• The European empire began to crumble after World War II.

• In 1945, the U.N.O. had only 51 members, which rose to 185 by 1995 due to emergence of new sovereign states from decolonization.

• The independence of India in 1947 accelerated the process of decolonization.

• By 1995, Africa had 55 independent states.

• Factors responsible for decolonization included:

  • Colonial peoples’ demand for independence,

  • Inability of colonial powers to control their colonies.

• The process of decolonization took about 25 years to complete and was influenced by the Cold War.

• The world was divided into two power blocs, and newly independent states were expected to join either bloc.

• Nehru promoted the policy of non-alignment, leading to the formation of the Third World countries, distinct from the two power blocs.

• Colonial powers had made no efforts for development in their colonies in Asia and Africa, leaving them undeveloped or underdeveloped.

• Internal conditions in these colonies also contributed to backwardness, such as:

  • Loyalty to clans and age-old traditions in Africa, obstructing national unity,

  • Internal instability and dissension.

• Economic backwardness and exploitation by multinational corporations further hindered development.

• African states can progress only by freeing themselves from economic domination by foreign powers.

Decolonization: Break up of Colonial Empires-British, French, Dutch

Change at the International Level

• Causes of decolonization can be reviewed on three levels: international, national (colonial powers), and local (the colonies).

• The influence of old colonial powers like Britain, France, Holland declined rapidly after World War II.

• The U.S.A. and U.S.S.R., the two powers emerging after World War II, were anti-colonial in outlook.

• The U.S.A. had only one colony, the Philippines, which became independent in 1946.

• Since then, the U.S.A. increased pressure on European imperial powers to grant independence to their colonies.

• The U.S.S.R. ideologically supported decolonization but viewed some freedom leaders as western lackeys, causing conflicts with local communists.

• The U.S.S.R. lent more support to independence struggles led by communists or leftists.

• This caused some colonial powers to introduce reforms in their colonies to avert communist influence on independence struggles.

• Conversely, colonial powers slackened the decolonization process if they sensed strong communist influence in colonies.

• Mandate territories were also granted independence; for example, Britain declared Iraq independent in 1932.

• The U.N.O. played an important role in ensuring independence of trusteeship territories.

Change within the Colonial Powers

• After 1945, colonial powers showed a significant decline in competence and will to retain colonies.

• Their weak international position caused economic problems.

• There was strong public opinion against colonialism; use of force to dominate colonies was no longer accepted.

• British colonies gained independence through successful freedom movements.

• White British colonies like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa got internal autonomy, becoming fully independent by 1931.

• After India’s independence in 1947, Sri Lanka and Myanmar followed.

• Independence movements spread to Africa, leading France, Holland, Belgium, and Portugal to grant independence to their colonies.

• Britain still occupied some islands in the Indian Ocean and Pacific.

• Despite being exhausted by war, Britain remained the center of the Commonwealth and influential in world affairs.

• To maintain Commonwealth unity, the British government was renamed ‘Government of the Crown in Commonwealth’ in 1945.

• Canadians became citizens of Canada in 1886; Newfoundland became its tenth province in 1949.

• Burma left the Commonwealth in 1948, while Ireland became independent in 1949 and broke ties with Britain.

• India became a sovereign republic in 1950 but stayed in the Commonwealth.

• Pakistan became an Islamic Republic in 1956, followed by Sri Lanka.

• Britain partially depended on earlier colonies for defense, tested in 1956 during the Suez Canal crisis, where Britain and France’s forces were forced to withdraw due to opposition from the U.S.A., U.S.S.R., and U.N.O..

• Colonial powers influenced each other but had basic differences; British reforms in India were unique, aiming to strengthen control.

• British plans to grant independence to India in June 1948 accelerated, and India became independent in 1947 due to fast-moving international events.

• Gold Coast (Ghana) gained independence in 1958, Nigeria in 1960.

• Britain’s Conservative Government wanted federal states in East and Central Africa with white partial control, but independence movements accelerated.

• Tanzania became independent in 1961, Uganda in 1962, Kenya in 1963, and Malawi and Zambia in 1964.

• South Rhodesia became independent as Zimbabwe in 1979-80, though nominally independent since 1965 under minority rule of Ian Smith.

• After a long struggle, Namibia gained independence in 1990, marking the end of the decolonization process.

• South Africa, following apartheid, agreed to multi-racial and multi-party elections in 1993, leading to Nelson Mandela becoming president.

• Before World War II, France had a vast empire called Indo-China in East Asia.

• In 1940, Germany defeated France and occupied it, but France’s empire remained out of German reach.

• Marshal Petain, a Nazi sympathizer, formed a government with Vichy as capital.

• Dissatisfied French people formed an independent government in Britain under General De Gaulle.

• Sri Kartu, governor general of Indo-China, supported De Gaulle, was dismissed by Vichy, and replaced by Sri Deku.

• Sri Deku’s government was controlled by Japan.