2008 A Level Cold War and Decolonisation

8/10/2019 2008 A Level Cold War and Decolonisation

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2008 GCE Level Question: How far was the process of decolonisation affected by the Cold War?

Approach:

The question requires students to compare and contrast the different approaches of the

colonial powers towards decolonisation in the context of the Cold War. It therefore requiresan understanding of the whole spectrum of the impact of the Cold War on the decolonisation

process in the various colonies and should not just be an essay on the different reasons fordecolonisation.

Stronger answers would be able to provide an in-depth explanation of how decolonisation insome countries like Vietnam and Indonesia was affected by the Cold War more acutely than

others like Burma where the transfer of control was shaped less by the geopolitical andideological battle for global power between the US and the USSR than by the efforts of

indigenous leaders.

INTRODUCTION

Timeframe/Terminal Dates: The period after 1945

Key Words: How far

to examine the degree of the impact. The degree of impact has to be weighedagainst other forces which shaped the process of decolonisation.

Affected by the Cold War

The geopolitical and ideological struggle between the US and the USSRand its implications for the decolonisation process by shaping the policies of both superpowers.

BODY

Argument :

In some colonies, the Cold War did work in favour of a swift transfer of power to an indigenous

government when such a change involved the US supporting moderate nationalist leaders whose rapid

consolidation was needed to prevent more leftist elements from gaining ground. This also changed the

process from one mired in conflict to one where independence was eventually secured through

negotiations.

Case Study: Indonesia

The US dropped its support of the Dutch

government; its focus on regaining control of thecountrys raw materials left the country dividedand susceptible to leftist subversion. In 1948,

after the Madiun Rebellion involving army unitsand sympathizers of the reconstituted

Communist Party (PKI), the US dropped its

support for the Dutch and instead supportedSukarno, Hatta and forced the Dutch to

eventually relinquish colonial control. The

Dutch were forced to negotiate for independencewith UN pressure at the 1949 Round Table

Conference.

Case Study: The Philippines

The growing influence of the leftist Huks who led

the anti-Japanese resistance and their desire forpolitical representation offered the prospect ofrenewed divisions and upheavals in Philippine

society. To avert such a scenario, the US providedfor a swift transfer of power to the pre-war

Manila elite who took power soon after the endof the war. The Huks position in the political

system was soon marginalised.

Case Study: Indonesia linked to the European situation)

The US did not attach the same level of importance to the position of the Netherlands in the Cold Warstruggle in Europe as compare to France. Washingtons position was that Dutch interests/American


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interests would be better served by the Hagues focus on post-war economic recovery at home than

embroilment in a colonial war overseas. This motivated the US to put pressure on the Netherlands

increasingly by the end of the conflict in Indonesia to relinquish control.

Argument:

Even in cases when the pace and process of decolonisation was as not as rapid, it must be noted the

Cold War still exerted an impact, albeit a more indirect one on the process.

Case Study: Malaya

The granting of independence by the British was a long drawn-out process based largely onconstitutional reforms. Here the pace of decolonisation seemed to be influenced by the particular

characteristics of the Malayan political landscape. While it may be said that the process was partlyaffected by the desired assurance for more unity of purpose among the Malay and Chinese

communities, the Cold War did have some bearing on the decision for independence. In Malayas

case, the period of the Emergency, when the British fought a twelve year battle with the Communistinsurgents, convinced them that the only way to repudiate the cause of the Malayan CommunistParty was to grant independence, thereby stripping them of their front as an anti-colonial

movement. Hence, while the Malayan case shows the colonial authorities did not react from anyexplicit reactions to Cold War tensions nor were they affected by the polarisation of ideologiestaking effect (as in the case of Vietnam), the fact that the British did contest Communism still showed

decolonisation was still somewhat influenced by the Cold War context in which it occurred.

Argument:

However, it must be noted that while the Cold War served to accelerate the pace of decolonisation in

some colonies, in many instances, the transfer of power was retarded or delayed because of such Cold

War tensions.

