Colonialism declined at the end of the Second World War
largely as a result of nationalist movements in the colonies. Independence in Asia began
with the end of British rule in India, largely the result of the work of Mohandas K.
Gandhi. Vietnam had declared its independence after the French were ousted by the
Japanese during World War II. Ho Chi Minh forced the Japanese out and issued the
Vietnamese Declaration of Independence, similar to the American Declaration of
Independence. The French tried and failed to take back Vietnam which was divided into
North and South Vietnam by the Peace Conference of
1954.
Decolonization in Africa was more complicated. France
granted independence to Morocco and Tunisia in 1957. In 1960, the so called "Year of
Africa," thirteen former French colonies were freed. Problems erupted as many former
African colonies had white majorities which insisted on controlling the government; and
because Independence was granted along political lines established by European imperial
powers with no regard to local tribal and ethnic differences. The result was prolonged
bloody fighting.
The United States and Soviet Union took no
position on colonization; but with the Cold War in full operation, each pressured newly
independent countries to take sides in the conflict. The result was something of a
bi-polar world in which almost all countries took sides. There were exceptions. India
attempted to remain free from either side through the Non-Alighment movement under
Nehru. Abdel Gamal Nasser of Egypt believed that the cold war was another form of
imperialism and also attempted to remain non-aligned with some success. The other areas
of the Middle East were not so lucky. When Israel became independent in 1948, the
Palestinians were offended. The U.S. tended to side with the Israelis and the Soviets
with the Palestinians. They thus became thoroughly involved in cold war
politics.
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