Unit Six: The War on Terror and a Shift to the East Asia-Pacific; A Legacy of Imperialism, Decolonization and Democratization… 20 th Century Decolonization and Nationalism

Global Events influential in Decolonization Imperialism (Origin) Growing Nationalism World War I World War II Cold War

World War I Promises of self-determination, Wilson’s 14 Points…Only for Europe Use of colonial soldiers in WWI trenches: after war many expect independence…. doesn’t happen! Balkanization (death of Empires. Russian, Ottoman, Austro-Hungary) Treaty of Versailles….The Middle East…Turks, Arabs, Jews, Persians, and the Mandated Territories.

World War II Increased nationalist uprisings following WWI during inter-war years… Costs of Empire….After WWII, can’t pay! US support of anti-colonial liberation movements Atlantic Charter (1941) “right of all people to choose the form of government under which they live” Soviets condemned colonialism promote the spread of Communist revolutions against Colonial and Imperial Rule.

Cold War Provided $$ and inspiration to either capitalist or socialist economies and agendas. (for us of against us) Provided arms to those who sided with one or the other (proxy wars and global third world arms races). Encouraged violent uprisings and revolutions as a result of the geo- politics of Cold War competition.

Process of Decolonization and Nation-Building Surge of anti-colonial nationalism after Begins the process of nation building. Three patterns of Nation Building: 1. Civil War (China) 2. Negotiated independence (India and much of Africa) 3. Incomplete de-colonization (Palestine, Algeria and Southern Africa, Vietnam)

China Case Study: Japanese invasion starting WWII 1930’s interrupted Civil War between Communists (Mao Zedong) and the Nationalists in China (Chiang Kai- shek)

China Case study During WWII, Communists expanded peasant base, using appeals for (women health care, divorce rights, education access, graduated taxes, cooperative farming and land redistribution). Growth of party during the war in part through use of anti-Japanese propaganda. Resumption of Chinese Civil War after Japanese surrender Great People’s Revolution – Est. Peoples Republic of China Nationalist leaders fled to Taiwan.

Negotiated Independence in India and Africa Independence with little bloodshed in India and much of colonial Africa in decades following World War II. Most struggled for decades to improve conditions for their citizens. MANY still struggle with Colonial legacies.

Continued Indian Resistance Salt March, 1931, General Strikes Government of India Act 1935 Peaceful non-violence, non- cooperation: Model for MLK

Indian Independence August 1947 Pakistan and India gained independence. Mass killings of Muslims and Hindus (1 million) followed by mass migrations (12 million). (Gandhi fasted to prevent war- > assassination) Jawaharlal Nehru, first Prime Minister, began modernization campaign.

Incomplete Decolonization in the Middle East - Palestine and Israel Zionism (a desire for a Jewish Homeland) 1917 Balfour Declaration (UK Supports the creation of a Jewish State in Palestine) Immigration of Jews to Palestine, begins European Holocaust…The Catalyst Increase of migration…Post-war end of British mandate of Palestine and failed UN partition solution (Two- States) 1948 establishment of Israel, the Arab Nations attack! Israel win, takes all the land. (Arab-Israeli Wars: 48’, 56’, 67’,73’)

Egypt. Controlled by England as a mandated territory after WWI Coup d'état in 1952 Gamal Abdel Nasser Nationalization of Suez Canal 1956 protested by Israelis, British and French but diplomacy won over eventually. Nasser= symbol of pan-Arab nationalism.

Africa for Africans Nationalists movement begin after WWII. Pan-Africanism and Negritude support the call for independence African Nationalism continues throughout the 50s,60s and 70s mired in Cold War Politics.

De-colonization in Africa First, 1957, Gold Coast (renamed Ghana) independence, led by western- educated, Kwame Nkrumah. By 1963, all of British ruled Africa was independant

South Africa 4 million white residents, 9.6% Afrikaner-dominated (white) National Party won 1948 election Apartheid est. 1949, white minority rule No protests tolerated (African National Congress, Mandela, Sharpeville massacre 1960) 1990’s black government elected

Vietnam French rule since 1880’s –rice, mining, and rubber exports Rise of foreign educated leaders (Ho Chi Minh) Formation of Viet Minh in 1941, fight Japan WWII Guerrilla War with France ( ) Divided country in 1954 led to US entry to containcommunism.

Fall of Empire: Fall out and Legacy Colonial footprint Problems of Transition Problems of Identity

Challenges of Independence Ethnic disputes Dependent economies Growing debt Cultural dependence on west-> religious revivalism as backlash Widespread social unrest Military responses to restore order Population growth Resource depletion Lack of middle class in some locales Education deficit and later, brain drain. Neo-colonialism through economic debt.

Conclusions Decolonization was sometimes a violent process- dependent in large part on how many settlers had come to the colony. In many parts of world, decolonization was not revolutionary. Power passed from one class of elites to another. Little economic and social reform occurred. Significant challenges faced independent nations. Western economic dominance of the global trade system continued unabated. WHY?