Colonial Administration/Role of British Government

Question 1

Macmillan’s Wind of Change Speech

Answer 1

3 February 1960

Question 2

Quotation from Wind of Change Speech

Answer 2

‘The wind of change is blowing through this continent and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact’

Question 3

Quotation from Wind of Change Speech about decolonisation

Answer 3

Talks about ‘what they [the UK] will do for Nigeria and other countries now nearing independence’

Question 4

Labour government promised to abolish ‘imperialist exploitation’ as early as…

Answer 4

1942

Question 5

Involvement in the Colombo Plan was accepted by the British

Answer 5

1950 - foreign aid plan to help SE Asia

Question 6

‘Second colonial invasion’

Answer 6

Wave of new administrators and experts in Africa post WWII

Question 7

Where was Attlee educated?

Answer 7

Haileybury - a school founded to train boys to became part of the imperial system

Question 8

Fabian Society

Answer 8

Socialist Sect which supported Empire

Question 9

Fabian Society set up a Colonial Bureau

Answer 9

1940 - place where Empire policies could be debated without being constrained by stereotypes regarding Labour and Conservative parties

Question 10

Labour’s problem with trusteeship

Answer 10

It had been a sham in the past and economic development had been highly limited

Question 11

What did many government officials fear would happen to their ex-colonies?

Answer 11

Russians would gain control of them

Particularly feared by Foreign Secretary Bevin (1945-51)

Question 12

Colonial Development Corporation

Answer 12

1947
Public utilities developed in the colonies
New technology introduced (tractors, bulldozers, test-tubes)
Worked with the Overseas Food Corporation

Question 13

Growth of Colonial Office post-WWII

Answer 13

Staff x 3
Expenses x 4
1000s of new men (many of whom had been wartime officers) were involved

Question 14

In the 5 years following WWII, X men went to Africa

Answer 14

6500 men went to Africa

6 x number who governed India at its height

Question 15

New governmental/administrative roles

Answer 15

Adviser on Trade Unions

Question 16

Example of the British controlling who gained power after independence

Answer 16

British Guiana - suspended their constitution in 1954 when the country voted in what seemed to be a communist administration

Question 17

Iain Macleod became Macmillan’s Colonial Secretary

Answer 17

October 1959

Question 18

Iain Macleod on the inevitability of the collapse of the Empire

Answer 18

‘The march of men towards their freedom can be guided, but not halted’

Question 19

What did many Civil Service officials do following independence in colonies?

Answer 19

Stayed on to help the transition/train others

Question 20

Andrew Cohen’s roles

Answer 20

Head of the Africa Department in the Colonial Office

Governor of Uganda (1952-57)

Question 21

Cohen Report

Answer 21

1947

Set out a new direction for colonial policy - mapped a route to granting independence to stabilised African countries

Question 22

Andrew Cohen’s actions as Governor of Uganda

Answer 22

Brought Africans into government
Encouraged the development of political parties
Expanded the Uni of Makerere

Question 23

Sir John Macpherson’s role

Answer 23

Governor of Nigeria

Question 24

Actions of Macpherson

Answer 24

1951 organised major conference to discuss a constitution which would reconcile conflicting political groups
1951 Macpherson Constitution

Question 25

Louis Mountbatten’s role

Answer 25

Viceroy of India, March-August 1947

Question 26

Actions of Mountbatten

Answer 26

Oversaw the giving of Indian independence

Question 27

Charles Arden-Clarke’s role

Answer 27

Governor of the Gold Coast, 1949-57

Question 28

Arden-Clarke asked Nkrumah to form a government

Answer 28

1951 - released Nkrumah from prison and asked him to form a government

Question 29

Why did Arden-Clarke delay the timetable for independence in the Gold Coast?

Answer 29

So that a third general election in 1956 could prove Nkrumah’s mandate to rule - to quieten growing Ashanti criticism of Nkrumah and ensure Ghana was stable