What led to decolonization after World War II and how did the Cold War influence the process?

7.4: End of Empires and Cold War

The Cold War and decolonization were two trends that happened in parallel. Was it just by chance that two enormous global episodes began as the Second World War ended? Or did these two trends contribute to each other? Created by World History Project.

7.4: End of Empires and Cold War

How did the cold war impact the process of decolonization?

The Cold War and decolonization were also linked by the actions of the two superpowers. The US proclaimed that it supported democracy and free markets. The Soviet Union promised to liberate workers from the shackles of capitalist, imperial rule.

What impact did the Cold War and WWII have on the decolonization movement?

In summary, this essay affirmed that Cold War helped facilitate European decolonization, and affected some specific processes of decolonization. United States' Marshall Plan helped western European states with post-WWII economic reconstruction, thereby relieving them of the need to hold on to their colonies.

What caused decolonization after ww2?

After World War II, European countries generally lacked the wealth and political support necessary to suppress faraway revolts; they also faced opposition from the new superpowers, the U.S. and the Soviet Union, both of which had taken positions against colonialism.

Why was decolonization important during the Cold War?

Decolonization continued to be a catalyst for increasing conflict between the superpowers even in an era of détente, and the decolonization process in Southern Africa further eroded the influence of NATO and its allies as the cold war was coming to an end.