4.19 decolonisation in Africa and Asia Flashcards
What colonies gained independence in 1957?
-Gold coast
Malays
How did ww2 cause African nationalism?
-Hitler’s inferior view on races, Africans could no longer be viewed as inferior
What 5 key factors contributed to decolonisation of empire from 1957-67
Nationalist movements
Changing attitudes in Britain
Changing priorities in Europe
Cold War
Economic concerns
How did economic concerns lead to decolonisation 1947-67?
Britain couldn’t afford maintain costs of empire and wars with economy (link to economic state post ww2)
Colonies grew more economically valuable at the same time
How did the Cold War lead to decolonisation 1947-67?
-Britain and France no longer dominant. USA and USSR both hostile towards imperialism
Britain heavily dependent on USA for defence and economic support -American pressures to speed up decolonisation
(MacMillan wanted them in Commonwealth and be well disposed to Britain)
How did changing priorities in Europe lead to decolonisation 1947-67?
-Britain became less dependent on colonial support and more on Europe
By 1950s Europe dramatic post war recovery with full employment and rising living standards
Emergence of European economic community (EEC) 1957 Britain join in 1973
How did nationalist movements lead to decolonisation 1947-67?
-they appeared all over the world
-Macmillans conviction of the strength of these movements deepened after hisn5 week tour of Africa in 1960
As one colony got independence it was harder to deny others
1960 16 new African countries enter UN and press for independence of colonial territories
How did changing attitudes in Britain lead to decolonisation 1947-67?
-maintaining empire fell down on priority list
MacMillan realised brutal suppression of colonial peoples would damage Britain’s credibility
Britain had enough of war after ww2 and was unlikely to support a war if it meant reintroduction of national service
Policy makers could see no good strategic or Economic reasons to rule people who did not want to be ruled
What was Britain’s approach tho it’s African colonies after ww2?
-no immediate desire to grant independence
-develop them economically through colonial development cooperation
What did Head of African Colonial office in London 1947 say about Gold Coast?
Most advanced African colony in terms of political ‘maturity’ and its people ‘fitness’ to rule themselves
(Did not envision independence as feasible for a generation)
What was the burns constitution 1946? To what extent was it a breakthrough
-established legislative council of 12 British and 18 elected African members
-final power still remained with British governor
How did nationalists put pressure on British administration in Gold Coast?
-Convention people’s party (CPP) founded in Nkrumah 1949 and pressured the British to male concessions
-CCP led non-cooperation in Jan 1950 known as positive action
-legislative council enlarged and renamed legislative assembly (number of people could vote increase and retain ultimate power)
Why was Nkrumah given the position of Prime Minister of the Gold Coast in 1952?(3)
-CPP won 66% of legislative assembly 1951(Nkrumah in prison 1950)
-clear CCP needed to be brought into gov in order to being troubles under control
-Nkrumah released from prison and given position of PM with members of CCP in gov posts
What was full adult suffrage in Gold Coast?
Elections were held on full adult suffrage which showed the majority of people wanted independence
When was Ghana (Gold coast) given independence?
March 1957
Describe the strikes in Nigeria?
1945 was a strike of railway and gov workers involving 30,000 alone
National council of Nigeria formed in 1944 under Azikiwe with aim of self governing
From 1945-50 how many man days were lost because of strike action.
100,000 man days
Nigeria: ajar was the Richard constitution 1946?
-new arrangements allowed for greater African representation
-Governor-General and executive council retained ultimate power
Nigeria: Macpherson constitution 1951?
-greater pressure not cjsnfe from nationalist movements forced British to amend constitution
-extended right to vote and created a national council of ministers available to 185-seat Federal House of Representatives(could not overrule regional govs-effect to exacerbate tensions between different ethnicities)
How did the McPherson constitution encourage the growth of nationalism?
-growth in political parties based around these regions who began to compete for elections into the new house
Nigeria: Which other reforms did the British find themselves pushed into? How did these lead to the granting of independence in October 1960?
-new politcal parties
-revisions of constitution and federal elections 1954(gov of 3 British officials and 9 African ones
When did Nigeria get independence?
Oct 1960 (following the federal elections 1959
When was the statute of Westminster ?
1931
What were Britain’s hopes for the East African colonies after ww2
-economic development (1946 Tanganyika groundnut scheme abandoned 1951 after costing 49 million)
-unite colonies and create an East African federation (break up nationalism
What happened to the population Nairobi (Kenya during the course of the war)
Increased by half
What was the Tanganyika groundnut scheme?
1946 due to a severe shortage of cooking fats -emerged ides that ground nuts could be gone in large quantities
Terrain proved too difficult to cultivate and plan was abandoned in 1951 after costing £49 million
In Kenya how many white people ran the country?
50,000
Kenya: why did Kikuyu tribe resort to violence in the 1950s
-white people sought to mechanise farming and displace peasant growers
-led to Mau Mau uprising from 1952-56
How did the Mau Mau rebellion weaken British colonial administration in India?
