the 'winds of change' and decolonisation Flashcards
by 1951
Britain’s retreat from the empire had already begun
1947
withdrawal from india
during the 1950s what became harder to contain?
the pressures of colonial independence movements
british forces found themselves fighting against national independence movements in ?
Malaya,Kenya and Cyprus
in the early 1950s, what did Britain rulers believe?
they could manage the gradual transition from the empire to the new commonwealth + colonial resistance movements could be controlled
1952
start of the mau mau rebellion
The Mau Mau (in Kenya)rebellion
-leader of the revolt Jomo Kenyatta imprisoned by authorities, later emerged as president of an independent Kenya
-Mau Mau fighters accused of committing atrocities
hat badly damaged Britain’s reputation?
revelations about brutal treatment of captives held at hola prison camp
the difficult struggle to contain the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya demonstrated?
problems with Britain colonial policies
1957
independence granted to Ghana
1960
Macmillian’s ‘wind of change’ speech
1960
independence granted to Nigeria and cyprus
1961
south africa leaves the commonwealth
1963
independence granted to kenya
Macmillan’s ‘wind of change’ speech blowing through the whole African continent was a significant change of policy calling for?
decolonisation and recognition of independence movements
what was Macmillan seeking to persuade these countries to accept?
majority rule
south Africa preferred to follow?
minority white rule and voted in a referendum later that year to break all ties with Britain
in retrospect the polciy of decolonisation was
extremely successful
policy did not always go as planned but British decolonisation was completed more?
swiftly and with far less violence than was the case with other colonial powers such as Belgium and Portugal
by 1964
the transition from empire to commonwealth seemed to represent a significant achievement
