4.20 colonial policy and administration Flashcards
How successful was the labour government in developing the commonwealth?
-policy to guide colonies towards self government within commonwealth
-premature withdraw could result in anarchy, soviet subversion, dictatorship or loss of British influence
What was Britain’s relationship with the old dominions?
Regarded as reliable friends
However they had their own in tears and were prepared to asset secreted ide
What was the new commonwealth Attlee hoped to build?(2)
-association of independent free stares serving as an effective vehicle of British influence
-seen as way of surrendering formal control whilst maintaining informal ties
What was the problems with creating new commonwealth?(3)
India, Pakistan and Ceylon did not share enthusiasm of white dominions
Commonwealth members had little in common with each other
Racial equality did not match policy of Apartheid in SA
What compromises did Britain have to make to prevent the commonwealth collapsing?
-allowed countries to drop king as head of state and remain within the commonwealth as republics
In what ways did the Stirling area tie British to its former colonial possessions (4)
-almost all dominions pound Stirling and banked their overseas earning in London-it helped maintain value of the pound
-British remained most important market for members for Stirling area
-danger of pound collapsing in 1947 would have meant bankruptcy for all countries who use the currency
-25% of world trade in Stirling area(more than dollar equivalent)
In 1950 how many African troops was it estimated could be provided for an imperial army?
400,000
What did the British gov to do encourage development?
-1945 coolant welfare act giving £120 million to colonies over 10 years
1948 act established Colonial development cooperation and the overseas food corporation to improve the living standards in the colonies
What is meant by the term ‘second colonial occupation’?
-British gov interfere will all economic life to develop colonies to provide Britain with raw materials
What did the labour gov claim about its colonial rule and what was the reality?
Claimed:
Abolished old type of capitalist imperialism
-raise standard of living
Reality:
-exploited colonies for all they were worth restricting investment, controlling trade and the prices of their main commodities and rationing the goods they could purchase from Britain
-less power to indigenous leaders
-from 1945-51 colonies forced to sent more money back to Britain than they were getting
How did labour reform the colonies in west Africa?
-system of universal suffrage (1948)
What was the result of the political reforms that Attlee’s government introduced?
It helped to create the conditions in which colonial politicians would have the means to organise on a large scale and ultimately drive out British rule
- However, in Labour’s defence, the move towards African independence was gathering momentum and there was little any government could have done to prevent it
How did Britain have a strong position in the middle
East in the 1940s despite losing Palestine
-had right to keep troops in Suez Canal Zone
-military bases in Iraq and close ties with Jordan
According to labour foreign secretary Ernest Bevin, why was the Middle East so important to Britain?(3)
-because of its oil and the Suez Canal
-determined to maintain influence to keep Russian influence out
-central to imperial defence
What labour projects kept some finds from empire
NHS 1948
War debts
When was Churchill PM for the second time
1951-55
What were Churchill’s aims for empire?
-was convinced of British superiority
-wanted to preserve commonwealth and empire
What problems did Churchill’s give face with imperial policy(2)
-economy was recovering but faced competition from Germany France and Japan
-Britain was carrying too many forgiven responsibilities warned treasury
What advantages did Churchill have in imperial policy(3)
USSR not really active outside Europe
USA wanted no communism rather than focusing on decolonisation
By 1951 British economy improved after pound devaluation in 1949(2.8 to 2.4)
What was Churchill’s approach to west Africa?
Accepted by 1955 Gold Coast and Nigeria should become independent
Describe the Mau Mau emergency in Kenya? 1952-56(4)
-Kikuyu protested against rising prices and other aspects of racial discrimination(failure of peaceful protests leads to violence)
Supporters kill 95 Europeans and 13,000 black people (Britain send thousands of troops to suppress them)
1952-8 1090 African hands by strike squads
Over 20,000 Mau Mau fighters killed (Britain sponsor welfare programmes to help ethnics who remained loyal
In 1951 how many troops did Britain have in the Suez Canal Zone?
40,000
What was the Anglo-Egyptian agreement 1936 and when was it going to expire?
Britain lawfully maintain troops in Egypt without govs consent would end in 1956
When do Egyptian army officers take over in Egypt (Nasser)?
1952 (King Farouk forced into exile)
Britain and Nasser: agreement over Sudan 1953
One of the steps to Sudan’s independence
Britain and Nasser: agreement over Suez Canal 1954?
