Decolonization

Causes: Demand for self-determination and equality Power shift – the West weakened by the war Asia – Japan destroyed the myth of Western superiority

Problem for new nations is they get caught up in the Cold War Some choose sides Other follow nonalignment

The first independence movement after the war is in the Dutch East Indies The Japanese had driven the Dutch out When they return after the war the find a rebel group that blends nationalism, Marxism and Islam

After four years of guerrilla fighting the Netherlands accepts the independence of Indonesia in 1949

France In Africa France offered their colonies total independence or independence while being a member in a French commonwealth All but one choose the later

Difficulties occurred in Algeria There were 500,000 people of French and European descent (pied noirs) who’s families had lived there for 3 or 4 generations They were the top of the social and political structures

When National Liberation Front revolts against the government the pied noir ask France for help France sends 400,000 troops

The Algerian war goes from 1954 to 1962 The French Army: used systematic torture Forced resettlement of Muslims Attacks on civilians suspected of aiding rebels

People in France turn against war and the government, and France is on the verge of political chaos Bring Charles de Gaulle to head the government and he will end the war

England India Between the wars Gandhi had won concessions from the British This process is interrupted by WWII After the war the Labour Party is ready to let India go

The issue is the fear of the Muslim minority about being ruled by a Hindu Majority India is partitioned into a Muslim Pakistan and East Pakistan and India This causes a massive migration

1922 Egypt gains independence but is still influenced by England who retains possession of the Canal 1952 the Officers Revolt deposes the King and the new leader of Egypt is Gamal Abdel Nasser who, in 1956, nationalizes the Canal

Other nations in the Middle East will gain independence in the period around World War II without many problems The exception will be Palestine

In Palestine neither the Arabs or the Jews wanted the British to stay There is a two sided attack on the British In 1947 the British are tired of the fighting and leave

King David Hotel

The UN decides to divide Palestine into an Arab nation and a Jewish nation 1948 the state of Israel is founded

The Palestinians along with several of the Arab nations attack Israel Israel captures much of the land of Palestine and thousands of Palestinians become refugees

In Africa many countries gained independence peacefully, but some efforts became violent The Belgians do not want to give up the Congo, its wealth, and the status it gives their small nation

An anti-colonial movement opposes the Belgians and the conflict becomes intense in the late 50’s under the leadership of Patrice Lumumba Belgium announces in 1960 that they would pull out in six months

Lumumba is PM The West is nervous since they have a large investment in the Congo Lumumba gets financial aid from the Soviets

The US and the Belgians cooperate in backing an overthrow of Lumumba, who is shot by a firing squad commanded by a Belgian officer A West friendly government with Joseph Mobutu as dictator until 1997

Lumumba as prisoner of the new government

Joseph Mobutu