-crushed rebellion and divided Kikyru people but weakened moral authority and support for nationalists
March 1959 11 prisoners beaten to death in hola camp -outrwnge in Britain as it emerged no one would be prosecuted for it
Nationalist party of Kenya name and who led it?
Kenyan African national union led by Kenyatta
Kenya: London conference 1960?
Ban on African political movements lifted -new constitution devised elected African majority in Kenyan legislature (independence inevitable)
When did Kenya become independent?
1963
South Africa 1948 gov won power and implemented policy of apartheid (opposed by Nelson Mandela)(what was it)
Means separateness: policy of discrimination and segregation based on race
Policy of Apartheid: how a,not protestors killed by police at Sharpeville March 1960?
69
What year do South African white population vote to leave commonwealth and become a republic
1961
What was the Central African federation?
Merging of northern Rhodiesia and southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland in 1953
-constitution had sole protection for African rights
-black people earned less than 10% white peoples incomes
-powerful nationalist movements occur in all territories
By 1957 Maclilian forming committed to idea of federation despite many opposing it
When did Sir Armitage declare a state of emergency in Nyasaland to prevent a coup?
March 1959(100 activists from Nyasaland African congress were imprisoned)
51 Africans killed in following military operations
Nyasaland: how many killed in incident at Nkaa bay March 1959?
20
What happened to Nyasaland in July 1960?
Given a constitution with a black majority legislative council which paved the way for majority rule and independence
Which man concluded that African distrust in CAF needed changes?
Walter Monckton
When did British gov order release of nationalist leaders in Rhodesia?
1960-61
What happened in Northern Rhodesia March 1962?
Macmillans gov accepted indigenous majority rule and drew up a new constitution
What caused the end of the Central African federation (4)
Black leaders in a stronger position with new constitution
Monckoton commission 1960 condemned racial rule
-oct 1962 elections in northern Rhodiesia lead to African victory (they demanded withdrawal from CAF)
-negotiations begin Victorian falls June 1963;-conference dissolved December 1963
In December 1962 which party wins in Southern Rhodesia?
Whites party (Rhodesian front) in December 1962
When did the PM of Rhodesia declare independence
1965
When does northern Rhodesia (Zambia) join the commonwealth
1964
How did Britain view Burma after ww2
-decided to grant independence shortly after ww2
What was the nationalist groups that fought for independence on Burma?
Burmese independence army (Aung Sung)
Anti-fascist people’s freedom League
What were the steps towards Burma getting independence?(4)
-talk took place between Aung San and Atlees gov 1947
-agreed elections for a constitute assembly would take place in April 1947( predicted a huge AFPFL majority)
-Aung San assassinated July 1947
-Burma granted independence Jan 1948
Did Burma join the commonwealth after independence?
No
How did Britain view Malaya after ww2
-crucially Important for post-war recovery and imperial strategy
-major producer of rubber
What nationalist groups were there in Malaya?(suffered from ethnic tensions between Chinese and Indians)
50% Malayans
38% Chinese
-United Malays national organisation created in March 1946
-Chinese represented by Malay Chinese association
When did Britain have to abandon its plans of creating a ‘Malay union’ to award equal citizenship to all groups?
1947
When was the federation of Malaya created
Jan 1948
What was the federation of Malaya?
Had an executive council with 7 official and 7 unofficial members headed by British high commissioner
Legislative council of 62 people elected in 1955
What two reasons why the federation of Malaya was experiencing problems?
-state of post-war economy
-Chinese grievances (communist party launched insurgency against British which lasted from 1948-60
Why did Britain declare a date of emergency in Malays in June 1948
Worried about potential rebel attacks on rubber plantations
When is the British high commissioner assassinated by rebels
1951
British made promises of Malay independence to keep support during state of emergency
What was the key reason why Malaya got independence
Chinese and Malayans unite against British rule and win 81% in 1955 federal elections
Britain feared any longer resistance may result in violent military action
Reid commotion established in 1955 to rise up new democratic constitution
What year was Malaya granted independence
1957
What happened with Malaya and Singapore in 1963?
Untied to form Malaysia
Why did Britain view Singapore as important ?
-post war recovery and imperial strategy
-major naval base and was regarded as being militarily and strategically important to Britain
What were the nationalist groups in Singapore.(3)
Singapore progressive party (businessmen)(SPP)
People’s association party (communist)
Lanour front
What were the steps towards independence for Singapore?
-given own gov 1947-48 with legislative council (6/25 sears were British)
-gov struggled to contain communists and there was arrests
-tried to appease population enlarging legislative council to 32 seats with them having 25 civilians
-first elected council dominated by SPP
-labour front win more sears in 1955
-self gov in state of Singapore act 1958
Aug 1965 expleeed from Malaysia and became independent in its own right
