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THE STUDY GUIDE

EABJM TERMINALE: HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY REVISION

DECOLONIZATION
 

It is often said that British decolonization was smooth because the British Empire was never intended to be permanent, whereas French decolonization was difficult because the French believed they had a 'Mission Civilisatrice' which still had to be accomplished after the Second World War. Consequently, the French tried to hang on when all the forces around collaborated to make their hopeful task impossible.

Modern approaches to History have made us wary of such simplifications and we labour to show the inconsistencies of this statement, sometimes to the point of reversing it completely. Our error, however, is to try to discover patterns and intentions in a process that came about in a haphazard and unplanned way, sometimes nobly but often cynically. The real forces that shaped the process of decolonization are to be found outside the Empires themselves: in the terrifying aggression unleashed by the Japanese, and the contrasting idealism found within the ruling Democratic Party of the United States of America. For decolonization, as we understand it, began in Asia, and under its influence Africa followed.

Writing paragraphs to bring together one's ideas is a good way of kick starting revision.....watch this page, though for an analysis of the rest of the story........... 

 

 

 

 

 

© Nicholas Bunch 2007