Case Study: Vietnam

Concerned with the prospect of Communistexpansionism in Southeast Asia, the US

intervened in the decolonisation process inVietnam. They were also motivated by recentdevelopments such as the collapse of the

Nationalist regime in China and outbreak of the

Korean War. Providing economic and militaryaid to the beleaguered French colonial

administration in its conflict with theCommunist DRV led by Ho Chi Minh. American

intervention in Vietnam had the effect of

prolonging the life of the colonial regime andcomplicating the process of decolonisation.

Case Study: Vietnam Context linked to the

European situation)The US was at the same time wary of

antagonising those Allied leaders especiallyBritain and France whose support in WesternEurope against an advancing Soviet threat was a

main priority. In this case, the Cold War did not

in fact work to accelerate the process ofdecolonisation since the US exercised moretolerance of such powers efforts to restore their

colonial control. American support and need of

France as a bulwark in the Cold War theatre in

Europe also motivated its decision to supportFrench colonial presence in Vietnam.

Argument: In other colonies, the process of decolonisation was less affected by the Cold War as the

role played by the nationalists determined its nature and outcome.

Case Study: Burma

The war and Occupation had led to the

development of an armed mass-based, nationalfront organisation, the AFFPL under theleadership of Aung San. It was able to

consolidate its position within the colony thatthe British under Mountbatten acknowledged

Case Study: Malaya

The British decision to work with the non-

confrontational nationalist leaders headed by theUnited Malays Nation Organisation (UMNO) andthe Malayan Chinese Association (MCA), led to a

series of constitutional reforms finallyculminating in the granting of independence in


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the need to work with the nationalists and bringthem into the political process. This set the tone

for the series of negotiations between the British

and the Burmese nationalists that culminated inthe extension of independence in 1948.

1957. This was also made possible by the abilityof the nationalist leaders to fashion an inter-

ethnic compromise on Malay hold on political

power in exchange for Chinese hold on economicpower which convinced the British to transfersovereignty to what they saw as a sustainable

future for Malaya.

Case Study: Indonesia

It could also be argued that the Republican

government headed by Sukarno and Hatta were

able to adeptly use a combination of diplomacyand armed struggle which in the end increased

the costs of restoring control for theNetherlands. This also influenced the process of

decolonisation in Indonesia to move from

confrontation to negotiations increasingly after1948.

Argument: The external environment characterised by developments in the metropole as well as

international bodies shaping opinion and exercising its influence on various colonial powers also

affected the decolonisation process.

Case Study: Burma

The deterioration of the position in India

necessitated a reappraisal of Burmas

importance to Britain. In addition, the Labourgovernment which took power after 1945 was

also focused more on economic recovery and

reconstruction than the maintenance of empire.This motivated the British to seek a gradual

retreat from empire after the Second World War.

Role of the United Nations

Of significance is its Declaration Regarding Non

self-governing Territories which placed colonialissues within the international public domain andestablished the right of the organized

international community to monitor and evaluate

the activities of colonial administrations. The USalso used its influence within the UN to put

pressure on colonial powers to give up theircolonies as in the case of Indonesia.

Case Study: Cambodia and Laos

The decolonisation process in Cambodia washelped in part by the deteriorating situation in

Vietnam and the role of the Sihanouk. Thetransfer of power took place as a result of

negotiations. The independence of both colonieswas recognised at the 1954 Geneva Conferencewhich spelt the end of the French empire in

Southeast Asia. Even before this, Paris was

already reeling from various crises asgovernments struggled to find a solution to the

long-drawn conflict which was turning public

opinion against them.

Case Study: Vietnam

The decolonisation process did not end with theGeneva Conference but prolonged and shaped its

eventual course. The Conference did not bringabout a complete independence settlement for

Vietnam. The temporary partition of the colonybecame permanent as the US replaced France asthe supporter of a new South Vietnamese regime

and prevented the reunification of the country

for another 20 years. The DRV had now to fight anew war against new colonial power.


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2008 A Level Cold War and Decolonisation