war, by which time it covered one quarter of the earths surface and governed a similar proportion of the worlds population. The decades following 1945 witnessed the stunning reversal of this state of affairs, as two new superpowers emerged and as european empires fell. By the end of it many africans were ready to agitate for freedom and independence.
The cold war and decolonization created a three world order. The end of the colonial empires was not caused by the cold war, but new nations became entangled in the dispute between east and west. Yet between 1947 and 1964, britain granted independence. Chapter 33 the cold war and decolonization, 19451975 i. This bondage formed a common goal to fight for freedom. Nationalist leader who led an 8year war against france to gain independence for vietnam. Chapter ii postwar reconstruction and development in the golden age of capitalism key messages the world economic and social survey was an early proponent of development as a process of large. Cold war did not cause the end of the colonial empires. European power after world war ii to negotiate or fight their way to sovereignty for their new nation. The conflict between independence movements and colonial powers shaped the global human rights order that emerged after the second world war. For example, as we will see, indians were largely able to pressure the british to withdraw by means of a series of largescale strikes, peaceful protests, and.
Hertzog wanted south africa to remain neutral, but smuts opted for joining the british war effort. It opened the door however for the cold war and communist insurrections throughout the continent. Before world war ii it was stated fairly, the sun never set on the british empire. Decolonization was gradual and peaceful for some british colonies largely settled by expatriates but violent for others, where native rebellions were energized by nationalism. In many cases, as in indonesia and french indochina, these nationalists. What were africas main causes of decolonization after ww2. The impact of world war ii on africa black economics.
Nationalism and decolonization in africa during the cold war duration. 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. Before the second world war broke out, a large proportion of the worlds population was living under the sovereignty of a colonial power, for the most part european. It captured the imagination of a new generation of idealists who enthusiastically proclaimed their belief in racial equality and individual liberty. The second world war dealt a serious blow to the colonial powers, depriving. The redrawing of world borders and the fact the major power brokers of the world had to pull back were contributing factors.
List 5 nations that had anticolonial revolts or wars after world war ii. Decolonization and influence of the cold war essay. The core period of decolonization, however, needs to. After the first world war, british imperialists still preached about the. The impact of the second world war on the decolonization of africa.
The cold war and decolonization summary in the years immediately before and after world war ii, a few nations controlled the political and economic destiny of much of the world. Decolonization colonialism in 1945 decolonization refers to the. In the aftermath of world war ii, the decolonization of the philippines, followed by the transfer of power from britain in india, pakistan, ceylon sri lanka, and. Decolonization after world war ii christopher weis. By 1965, there were only 5 million people under british rule. The following are all the main reasons of why decolonization occurred. Using a crossnational panel dataset of outcomes and european colonial status between the end of world war ii and the end of. Before world war 2, great britain ruled over onefourth of the world and had 700 million people under its rule outside of the uk.
During world war ii japan, itself a significant imperial power, drove the european powers out of asia. This volume presents the first global history of human rights politics in the age of decolonization. What were the main causes of british decolonization after world war two. The first world was the us and its liberal democratic. In what decade did most of the african nations become independent.
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