ÿþ<html> <head> <title> WHKMLA : History of the Early Cold War : Decolonization </title> <!-- copyright Alexander Ganse, 2001 --> </head> <body bgcolor = "lightgreen"> <div align = "center"> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../index.html"> <img src = "../../banner.jpg" border = "0"> </A></TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width = "150" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> Vietnam War </B></font></TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../military/earlycoldwar/vietnamwar.html"> <img src = "../../region/arrowleft.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"> </A></TD> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "xecw.html"> <img src = "../banners/banecw.jpg" border = "0"> </A></TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "spacerace.html"> <img src = "../../region/arrowright.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"></A> </TD> <TD width = "150" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> Space Race </B></font></TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><BR><BR> <script language="JavaScript"> <!-- function SymError() { return true; } window.onerror = SymError; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0213752126925919"; google_alternate_color = "FFFFE1"; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 90; google_ad_format = "728x90_as"; google_ad_channel ="4814426207"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_page_url = document.location; google_color_border = "FF3300"; google_color_bg = "FFFFE1"; google_color_link = "0000CC"; google_color_url = "008000"; google_color_text = "6F6F6F"; //--></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <BR><BR><BR> </div> <font size = "6" face = "arial"> Decolonization : A Survey </font><BR><BR><BR> <font size = "4" face = "Times Roman"> <TABLE border = "3" width = "100%" ><TR><TD align = "center"> <font size = "5"> <B> Decolonisation : Table of Countries with the Year of Independence 1940-1970</b></font> </TD></TR></TABLE> <font size = "3"> <TABLE border = "2" width = "100%" cellpadding = "1" cellspacing = "1"> <TR> <TD width = "6%" align = "center" valign = "top"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "3"> 1941<BR>1946<BR>1947<BR>1948<BR>1949<BR>1951<BR>1954<BR>1956<BR>1957<BR> 1958<BR>1960<BR>1960<BR>1960<BR>1961<BR>1962<BR> 1963<BR>1963<BR>1964<BR>1965<BR>1966<BR>1968<BR> </font></TD> <TD width = "94%" align = "left" valign = "top"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "3"> <A HREF = "../../region/arabworld/xlebanon.html"><B>Lebanon</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/arabworld/xsyria.html"><B>Syria</B></A> (Fr) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/arabworld/xjordan.html"><B>Jordan</B></A> (Br Transjordan), <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xphilippines.html"><B>Philippines</B></A> (US) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/india/xindia.html"><B>India</B></A>, <A HREF = "../../region/india/xpakistan.html"><B>Pakistan</B></A> (Br India) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/arabworld/xisrael.html"><B>Israel</B></A>, <A HREF = "../../region/arabworld/xpalestine.html"><B>Arab Palestine</B></A> (both Br. Palestine), <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xburma.html"><B>Burma</B></A> (Br, now Myanmar), <A HREF = "../../region/india/xslanka.html"><B>Ceylon</B></A> (Br, now Sri Lanka) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xindonesia.html"><B>Indonesia</B></A> (NL Dutch East Indies) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/northafrica/xlibya.html"><B>Libya</B></A> (It.) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xvietnam.html"><B>N. Vietnam</B></A> (Fr.), <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xvietnam.html"><B>S. Vietnam</B></A> (Fr.), <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xlaos.html"><B>Laos</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xcambodia.html"><B>Cambodia</B></A> (Fr); <A HREF = "../../region/india/xfrindia.html"><B>French India</B></A> annexed by India <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/northafrica/xmorocco.html"><B>Morocco</B></A> (Fr/Sp), <A HREF = "../../region/northafrica/xtunisia.html"><B>Tunisia</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/northafrica/xsudan.html"><B>Sudan</B></A> (Br/Egyptian) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xghana.html"><B>Ghana</B></A> (Br Gold Coast), <A HREF = "../../region/seasia/xmalaysia.html"><B>Malaya</B></A> (Br., without N. Borneo) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xguinee.html"><B>Guinea</B></A> (Fr) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/vmauritania.html"><B>Mauritania</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xmali.html"><B>Mali</B></A> (Fr Soudan), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xsenegal.html"><B>Senegal</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xbfaso.html"><B>Upper Volta</B></A> (Fr, now Burkina Faso), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xciv.html"><B>Cote d"ivoire</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xtogo.html"><B>Togo</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xbenin.html"><B>Dahomey</B></A> (Fr, now Benin), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xniger.html"><B>Niger</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/centrafrica/xchad.html"><B>Chad</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/centrafrica/xcar.html"><B>Central African Republic</B></A> (Fr, Oubangi-Chari), <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xnigeria.html"><B>Nigeria</B></A> (Br), <A HREF = "../../region/centrafrica/xcameroon.html"><B>Cameroons</B></A> (Fr/Br), <A HREF = "../../region/centrafrica/xgabon.html"><B>Gabon</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/centrafrica/xcongobrazza.html"><B>Rep. Congo</B></A> (French Congo, Congo Brazzaville), <A HREF = "../../region/centrafrica/xcongol.html"><B>Congo</B></A> (Belgian Congo, later Zaire, now Dem. Rep. of Congo), <A HREF = "../../region/eastafrica/xmadagascar.html"><B>Madagascar</B></A> (Fr), <A HREF = "../../region/eastafrica/xsomalia.html"><B>Somalia</B></A> (It/Br) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xsleone.html"><B>Sierra Leone</B></A> (Br), <A HREF = "../../region/eastafrica/xtanzania.html"><B>Tanganyika</B></A> (Br, now Tanzania) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/eastafrica/xuganda.html"><B>Uganda</B></A> (Br). <A HREF = "../../region/northafrica/xalgeria.html"><B>Algeria</B></A> (Fr) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/eastafrica/xkenya.html"><B>Kenya</B></A> (Br); Brit. North Borneo and Malaya integrated into Malaysia; Dutch West New Guinea annexed by Indonesia; <A HREF = "../../region/india/xpindia.html"><B>Portuguese India</B></A> annexed by India <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/southafrica/xzambia.html"><B>Zambia</B></A> (Br Northern Rhodesia), <A HREF = "../../region/southafrica/xmalawi.html"><B>Malawi</B></A> (Br Nyasaland) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/westafrica/xgambia.html"><B>Gambia</B></A> (Br) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/southafrica/xbotswana.html"><B>Botswana</B></A> (Br Bechuanaland), <A HREF = "../../region/southafrica/xlesotho.html"><B>Lesotho</B></A> (Br Basutoland) <BR> <A HREF = "../../region/southafrica/xswaziland.html"><B>Swaziland</B></A> (Br) <BR> </font> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR><BR> <font size = "5">A.) THE LEGACY OF COLONIALISM </font><BR><BR> <font size = "4" face = "Times Roman"> Colonial policy had a couple of goals : (1) to control the supply of valuable raw materials, such as minerals, petrol, wood, plantation crops such as rubber, sugar, pepper, cotton etc., (2) to secure a market for the industrial exports of the colonizing country, (3) country to settle in for the colonizing country's emigrating population, (4) strategic importance. <BR> In the colonies, decades, in some countries centuries of colonial rule had resulted in major changes. In many cases, the borders of the colonies had been set by Colonial powers with little regard for ethnicity and history. Borders in Africa were drawn by politicians in Europe aiming to secure access to the continent's interior, cutting existing ethnies in half, while uniting ethnies which had little in common. Thus, modern African states were created by the colonial powers. Even in areas with a stronger tradition, Colonialism resulted in a lasting change of borders. Indonesia's secessionist movements, the Moroccan-Algerian and Somali-Ethiopian border disputes are colonial legacy. The infrastructure established by the colonial administration served mainly the interests of the colonial administration. Most railway lines in Africa connect the mines and plantations of the interior with a harbour on the coast. Schools and hospitals were established with the