Overview of Decolonization

1. Decolonization/
Independence
movements in Africa,
Asia, and the Middle
East
1920s – 1980s

3. Overview
By the mid-20th century, many
REGIONS in Africa, Asia & the
Middle East had “freed”
themselves from European
Imperial dominance.
Decolonization is the term
historians have used to describe
this process

6. What happened?
 European withdrawal
 Revolutions overthrew
Europeans
 Non-violent Independence
Movements

7. Causes of Decolonization
 Education & information
acquired by Asians & Africans.
 World Wars
 Asians & Africans questioned
European superiority
 War in the colonies
 Nationalism!

8. Decolonization
Many different African and Asian
groups used a variety of ways to
gain independence.

11. RESULTS of Decolonization
 Regions of the world became
“independent”; new nation-states were
born
 Began earlier in Asia…India becomes a
model
 Gandhi vs. Ho Chi Minh
 Two different approaches

12. Problems remained (or were they caused
by European imperialism?)
 Economic dependency
on the West and other regions of the
world.

13.  the indigenous elite often replaced the
colonial elite maintaining a large gap
between rich and poor.

14.  Tribal, racial, religious differences led to
conflicts & wars
INDIAN PARTITION

15. Civil War in
Nigeria Tribal-based
genocide in
Rwanda
Civil War in Vietnam