Britain agreed to phased withdrawal of troops in Suez Canal Zone and Egypt respects the independence of the Suez Canal company
(Could not afford or maintain bases against guerrilla attacks and wanted better Arab-relations
What was the 1955 Baghdad agreement
Britain makes agreement with Turkey, Pakistan and Iraq to repel soviet t threat in Middle East-Nasser refuses to join and persuades Jordan not to join (Eden furious)
What were the 1956 plans for Aswan High Dam?
Nasser plans to develop Egypt by construction of new Dam on Nile-Britain and USA withdraw finance because of Nasser USSR association
By 1947 how many troops did Britain have in canal zone
10,000
When does Nasser nationalise Suez Canal?
1956
(44% owned by Britain) he denounces imperialism-extremely popular in Middle East and Egypt
What was the motivation behind the Sévres protocol?
-Eden wanted Nasser removed and was United with France as they had shares in the canal and he was a figure for nationalism (nationalism in Nigeria)
Israel wanted to weaken power of Arab neighbour
What was the Séveres protocol?
Secret plan Britain France and Israel:
Isreal invade Egypt 29 oct
Britain and France demand a cease fire and a withdrawal of troops from Suez Canal Zone
Britain and France invade Suez Canal Zone 31st oct to defend it and depose or Nasser
What happened during the invasion of the Suez Canal
Israelis invade through Sinai
Egyptians refuse to agree to ceasefire
French and British troops invade suez can all some
Nasser calls to sink ships to block canal
Britain met with international disapproval of its actions-USA threatened to refuse to support Stirling in currency crisis withdraw happens within weeks and Eden resigns
What were the consequences of the Suez Canal Zone invasion?(6)
-Britain never act alone in international affairs again
Nationalist movements realise if they push hard Britain would surrender (task of containing them became harder)
Called into question credibility of plans to hold onto formal colonies in Africa and elsewhere
Britain no ,longer use military strength to defend colonies
Britain had to accept loss of suez
Pro-British regimes in Middle East weakened -Jordan denounce treaty with Britain
Arguments for Britain still being a world power after the suez crisis(4)
-Conservative gov still win 1959 election
-relations with USA quickly restored (Cold War ally)
-Britain still have great Middle East influence until 1960s
Confined to protect oil interests in the region
How did British power in Middle East weaken 1956-7
-Iraq left Baghdad pact in 1959 and monarchy was overthrown in 1958
-British base Cyprus given independence in 1959 after terrorist activity
By mid 1960s Britain only controlled air bases in Libya
When did Macmillan become PM
1957
What were Macmillan’s public views on empire?
No plans for abrupt withdraw because he believed Britain was still a great power
Denied any intention in giving up empire
What were Macmillans views on empire behind the scenes(2)
-might have to liquidate empire and hand over colonies to those that were ready
-privately denounced the treasury is Europeans who attacked the whites of Africa and championed the blacks
Evidence of special relationship between uk and USA
NATO 1949
3.3 billion in Marshall plan 1948
To what extent was growing commitment in British gov to decolonise down to Macmillan?(2)
-Macleod appointed as colonial secretary in October 1959 who favoured rapid decolonisation
1959 more liberal conservatives entered parliament
What was Macmillans 1960 tour of Africa?
6 week tour and spoke to SA parliament in Cape Town
When is the winds of change speech
Feb 1960
What did Macmillan’s words of change speech say?
-awakening in national consciousness amdnpressed their claim for independence accepted the fact that black majority rule is coming to the continent
Nationalism must be accepted and national policies must take account of it
Why was the Winds of change speech significant
Conservatives accept decolonisation (party of empire) however it had already taken place in areas like Ghana and India
By 1960 what did Britain want?
Rapid decolonisation
Why did people not support empire any more
Other issues to focus on and couldn’t afford it
What involvement did Britain continue to have east of suez in mid 60s?
-100,000 British service personnel based east of suez in mid-1960s at huge expense
In what ways did British continue to be involved in Malay after 1957?
-assumed responsibility for federation of Malaya defence
1961fearful of growing communist influence in SE Asia
Why did Britain abandon its base in Aden 1967?
-federation didn’t solve issues and terrorism in Aden increased
-British abandoned the base in late 1967 after a long, futile struggle
Why did Britain apply to join ECC in 1963?
Share of world’s manufacturing exports was declining and it had a growing trade deficit
Shift in focus of Britain’s trading activity away from commonwealth and towards Western Europe
Commonwealth could not compare EEC’s purchasing power
How much did Marshall plan 1948-52 provide British with?
3.3 billion dollars
