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British Empire A2 > Decolonisation of the Empire, 1947-1967 > Flashcards

Decolonisation of the Empire, 1947-1967 Flashcards

1
Q

what are the 5 reasons for decolonisation

A

economics
changed international situation
nationalism
changed priorities in Europe
specific problems

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2
Q

changed international situation

A

USA and USSR both hostile to old style imperialism and since Britain depended on the USA, they were susceptible to american pressure to speed up decolonisation

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3
Q

changed priorities in Europe

A

dramatic post war recovery aimed at improving living standards
EEC from 1957

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4
Q

examples of specific problems

A

withdrawal from Burma and Palestine - costs outweighed benefits
Suez crisis

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5
Q

reason for changes in the Gold Coast

A

rise of an African educated elite

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6
Q

Burns constitution 1946

A

legislative council of 12 british nominees and 18 elected african members
British retained ultimate power

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7
Q

nationalist party in the Gold Coast

A

Convention Peoples party led by Nkrumah
pressurised the government to make greater concessions and legislative council was enlarged in 1950, but sent to prison due to civil disobedience campaign
1951 - won 2/3 of the votes

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8
Q

what happened in the Gold Coast in 1948

A

riots in Accra
led to universal suffrage

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9
Q

1956 plebiscite in Gold Coast

A

plebiscite in Togoland voted in favour of unification with Gold Coast
1957 new elections held

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10
Q

independence of the gold coast

A

1957
Ghana

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11
Q

Nkrumah

A

built on popularity in CCP, PM 1953-1957
moved towards full independence as Ghana in 1957 and held power until 1966

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12
Q

political philosophy of Nkrumah

A

pan-Africanism - african people should work together for collective good
marxist socialism - but did not align with USSR
popular nationalism - change emerging from below

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13
Q

1946 Richards Constitution in Nigeria

A

greater african representation but British governor-general retained ultimate power

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14
Q

what did Britain do in response to regional divides in Nigeria

A

split the country in 3 with 3 assemblies for each region but a legislative council for the whole country

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15
Q

1951 Macpherson Constitution

A

extended right to vote and created Federal House of Representatives
each region allowed its own government - exasperate tensions rather than ease them

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16
Q

Federal elections in 1954 in Nigeria

A

government of 3 British officials and 9 minsters from various regional political parties in order to strike a balance on a national scale

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17
Q

independence in Nigeria

A

October 1960

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18
Q

National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons

A

Azikiwe
Igbo people
this party had largest appeal

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19
Q

Nigeria - The Action Group

A

represented economically advanced western region
sought autonomous states within a federal structure
Yoruba people

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20
Q

Nigeria - the Northern Peoples Congress

A

northern muslims
insisted on maintaining territorial integrity of the Northern region

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21
Q

cooperation between regions of Nigeria

A

necessity of the face of an overall goal
not emerging national identity

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22
Q

what did regions of Nigeria want

A

South - education and economic development
North - political change

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23
Q

Gambia

A

constitution in 1954, 1960 and 1962
full internal self government in 1962
independence in 1965, constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth
independence took longer due to economic viability

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24
Q

Tanganyika Ground nut scheme 1946

A

investment in tractors, constructions of railways to transport crops
terrain proved too difficult and scheme was abandoned after costing £49 million