white population in mind, access to natives given only reluctantly. Colonial society foresaw strict segregation. The whites were the ruling class, living a lavish lifestyle (often far beyond the one they could afford at home). Manual labour was reseved for the natives, which were usually given only basic education. However, a few natives were able to acquire western style higher education. Well aware of the injustice of colonial rule, some of them, such as MOHANDAS K. GANDHI, KWAME NKRUMAH, HO CHI MINH rose to become prominent independence activists. <BR><BR><BR> <font size = "5">B.) THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE </font><BR><BR> In the years after World War I, in many colonies national awareness rose and movements aiming at gaining gaining political autonomy were founded. Most of these movements strove for a peaceful handover of power. The most famous such movement was India's non-violent non-cooperation campaign against British rule, the spokesman of which was MOHANDAS K. GANDHI. In other areas, for instance in Palestine 1938, independence activists revolted against colonial rule. However, these were singular incidents, and the colonial powers could cope with them. <BR> During World War II, German forces quickly overpowered the Netherlands, Belgium, France. Morocco, Algeria, Tunis recognized the Vichy government; German-Italian forces pushed the British out of Libya and were only stopped at El Alamein, close to Alexandria. In Asia, Japan occupied the French Indochina, the Dutch East Indies, British Hong Kong and Singapore and Burma, with little resistance. The weakness of the colonial powers became all too evident. <BR> The US, having only a few colonies, pushed for open markets and in 1946 withdrew from it's major colony, the Philippines. In 1947 Britain, realizing that it could not hold on to ndia peacefully, withdrew. The Dutch did not want to, but in 1949 conceded military defeat and withdrew from what was to become Indnesia. In 1954, the French were defeated in the BATTLE OF DIEN BIEN PHU and gave up Indochina. <BR> Decolonisation happened in stages and according to different patterns - peaceful handover of power or violent revolt. Governments from newly independent countries, like NASSER's Egypt, NEHRU's India, SUKARNO's Indonesia criticized colonialism in general and supported independence activists elsewhere. The USSR and China supplied independence movements not only with funds, but also with arms. In 1960, most of Africa's colonies became independent. <BR> Conditions were different from colony to colony. In areas with a strong white population segment, such as Algeria, Southern Rhodesia, South West Africa (Namibia), South Africa, Kenya, the white population was strongly opposed to majority rule, which jeopardized their economic position. France held on to ALGERIA until 1962, facing a violent campaign of terrorism and guerilla warfare since 1956. RHODESIA (Southern Rhodesia) under prime minister Ian Smith declared itself independent and maintained it's Apartheid-like system until 1979/80. SOUTH AFRICA, independent since 1910, maintained it's colonial society under the APARTHEID LAWS until 1990. <BR><BR><BR> <font size = "5">C.) THE COLONIAL POWER'S POST COLONIAL POLICY </font><BR><BR> When conceding independence to it's colonies one by one, Britain established the COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS as an organization for political and economic cooperation. Similarly, France established the COMMUNAUTE FRANCAISE, which was entered by Zaire (former Belgian Congo). In case of domestic troubles (coup d'etats, civil wars etc.), the French LEGION ETRANGERE intervened, to restore order. <BR> The former colonial powers strove to protect national economic interest, i.e. mining rights etc. <BR> In the 1960es, the Nigerian province of BIAFRA seceded. A war followed, in which Britain supported the government forces of predominantly Muslim Nigeria, while France supported the predominantly Catholic Ibos of Biafra.<BR><BR><BR> <font size = "5">D.) PROBLEMS IN EARLY POST-COLONIAL HISTORY </font><BR> <BR> Many countries facing political independence lacked national unity. Often, already during the struggle for independence, several organisations with various regional centers competed with each other INDONESIA, CONGO) British India 1947 broke up into INDIA and PAKISTAN, who immediately fought a war against each other. 