Essay On Decolonization

The age of the Cold War impacted decolonization either positively or negatively. But, most evidence suggests that it was affected negatively. The age of the Cold War lasted from 1949 to 1989. There were many examples from each country of how decolonization took place. Decolonization took place from 1945-1980, during a thirty-five-year period after World War II, when the European empires in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific gradually came apart as the former colonies became independent nations. (Map of Decolonization pg 855).

The cold war rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union provided a script. This script was encouraged by the secessionist forced in Katanga. The Belgian Government stated that the Belgian authorities would continue to take "the necessary security measures" in the case of grave danger. The colonialist had no intention of abiding by the Council's decision, but the Council still wanted to continue their armed intervention against the Congo. Military intervention was being accompanied by efforts to dismember the young State.2 "Under these circumstances and before the dangers we would bring down upon us by prolonging our submission to the arbitrary will and Communistic intentions of the central government, the Katangan government has decided to proclaim the independence of Katanga." 2

"The advent of a new world configuration, with a circumscribed place for Europe, found dramatic expression in the rapid disintegration of the European colonial empires after World War II." 1 The war itself had been a major catalyst for independence movements all throughout the world. Colonial reconquest wasn't the only thing that marked the end of the war. The atomic bomb and the victory of the United States were both sign...

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...the awakening of the people of Africa and Asia; the awakening would have been devoid of any historical significance.4 Many problems were presumed, but any country has its own problems within giving negative feedback, especially for the people of Africa and Asia.

Numerous amounts of things happened with the Cold War that made a major impact dealing with the decolonization process in different countries. It took a hit mostly on the European empires in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Many speeches and conferences were held over these circumstances. The Suez crisis had a major effect with the decolonization only because it prompted a negative reaction, forcing those few countries to withdraw. It demonstrated how little power and control they had. Even though the decolonization process lasted a long time, it did major damage to the different countries negatively.