Question

Write information about decolonisation in the African continent.

Answer 1

1. The First World War began in 1914. At that time except for Liberia and Ethiopia, the entire African continent was ruled by European powers. European colonies in Africa, i.e. almost the entire continent, got involuntarily involved in the war.
2. Soon after the onset of the war England and France began to attack the German colonies in Africa. After the defeat of Germany in the war, allied nations began to compete with each other for occupying German colonies in Africa.
3. Considering the situation, the American President, Woodrow Wilson, suggested that the victorious European nations act as trustees of the erstwhile German colonies and administer them only as protectorates.
4. It was necessary to give the colonies internal autonomy. Hence, the ‘League of Nations’ decided with mutual understanding that England, France, and Belgium should divide the colonies among themselves in 1919.
5. A Committee of 11 members was appointed by the ‘League’ to supervise the administration of the colonies. The four British colonies, namely, Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal, were amalgamated and the state of South Africa was created in 1920.
6. However, the dominance of the white people continued unchanged. Egypt got its independence before the end of the Second World War. Following it Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Ghana became independent one after another.
7. At about the middle of the twentieth century, all 12 French colonies, such as Ivory Coast, Madagascar, and Mali in central Africa became independent.
8. Along with it, Cameroon, Somalia, and other colonies under the care of the League of Nations, and also other European colonies became independent, one by one.
9. Algeria had to give a tough fight to get its freedom. Finally, in 1962 it became independent by conducting a plebiscite. In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar were amalgamated and the independent state of ‘The United Republic of Tanzania’ came into existence.