8.12 Decolonization

Empires crumble after WWII

Decolonization accelerated after World War II as European powers were economically exhausted and militarily weakened. Colonial subjects who had fought for the Allies demanded self-determination, echoing wartime rhetoric like the Atlantic Charter. Nationalist movements, inspired by Wilsonian ideals and Indian independence (1947), spread across Africa and Asia, ending European global dominance by the 1960s-70s.

Paths to independence varied

Some transitions were relatively peaceful, like India's independence (1947) under Gandhi and Nehru's leadership. Others involved brutal violence, such as the Algerian War (1954-1962) against France, marked by terrorism and torture, and the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya against Britain. The Suez Crisis (1956) revealed Britain and France's diminished global power when the US and USSR forced their withdrawal from Egypt.

Cold War shaped new nations

Newly independent nations often became Cold War battlegrounds, as the US and USSR competed for influence through aid, arms, and ideology. Many joined the Non-Aligned Movement, seeking neutrality (e.g., Bandung Conference, 1955). Decolonization also created lasting economic dependency and ethnic/border conflicts, as colonial boundaries rarely matched cultural realities.

Key terms

Decolonization

The process by which European colonies in Africa and Asia gained independence, largely after WWII.

Suez Crisis (1956)

Conflict where the US/USSR forced Britain and France to withdraw from Egypt, revealing their diminished global power.

Algerian War (1954-1962)

Violent independence struggle against France, marked by terrorism, torture, and brutal repression.

Non-Aligned Movement

Group of newly independent nations, formalized at the 1955 Bandung Conference, that sought neutrality in the Cold War.

India's independence (1947)

Relatively peaceful transition from British rule, led by Gandhi and Nehru, though accompanied by violent partition.

Try an AP-style question

India's independence in 1947 was achieved largely through…

1. a Japanese alliance
2. Gandhi's nonviolent resistance
3. British military victory
4. a Soviet invasion