DECOLONIZATION

After World War II, colonies obtained independence through means such as diplomacy and armed struggle. ESSENTIAL IDEA

Background:  Britain rules for almost 2 centuries  Resistance from the beginning, intensifies in 1951  In part, because Britain committed Indian troops to WWII INDIA

Hindus Congress Party-India’s national political party, mostly Hindus Muslims Muslim League- founded in 1906 to protect Muslim interests INTERNAL STRUGGLES

The Problem: After WWII, Britain considering granting independence to India but who should govern- Hindus or Muslims The Solution: Partition India – Hindus Pakistan- Muslims PARTITION

 One of the world’s first colonies to gain independence after WWII  U.S. Gives- Independence  U.S. Gets- Military and Naval base PHILIPPINES

AFRICA

Problem #1: Old colonial boundaries become borders of newly independent states = Ethnic and cultural conflicts = Sense of national identity hard to establish Problem #2: Economic polices of colonialism left nations with unbalanced economies and small middle classes = Instability Problem #3: European rule disrupted family and community life = Lack of a skilled, literate workforce LINGERING EFFECTS OF COLONIALSIMS

 Fragile democracies  Ethnic violence RESULT WHEN EUROPE LEAVES?

Colonies under indirect rule: easier transition to independence Colonies under direct rule: harder transition to to independence ALL: had problems creating government, establishing economies, and issues with ethnic strife Decolonization Crash Course PROBLEMS WITH INDEPENDENCE

Peaceful: Ghana  First African colony to achieve independence (1957) Armed Struggle:  Kenya (1963)  British resisted because of valued farmland  Strong nationalist leader + group of guerilla fighters  Troubles with ethnic conflicts after independence  Algeria (1962)  Population included French colonists, Arabs, and Berber Muslims  Both France and the Algerian National Liberation Front committed atrocities in the fight for independence  Power struggles after independence led to a civil war that is still being fought today DIFFERENT PATHS TO INDEPENDENCE

Background:  Became an independent member of the British Commonwealth in 1931  Constitution gave whites power and denied blacks the majority of its rights SOUTH AFRICA

Apartheid: complete segregation of the races Homelands Policy: Blacks forbidden from living in white areas unless they worked as servants or laborers for whites  Blacks made up 75% of the population but only 13% of the land was set aside for them SOUTH AFRICA Apartheid Explained

Blacks Protest:  African National Congress (1912)- organized strikes and boycotts  Government banned the ANC and imprisoned many members SOUTH AFRICA

Nelson Mandela:  Leader of ANC  Served 27 years in prison  Becomes South Africa’s first black president in 1994 SOUTH AFRICA

Struggle for Democracy:  Violence escalates  International pressure mounts, isolating South Africa from the rest of the world Change:  election of F.W. de Klerk  His Goal: transform South African and end isolation  His Actions: Legalize ANC and free Nelson Mandela  This marks the beginning of a new era in South Africa SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa’s first universal elections, 1994:  Mandela as president  ANC 63% of the vote  New constitution (1996) SOUTH AFRICA