Decolonization

https://aucapworld.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/decolonization-map/

Western colonies 1945

The European Empires in 1945

- Six imperial powers: the UK, FR, NL, BE, ES, PO, RU?- Truly global: Britain and France: shaping the postwar world

Britain: the UN, IMF, the World Bank: “especially Britain, played a fundamental part in the decision-making that led to the United Nations, the postwar settlements of territories, and the creationof new multilateral bodies such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.” (p.114)

others concentrated on:- NL: East Indies (Indonesia), and also West Indies, and South America- BE: Congo, and Ruanda BUrundi- Portugal and Spain: African territories (no great power status)

British empire:

. Britian was the most powerful: white settlement colonies: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa achieved full statehood.. West Indies, Africa, the Middle and Far East, India

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. Occupied Italian and Japanese terr, and occupied French and Italian terr-

. Britain after war: empire, transatlantic rel., financial stability: “The maintenance of a signifi cant empire was considered essential to Britain’s postwar reconstruction and to its role as a great power along with the United States and the Soviet Union.” (p. 114).

French Empire:

. French: West Indiesm South America, Africa, Madagascar, Indochina, islands in the Indian Ocean

. Restoring the colonial power after the war: also restore control in Syria, Lebanon, and French Indochina

. NL and BE: they were also occupied. NL to restore East Indies

“In summary, none of the European countries with colonial empires anticipatedthe process of decolonization that would follow over the next three decades. All wereconfi dent that the prewar order could be restored and that the homeland and overseaspossessions would continue to benefi t mutually from this arrangement. Althoughthey were prepared to accept the possibility of reform, none anticipated the risingtide of nationalism and demands for independence that would bring the colonial erato an end.” (p.115)

Changes in Direction

- Restore colonial rule with some modificationo Britain: Colonial Development and Welfare Acts: Africa and Malayao Self-government of India and Burma was debatedo India and Palestine (1948): First wave; deficit areaso British hoped to develop: New are of collaboration in Sub-Saharan Africa and Malayao Challenge: nationalist pressures and crises in the Middle East (Egypt, Iran, Suez) and

military commitments (Cyprus, Kenya, Malaya). Macmillan government decided to end the empire and return to Europe

. Classic era of British decolonization: Ghana (1957), lasting until 1970s in West India. The case of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe in 1980s. . Remaining vestiges of empire: Falkland islands, Hong Kong, Gibraltar

. Not always a gradualist approach to withdrawal, timing of eevents: Atlee government took the decision, 1947: 1) Indian independence; 2) withdrawing military support to Greece and Turkey; 3) referring the Palestine Mandate to the UN.. Consequences: 1) partitioning of India (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) Kashmir problem; 2) the Truman Doctrine; 3) Arab-Israeli conflict. The reason: Britain’s financial problems and growing Cold War. Though Americans supported the defence system.

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. French: Brutal suppression of Arab nationalists in Algiers and declaration of independence by Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.. the end of French Empire: The defeat of Dien Bien Phu (1954): withdrawal from Asia, recognition of the independence of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietneam. French Empire: IV. Republic of 1946: Overseas Departments (Algeria, Caribbean, St Pierre and Miquelon, and Reunion) + Overseas Territories in Africa and the Pacific= French Union

. The difference between Britain and France: Britain saw colonies as detached from the homeland; France as part of France (France Outremer). French citizens with equal rights. British Empire: nationalist leaders, local leaders, independence: French Empire: leaders were removed to Paris.

. The Dutch government: Indian possession (under Japan occ)

Although the British (who, as in Vietnam, provided thefi rst allied troops to disarm the Japanese) and the Americans preferred some kind ofrecognition of the new nationalist government, the Dutch insisted on resuming theircolonial rule, although with some nod to local autonomy. (p.117)

. Java and Sumatra: hopes for a federation

: Belgium restores authority with no hurdle in Congo:

The Politics of Partition

. Attlee believed in the continuation of British power.

. Indian independence. Financial difficulties in 1945-46.

. anti-British and Hindu-Muslim violence communal violence grew in 1945-46

. Britain’s security and oil interests in the Middle East, leaving Palestine, and escaping violence

. 1947. The decision to transfer of power: Congress Part (Nehru), wanted a united India; Muslim League (Muhammad Ali Jinnah) partition of Pakistan.

. Both new countries retained in the Commonwealth

. Withdrawal without taking necessary steps (lack of security caused the death of at least a million Hindu and Muslim refugees and displacement of at least ten million people.

. Further breaking of Pakistan in 1971. (Pakistan and Bagladesh). India and Pakistan over Kasmir.

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The issue of Pakistan

. 100000 Jewish admitted due to American pressure

. The birth of Arab and Jewish states

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The issue of Greece and Turkey

“The near-simultaneous withdrawals from India and Palestine (and soon after,Greece) lead to events that continue to have consequences to this day, but, from theBritish perspective, the country was rid of problems that could only worsen andrequire more British troops and money.” (p.119)

. after Palestine, the aim was to advance relations with Egypt

. . expulsion of British from oil fields in Abadan (Iran)

. the accession to power of Gamal Nasser in Egypt in 1952

The Issue of Suez Crises.Nasser nationalized the Canal. Anglo-French coalition; American and Soviet critique. Suez: nail in the coffin

Starting of decolonization- Ceylon, Malaya 1957 (Malaysia)

The End of Empire: France, Belgium, and Portugal

France and the Netherlands withdrew from their colonies, in 1954 and in 1949 respectively.

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But, first they tried to restore their authority without military force, lengthy conflicts

France: Dien Bien Phu (1954) and breakdown of prder in Algieria (1 million French settlers lived in Algiers, colons)

Arab nationalism: Egypt’s Nasser, formation of the Algerian Liberation Front (FLN): 1954

1958: Fifth Republic, 1962 Algerian independence

Remaining French territories in Africa: from French Union to French Community 1958Guinea (1958)

French West Africa and Equatorial Africa (1960)

After colonization: same currency, leaders were attached to Paris

Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the West Indies

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=829384&page=2

French Overseas Territories (Contemporary)

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European Union territories (Overseas)

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Belgium Gigantic colony in Congo

. peaceful, mineral rich, low level of education,

. in 1960 only 16 uni graduates, Independence day

. Rwand and Burundi (1962)

Portugal

. in Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Guniea-Bissau, and the island of Sao Tome and Principe)

Trading settelemts in India (Goa)

East Indies (Timor)

Salazar, overseas Provinces (1951): encourage moving (this led to tension particularly in Angola)

1974 the end dictatorship: withdrawal from colonies in Africa and East Timor, Goa was seized by India in 1961, Only Macao (in China left at hand, though it was returned to China in 1999)

Climax of British Decolonization

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By 1957, Britain withdrew from India, parts of the Middle East, the Sudan and preparing grant independence to Malaya

But, Africa, Caribbean, and various Island group

1957: Harald Macmillan. Ghana (1957, Nigeria (1960), Sierra Leone, Gambia

Naval bases in Cyprus, Aden, and Kenya, and Singapore in 1960s

South Africa: Britain would not support apartheid

Decolonization was over 1965.

. Southern Rhodesia apartheid rule. 1980s Zimbabwe

. Falkland Islanw 1982

. Hong Kong (1997 to China) 50 years of free market

Legacies of Empire

. Immigration

. 1960s from Bangladesh, Cyprus, Malaysia

. Common wealth, Weest Indies have preferential trade agreement

. Sierra Leone stop the conflict in 2002

France: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia. ghetto. La francophonic. FR frequently intervened in Africa: central African republic, Chad, Core D’Ivoire

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