With World War Two coming to an end, states occupied by foreign powers were once again granted their independence. As with the aftermath of the first world war, World War Two saw the formal recognition of new states – such as Libya. Furthermore, as with the decolonization process of the Ottoman and German Empires after World War One, a new wave of decolonization swept across Africa and Asia. At the end of 1945, the French and British Empires had the largest territorial possessions.
By 1947, one of the largest territorial colonies controlled by a Western European power, British India, successfully gained independence through peaceful resistance. However, in 1946, France took a decidedly more violent approach when French Indochina demanded independence. The result was a conflict that lasted nearly eight years. With the French Indochina War over in 1954, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia successfully gained independence from French rule. Inspired by the success of other French colonies, French Algeria pursued independence through violence as well. As the conflict in Algeria wore down the French morale, Morocco and Tunisia were granted independence in 1956 with little violence. This decision allowed the French forces to focus their attention to Algeria, which had long been considered one of France’s more important colonies, and was home to many thousand French citizens.
Sources:
Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (New York: Grove Press, 1963)
Jean-Paul Satre, Colonialism and Neocolonialism (New York: Routledge, 1964)
It is interesting that your post mentions that France took a brutal approach to decolonization. Why do you think that was so? Did any other countries ,such as the United Kingdom, use brutal tactics or was it mainly the French?
This post really helped me understand what was going on at the time of the Algerian War, as well as what led up to it. It makes sense the French would have been so determined to keep Algeria, since they lost their other colonies. After living off resources imported from other countries, they would need to make a serious change in the way they were living to accommodate for the smaller amount of resources they now have. Also, your post also helps me understand why Algeria was so important because you mention how many French citizens lived there. I wonder if they legitimately enjoyed living there? I ask this because the sources we read this week have led me to believe France was constantly trying to change the culture of the Algerian people, to be more like France. Having French citizens immerse themselves in Algeria would aid in this mission, but if the French were so sure they way they lived was better, it is hard for me to believe a French citizen would actually want to live in a place they believed was lesser.
I like how you drew the comparison between the French and the British colonies and how France and England handled decolonization different. You mentioned that compared to the violence and brutality in the French colonies India was able to gain independence from England peacefully. While yes, Ghandi did practice non-violent civil disobedience there was still violence that occurred in Indian’s plight for independence. However, much of that violence is brushed over when comparing England decolonization to that of France.
I like the visual aid that you use in your post. As it shows, nearly all of Africa was colonized prior to the Second World War. Following the war, however, nearly all the nations gained their independence and may of them fell into turmoil.