Imperial Attitudes 1947-67

Question 1

Reasons for decolonisation?

Answer 1

• Economic impact of WW2
• Emergence of nationalism in colonies
• Specific problems
• Changed international situation
• Changing priorities in Europe

Question 2

Economic impact of WW2 (Decolonisation)

Answer 2

• Imperial powers were much poorer
• none could afford to fight a serious of prolonged colonial wars, fighting against nationalist movements who made imperial control unsustainable
• less able to maintain empire

Question 3

The emergence of Nationalist movements (Decolonisation)

Answer 3

• Powerful nationalist movements to secure independence from European empires
• The strategies employed to secure these aims varied but posed challenges to imperial govts.

Question 4

Specific Problems (decolonisation)

Answer 4

• Neither Britain or the other powers immediately ‘gave up’ on their empires after the second world war
• The decolonisation and India and Burma and the withdrawal from Palestine in the late 40s came in response to specific problems in those regions, based on the belief that the benefits of holding onot these possessions were outweighed by the costs that their possession would incur
• decisions to relinquish empire were often forced by specific developments rather than being the product of an immediate post-war shift in thinking.