Foreign and Imperial Policy

Question 1

Decolonisation- what happened between 1947 and 1960?

Answer 1

Britain began withdrawing after WWII, due to economic constraints and rising nationalist movements in the colonies

India and Partition (1947)
Mixed success. + avoided prolonged conflict negative - rushed partition of India and Pakistan led to violence, mass displacement and lasting tensions

Palestine (1948)
Handed problem of Palestine to United. Nations - resulting in Israel being established - ongoing regional conflict

Africa beginnings (1950s)
Early decolonisation in regions like the Gold Coast (Ghana, 1957) relatively smooth - aided by leaders like Kwame Nkrumah

Question 2

Decolonisation - what happened in the 1960s?

Answer 2

Harold Macmillan’s Wind of Change speech (1960) recognised the inevitability of decolonisation in Africa

Africa- Decolonisation in East and West largely peaceful inc Nigeria (1960), Kenya (1963). However in Kenya Mau-Mau uprising 1952-1960 brutal repression - have Britain bad image
Transition in Rhodesia was problematic. Declaration by white minority government in 1965 led to a stuggle, only resolved in 1980

Caribbean and South East Asia

Smoother in smaller colonies - Jamaica (1962) and Malaysia (1957), where economic and political structures were more stable

Question 3

Decolonisation- what happened in the 70s and 80s?

Answer 3

Largely complete, but some remained
Hong Kong (1997) - Britain negotiated a smooth transfer to China under the Sino-British joint declaration (1984) - ensuring region had large amount of own control for 50 yrs

Falklands (1982)
Britain successfully defended in Falklands war with Argentina -continued commitment to some territories

Question 4

What were the strengths of Britain’s approach to decolonisation?

Answer 4

PEACEFUL TRANSITIONS - negotiated settlements ensured some stable transitions (Nigeria and Ghana)

COOPERATION Nationalist leaders
Britain worked with moderate leaders Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya) Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana) to ensure calm transition

GLOBAL INFLUENCE
Maintained strong ties with many former colonies through COMMONWEALTH- maintained cultural and economic links

Question 5

What were the weaknesses of Britain’s approach to decolonisation?

Answer 5

RUSHED WITHDRAWALS
Leading to power vacuums and conflict e.g India/Pakistan and Palestine

REPRESSION and VIOLENCE
Britain resorted to force to suppress nationalist movements (such as Mau Mau uprising in Kenya) and Malaya (Malayan emergency) - damaged our reputation

ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION
Critics claim left colonies economically dependent on Britain - maintaining inequality

LONG TERM IMPACTS
Legacy of poorly managed borders and divisions led to long term instability and conflict (India/ Pakistan)

Question 6

Summarise Britain’s decolonisation

Answer 6

Complex and different outcomes
Successfully avoided prolonged wars
Retained strong relationships after independence
Often prioritised own economic and strategic interests at expense of smooth transition
Some stable transitions some left lasting conflicts
Britain’s approach was often reactive - rather than pursuing a coherent strategy