15 million refugees had to flee the country in which they were born. PALESTINE was split into a Jewish and an Arab State; they went to war imeediately after their proclamation. The governments of Pakistan, India, Indonesia regarded it's borders as unjustified products of colonialism. India and Pakistan annexed the numerous Indian principalities which had not been British. India annexed French India in 1954, Portuguese India in 1963. Indonesia occupied and annexed Dutch West New Guinea in 1963, Portuguese East Timor in 1974. Indonesia claimed British North Borneo, which was integrated into Malaysia in 1963. On the other side, colonial borders were overcome peacefully when British Somaliland and Italian Somalia were unified in 1960, and when Tanganyika and Zanzibar unified in 1965 as TANZANIA. <BR> Many of the ex-colonies still lack a unifying nationality. Often, the administrative center is run by a certain ethnic group, which by others is resented. As the group in power often monopolizes military power, administrative positions and economic power, this results in an explosive situation. <BR> Sudan, one of the poorest countries in the world, has declared Islam state religion. It's christian and animist black minority in the south is maltreated by the Arab majority, slavery, though outlawed, is tolerated. A civil war rages for more than two decades. A few years ago, a radical Hutu government in RWANDA attempted to extinguish it's Tutsi minority. They were defeated by an invading army of Tutsi exiles. These days, Indonesia is in the news because of ethnic violence in Ambon, of independence movements in Aceh, East Timor and other outlying areas. <BR> Many former colonies continue to use their colonial power's language in administration and education, mostly English and French. Often, they still use the mother country's judicial system. <BR> <BR> The former colonies, in many cases, lack common political tradition. Democratic institutions were often introduced just before independence was granted, and mostly they did not last long. The admirable exception is the Indian subcontinent, where democracy has lasted until today. India is the world's largest democracy and has seen several democratic changes of power. However, democracy has gone wrong in SRI LANKA, where politicians have appealed to majority Singhalese nationalism and thus provoked the rebellion of the Tamil minority. <BR> In many other countries, democratic constitutions quickly were replaced by one-party-systems and authoritarian governments. An euphemism for such a dictator was "Great African Leader". Under this form of government, cronyism, nepotism, corruption often mushroomed. <BR> Of course there were many righteous idealist politicians. Many of them tended to socialism. Among their policies was the NATIONALIZATION of major industries, such as Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956. <BR> In countries where independence was achieved after a violent struggle, the white minority often emigrated, depriving the society of knowhow. This resulted in an economic decline. <BR> <BR> As in the case of Indonesia 1965, progressive nationalist governments were often replaced in a coup d'etat by military officers, who mostly displayed a more favourable disposition towards the western countries. <BR><BR><BR><BR> <TABLE border="5" cellspace="10" cellpadding="10" align="center"><TR> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="center"> <font size = "3"><i>This page is part of <B>World History at KMLA</b></i></font><BR> <font size = "2"><i>First posted in 1999, last revised on March 18th 2003, last revised on November 14th 2004</i></font> <BR><BR> <font size = "2" face = "Times Roman"> Click here to go <A HREF = "../../index.html">Home</A> <BR> Click here to go to <A HREF = "../../about.html">Information about KMLA, WHKMLA, the author and webmaster</A> <BR> Click here to go to <A HREF = "../../links.html">Statistics</A><BR> </TD></TR></TABLE><BR><BR><BR> </DIV> <DIV align="center"> <A href="mailto:aganse@hotmail.com"> <IMG src="../../email.gif" border="0"></a><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <!-- Start of CH Counter --> <script type="text/javascript"> //<!-- // chCounter v2.0.0 // settings: cstatus = "active"; visible = "0"; path_to_counterfile = "http://www.zum.de/whkmla/counter/counter.php"; urlhp = "http://www.zum.de"; //////////////// url = unescape(location.href); file = url.substring(url.lastIndexOf(urlhp) + urlhp.length, url.length); file = (file.charAt(0) != "/") ? 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