OIB - DECOLONIZATION, 1945-1980 [Source: Lowe, chapter 21

in 1945 - 457 million people outside UK were ruled by Britain. (in 1951 ... *British colonies tended to gain their independence earlier than others: ... -1945 anti imperial Labor gov't support for immediate independence for India ... -violent protest and terrorist campaign by African nationalists - Mau Mau uprising of 1952 led.
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Te/OIB - DECOLONIZATION, 1945-1980 [Source: Lowe, chapter 21] gradual? rapid?

PROCESS

conflict/violence? preparation/negotiation?

Colonial empires: British, French, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Belgian ~Why did European overseas empires come to end so quickly after WWII? *Factors influencing trend of independence movements: -Negritude movement of 1920's /panAfricanism -experiences of western educated African elites, and their own participation in colonial rule as administrators -wartime reliance on African troops -wider world perspective/ contact with Asian indepedence mvts' (eg. India)and pre-war nationalist mvts. -ideas promoted by new post-WWII attitudes, especially UN Charter: -political self-determination -human rights -anti-colonialism/anti-racism -WWII weakened European states; less financially able (and morally willing?) to retain empires - Japanese defeat of European colonial powers in Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), French Indo-China, Malaya, Singapore, (British colonies) further encouraged anti-colonial movements

Decolonization of the British Empire: -largest and most far-flung empire (French were second) in 1945 - 457 million people outside UK were ruled by Britain (in 1951 - there were 70 million) -in Asia: India,( Pakistan), Burma, Ceylon, Malaya, Hong Kong. . . . -in Africa: Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Rhodesia. . . . in Middle East: Palestine,Transjordan, Iraq (gains independence in 1932) -and scattered islands throughout the world *British colonies tended to gain their independence earlier than others: -Transjordan (Jordan) - 1946 -India & Pakistan - 1947 -Burma & Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - 1948 -Palestine (Israel) - 1948 -Malaysia, Gold Coast (Ghana) - 1957 -Nigeria, Somaliland, Cyprus - 1960 -Tanganika & Zanzibar =Tanzania - 1961 -Kenya 1963 -Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) - 1964 -Singapore - 1965 -Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) - 1980 British Policies: -1945 anti imperial Labor gov't support for immediate independence for India -1960 Prime Minister Harold Macmillan visits Africa - "Winds of Change" speech acknowledges an African national consciousness "blowing through the continent"

-to avert the post-decolonization violence which occurred in India and Pakistan, and to placate white settlers, policy in Africa promotes gradual preparation and nation-building strategies towards self-government -drawing up constitutions -installing multi-racial gov'ts before reverting to majority (i.e., black) rule -maintain ties with Britain after independence through Commonwealth -different conditions gave rise to divergent outcomes: -West Africa: less complex process (initially) because there were very few European settlers there -East (Central) Africa: settlers of European descent resisted black majority rule because land and resources were under white settlers' control. Therefore, decolonization process was slower and more violent Case Studies: 1. Asia: India and Pakistan -Before WWII - Gandhi's non-cooperation mvt. and "Quit India" (1942) -India promised dominion status after war (British monarch would still be head of state) -But, Labor gov't sought full independence as any delay or qualification regarded suspiciously by Indians. Also, an economic and political development program sponsored by British seen as too expensive -Partition Plan to divide India and Pakistan seen as quick solution decolonization process was rapid and consequences violent *Was Partition necessary? -2/3 population was Hindu; most of the rest were Muslim -Ali Jinnah- Leader of Muslim League, advocated a separate Pakistan to avoid domination by Hindu majority -joint Hindu-Muslim gov't under Congress (Hindu nationalist) Party leader, Jawaharlal Nehru -Jinnah objects to compromise; calls for 'direct action' to support separate Pakistan -result: violence in Bengal (Calcutta) and in Punjab -1947 - Mountbatten (last Viceroy of India) oversees Partition Plan as India is on verge of a civil war -British unable to control violence -after partition and independence, violence continues - 250,000 killed in Punjab 2. East Africa: Kenya -British attempt to prepare colonies for independence after bitter experience of India -policy: multiracial gov't (to ensure white representation) initially (1950s), eventual acceptance of black majority rule (one person, one vote) (1960s) after Macmillan's "winds of change" speech. But, process marred by resistance -early 1950's , British appoint a few black Africans to gov't, but most of the 66,000Europeans living in Kenya are determined to maintain control and put pressure on British gov't to achieve their goal -violent protest and terrorist campaign by African nationalists - Mau Mau uprising of 1952 led by Jomo Kenyatta, head of Kenya African Unity Party ~95 Europeans killed by Mau Mau ~10,000 Africans killed after British troops sent to suppress uprising; and Kenyatta jailed although he condemned terrorism -by 1960, British realize Kenyatta is a moderate and work to bring about independence in 1963 under his rule.