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25
nationalist party in Tanganyika
Tanganyikan African Nationalist Union demanded self government, threatened strikes and boycotts
26
independence in Tanganyika
aware it had little strategic or economic value granted in 1961 and joined with Zanzibar to become Tanzania
27
why was independence unlikely in Uganda
tribal divisions and so possibility of a bloodbath if Britain withdrew
28
when was Uganda given independence
1962 on verge of being ungovernable so Britain decided it was best to pull out ASAP
29
nationalism in Uganda
Obote 1958, joined Ugandan national congress and worked with parties and british government, in 1962 appointed prime minister but became a tyrant as he ruled using force
30
reasons for nationalism in East Africa
population of Nairobi grew by half, Dar-es-Salaam doubled, high inflation, poor housing and overcrowding
31
who were the Mau Mau
initiated by Kikuyu tribe but included many ethnic groups
32
what was the biggest frustration in the Mau Mau
land had been taken over by British and forced Kikuyu into poorer areas
33
what did the 1952 insurrection of the mau mau show
vulnerability of a regime based on privileged white settlers who were determined that Kenya would be dominated politically and economically by them with no concessions to the black majority
34
start of the Mau Mau rebellion
escalation of murders of white farmers and Kikuyu who refused to take the Mau Mau oath Chief of Kikuyu was assassinated increased panic amongst white settlers
35
when and who declared a state of emergency in Kenya and what did it do
Evelyn Barring 1952 suspended all black African political rights and Mau Mau were treated as terrorists, black leaders imprisoned for conspiring with the Mau Mau
36
Brtiains response to the Mau Mau
repression - thousands of British troops, aided by helicopters Mau Mau managed to hold out for 5 years Kikuyu villages were uprooted and relocated and Mau Mau gradually cornered in forests and destroyed through military force
37
rehabilitation camps
Britain hung suspects and systematically interrogated and tortured inmates done to force admissions and guilt estimated between 1952 and 1956 - 12,000 killed and 81,000 detained (some historians argue it to be much higher)
38
Hola Camp atrocities 1959
88 prisoners who refused to obey orders, beaten by guards when resisted 11 died and 77 seriously injured british press claimed died from contaminated water but beaten to death
39
when was Kenya given independence
1963 - 1500 remaining Mau Mau laid down their arms
40
legacy of Mau Mau rebellion
first time given right to claim compensation from the British
41
issue in South Africa
white minority had full control since 1931 this was worsened in 1948 when Afrikaner came to power and introduced policy of apartheid - strict racial segregation
42
opposition in South Africa
African National Congress, led by Nelson Mandela 1952 - defiance campaign and 1961 sabotage campaign
43
white repression in South Africa
1960 in Sharpeville - 69 protestors killed
44
why was there strained relations with South Africa
apartheid 1948 South Africa pressed for Britain to hand over its remaining colonies in the region
45
when did South Africa become a republic
1961
46
Britains aims in central Africa
protect against apartheid and communism
47
Central African Federation (Nyasaland, S. Rhodesia and N.Rhodesia)
created in 1953 gave protection for African rights but still earned 1/10 less than white settlers so increased nationalism
48
uses of central africa
N Rhodesia - copper rich S Rhodesia - agriculturally rich and white settler Nyasaland - undeveloped
49
nationalism in the CAF
51 Africans killed in Nyasaland, Britain responded fiercely by arresting nationalist leaders decolonisation was necessary
50
independence in the CAF
1964 N. Rhodesia as Zambia Nyasaland as Malawi
51
white minority in S Rhodesia
221,000 refused to conceded to 3.5 mill black africans
52
Rhodesian Front Party
campaigned for independence under white control won election in 1962 and Ian Smith became prime minister in 1964
53
Ian Smith
illegally declared a republic in 1965, and renamed Rhodesia Britain tried to introduce sanctions but unsuccessful as South Africa refused to cooperate
54
Rhodesia as a republic
1969 long guerilla warfare between white settlers and black African nationalists - Black won and became independent as Zimbabwe in 1980
55
why did black african parties emerge in the CAF
white settlers from South Rhodesia tried to use the CAF to reinforce their own political leadership and to give the white northern rhodesias political influence
56
african nationalism in the CAF
Dr Hastings Banda led a campaign to end the federation Governor of Nyasaland banned the Nyasaland African Congress and declared a state of emergency
57
response to nationalism in the CAF
2000 imprisoned and 51 killed by troops or police
58
British Commission of 1959
concluded emergency had been an overreaction denounced Nyasaland for employing illegal and unnecessary force and denounced the opinion that Nyasaland were bitter to the federation
59
Burma post WW2
Attlee planned a programme of measured and slow steps to independence but breakdown of order hastered withdrawal 1948 votes for constituent assembly took place where AFPFL led by Aung San won
60
why was independence in Burma given faster
Aung San assassinated and country at civil war
61
independence in Burma
January 1948 Burmese turned their back on british and refused to join Commonwealth
62
Singapore in 1940s
Chinese population 1947 given own government but only 6/25 seats elected and only british (10% of the population) could vote
63
emergence of communism in Singapore
enlarged council to 32 where 25 to be elected from a franchise of 300,000 to reduce appeal of communism 1955 - Singapore progressive party only won 3 seats and new left wing parties emerged including the Peoples action party
64
Lim Yew Hock
impressed British by taking strong action against the communists and thus in 1957 Britain gave full internal self government but still in Empire under the State of Singapore Act 1958
65
who came to power in 1959
Peoples action party
66
what did Britain decide in 1963
Singapores future would be best with the federation of Malaya led to race riots between Chinese and Malaya
67
when did Singapore become an independent state
1965
68
how did Britain view Malaya after WW2
crucially important to post war recovery major producer of rubber
69
Malayan nationalism
United Malayas national organisation 1946
70
Chinese nationalism
Malaya chinese association or Malayan communist party represented in labour unions - involved in strikes between 1945 and 48
71
why was there a high chinese population in Malaya
large scale immigration encouraged by British who needed labour for tin mines and rubber plantations arrived during chinese civil war 1947 - 38% population
72
Malaya Union 1947
ethnic tensions were running high and created to ensure equal citizenship for all ethnic groups
73
Federation of Malaya 1948
executive council - 7 official and 7 unofficial members, headed by british high commissioner legislative council - 62 members representing various states, became an elected body in 1956
74
why was a state of emergency declared in Malaya
Britain feared rebel attacks on rubber plantations by MCP Anti-British army June 1948
75
outcomes of state of emergency
colonial authorities used military force and legal measures to impose order restored in 1952 but had to make promises of independence
76
how did Britain win over chinese population
promoted MCA with equal rights to Chinese
77
Malayans and Chinese uniting
1952-54, against British won 81% vote in federal elections and Britain feared violent military rebellion
78
Reid Commission 1955
drew up a new democratic constitution and in 1957 Malaya independent but remained in Sterling area became Malaysia
79
UMNO
Malaya nationalists organisation initially cooperated with British to defeat communists but opposed idea of Malayan Union so focused on political independence
80
how did Britain aggravate the situation
Malaya nationality restricted to only those of Malay ethnicity
81
what happened to the UMNO in 1951
Ja'afar left and under Rahman increased its power through alliances with MCA - led to electoral success in 1955
82
Henry Gurney
High commissioner was shot dead during Malayan emergency
83
how did Britain restore stability
depend on local elite and promise self governance
84
impacts of independence in Malaya
did not end internal strife underlying differences meant Chinese-Malayans broke with former allies
85
reasons for growth in nationalism
1. legacy of war - Singapore, Malaya, empire had contributed millions of troops 2. economic and social discontent - East Africa, urbanisation, ground nut scheme abandoned 3. religious and ethnic rivalries - Malaya, Nigeria 4. western educated leaders - Burma, Gold Coast and Nigeria 5. mass political parties - Burma, Malaya and South Africa

British Empire A2 (10 decks)

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