SS11 (20th Century World History) 2018

The decolonization of English-speaking Africa

The decolonization of sub-Saharan Africa was a gradual process. The British colonies were the first to gain independence. In 1957, the Gold Coast achieved independence and was renamed Ghana.

Nigeria became independent in 1960, Sierra Leone and Tanganyika in 1961 and Uganda in 1962. In 1964, Tanganyika joined with Zanzibar to form Tanzania.

Decolonization proved more difficult in Kenya, where the Mau Mau Uprising began in 1952. This militant movement was opposed to British colonial law. Nationalist leader Jomo Kenyatta, accused of being a member of the Mau Mau movement, was arrested by the British authorities. He became a symbol of national unity, and was released in 1961. Kenya was finally granted independence in September 1963, and Jomo Kenyatta became the first president of the new republic.

In southern Africa, Nyasaland proclaimed its independence and took the name Malawi in 1964. , That same year, Northern Rhodesia became independent as Zambia. In 1965, the white minority in power in Southern Rhodesia unilaterally proclaimed independence and established an apartheid regime. The white colonists remained in power until 1979, and in 1980, the British granted independence to Southern Rhodesia, which became Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe was appointed Prime Minister.

Take a look at the map of African Independence below to help you sort out where these countries are situated in relation to one another. Also note that there are other countries on the map not listed in this course. This topic could make a course unto itself.

The decolonization of French sub-Saharan Africa

Change was also afoot in the French colonies in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1946, the constitution granted these territories a measure of autonomy and the right to elect representatives in the French assemblies. In 1958, General de Gaulle allowed them to choose between secession leading to independence, and membership of the French Community under the presidency of de Gaulle. With the exception of Guinea, all the colonies in French sub-Saharan Africa opted for the second solution. This gave them a large measure of internal autonomy, with only national defence and foreign policy remaining under the control of the French Government. Gradually, all these colonies asked France to transfer these responsibilities. Several new independent states were therefore born in 1960: Cameroon, Congo (also referred to as Congo-Brazzaville), Côte d’Ivoire, Dahomey, Gabon, Upper Volta, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Central African Republic, Senegal, Chad and Togo.

The independence of the Belgian Congo

With its gold, copper and uranium resources, the Belgian Congo was the richest of all the European colonies in sub-Saharan Africa, and this vast territory was coveted by major companies. In 1960, riots broke out and Belgium abruptly granted independence to the Congo. But no sooner had it gained its independence than the country became the scene of massacres, mainly targeting Europeans, and fell into the grip of a civil war.  These divisions rapidly degenerated into bloody battles, and the Congolese conflict took on an international dimension with the intervention of UN peacekeepers.

In 1962, two other territories under Belgian authority, Rwanda and Urundi (which became Burundi) gained sovereignty.