5.2 Decolonisation in South East Asia

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5.2 Decolonisation in South East Asia

Goals

1. The student can explain how indirect rule could help stimulate the decolonisation process in South East Asia
2. The student can describe how the Dutch-Indies became the independent Republic of Indonesia
3. The student can describe how India became independent from Great Britain 

Indirect rule

 = when colonial powers use local leaders to govern their country.  So, local leaders kept their positions, but they were accountable to their European superiors. 

Why was it beneficial for the Europeans?

• It was cheaper than bringing in European officials
• It decreased the chances of revolt, since for the population it might seem that little had changed. 

How did it lead to decolonisation?

• When a local leader decided to join a nationalist movement, he could easily influence the people they ruled. 

Questions

Do question 3, 4, 6, of 5.2

Done: read "Case study India"

India

From the second half of the 19th century, Britain invested in education and healthcare in its colony of British India and allowed Indians to form political organisations. 

• 1885 --> the Indian National Congress was founded by a mixed group of Britons and Indians. 
• Their main goal was to get more educated Indians involved in colonial governance, but soon independence became the main aim. 

India

After WWI GB became more willing to talk about independence,  but wanted this to happen very slowly. Many Indians wanted radical changes. 

• 1920s --> the Indian National Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, started to organise nonviolent and non-cooperative actions against the British. 
• WWII --> Gandhi led a campaign to not support the British before they had granted India independence. Because of this call for civil disobedience, Gandhi was imprisoned many times.

After WWI GB became more willing to talk about independence, but wanted this to happen very slowly. Many Indians wanted radical changes.

• 1920s --> the Indian National Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, started to organise nonviolent and non-cooperative actions against the British.
• WWII --> Gandhi led a campaign to not support the British before they had granted India independence. Because of this call for civil disobedience, Gandhi was imprisoned many times.

India

India

Still, many Indians supported Britain during World War II, many fought in the British army. 

After WWII GB agreed to grant India independence (14th and 15th August 1947)

• Because of the Indian efforts during the war
• Because they didn't have the money to govern such a big colony anymore after WWII 

India

After WWI GB became more willing to talk about independence,  but wanted this to happen very slowly. Many Indians wanted radical changes. 

• 1920s --> the Indian National Congress, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, started to organise nonviolent and non-cooperative actions against the British. 
• WWII --> Gandhi led a campaign to not support the British before they had granted India independence. Because of this call for civil disobedience, Gandhi was imprisoned many times.

Because of religious differences, India was split up into two states = the partition

• Pakistan (Muslim state)
• India (dominated by Hindus)

Consequences of this split:

• ~ ten million people had to leave their homes
• Three wars between the two states at the cost of a million lives.
• Today, there is still a lot of hostility between Pakistan and India. (arms race)

India

Map from 1947: 

For a long time, East Pakistan was neglected by the West Pakistan government. In 1971, after another bloody war, it became an independent country: Bangladesh.

What happened to Ghandi?

Ghandi was opposed to the partition of India. He wanted a country where people of all religions could live together peacefully. In January 1948, he was shot by a radical Hindu.

Questions

Do question 7, 8, of 5.2