Germany
A divided Axis power (not a colony); Berlin Blockade (1948) led to the US Airlift. The Berlin Wall (1961) was built to stop the ‘economic drain’ of citizens fleeing to the West.
Palestine & Israel
Caused by the end of the British Mandate and the UN Partition Plan after the Holocaust. Resulted in the 1948 War and the al-Nakba, where 750,000 Palestinians were expelled.
India & Pakistan
Independence from Britain (1947); Hindu vs. Muslim religious division. Borders drawn by Cyril Radcliffe in just 5 weeks led to mass migration and 1–2 million deaths.
Korea
Former Japanese colony divided at the 38th parallel. US-backed Syngman Rhee vs. Soviet-backed Kim Il Sung led to the Korean War (1950).
Vietnam
Struggle for independence from French colonial rule. The US stopped nationwide elections to support the South, escalating into the Vietnam War (1965).
Cold War Formation
Conflict of Capitalism vs. Communism. The US used economic aid (Marshall Plan) and Containment, while the USSR used military coercion and installed puppet leaders.
Postwar Chaos
11 million Displaced Persons (DPs), including camp survivors and forced laborers. Lawlessness and anti-Soviet resistance in the Baltic states were fueled by nationalism, religion, and hatred of communism.
Decolonization Causes
(1) Axis empires lost claims; (2) shift in international mood (UN self-determination); (3) European imperial fatigue and lack of resources.
African Decolonization
Agitated by former servicemen, the urban unemployed, and the educated. Violence was most common where European settler populations resisted giving up power (e.g., Kenya/Algeria).
The Congo
First leader Patrice Lumumba was assassinated (1961) with US/CIA involvement. US-backed dictator Mobutu became worth $4 billion while the nation suffered.
Soviet System (Second World)
Appealed to some via rapid industrialization and guaranteed employment. Costs included political repression, loss of freedom, and environmental destruction.
US vs. USSR
US was a (flawed) democracy with a free market; USSR was a dictatorship with a command economy. Both used personal repression for the ‘benefit’ of society and engaged in imperialism for resources.
The Third Way
Represented nonalignment (neutrality) to maintain sovereignty. Frantz Fanon argued Africa should advance humanity by ignoring European ‘crimes’; Nehru called nonalignment a ‘dynamic’ approach.
Arms Race & MAD
Both sides built nuclear stockpiles (Arms Race) because they feared the other would gain an advantage (Prisoner’s Dilemma). Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) meant an attack would destroy both sides, preventing direct war.
