The Colonies Gain Independence

A. India’s Road to IndependenceB. China’s DevelopmentsC. Africa & Southeast Asia

A. India’s Road to Independence

• Following WWII, Britain granted India independence

• The reason: it cost too much to hang onto

• But there was a problem – the Hindus and Muslims could not get along & refused to live together.

• To end the violence between the groups Britain decided to partition (divide) India into two independent nations

• August 1947 – India (a Hindu nation) and Pakistan (a Muslim nation) become independent

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Partition_of_India.PNG

• India will be led by Jawharlal Nehru, the leader of the Indian National Congress

• Pakistan by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League

B. China’s Developments

• Sun Yat-sen was a revolutionary leader who overthrew the government which had not stood up to the Europeans

• Would start a movement to modernize China to remove Westerners

• Would not be truly successful until after WWII

C. Africa & Southeast Asia

• Nationalism would make most colonies want independence

• Colonies would start gaining independence after WWII

• France wants to keep their colonies. Will fight wars to keep their colonies but will lose.

• By the end of the 1960’s most colonies will be independent.