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African Nations Gain Independence

African Nations Gain Independence. Nonalignment - During the Cold War many African and Asian countries wanted political and diplomatic independence from Cold War superpowers, and receive aid from both. Ghana: Kwame Nkrumah. Who: Ghana’s first Prime minister & president for life

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African Nations Gain Independence

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  1. African Nations Gain Independence Nonalignment - During the Cold War many African and Asian countries wanted political and diplomatic independence from Cold War superpowers, and receive aid from both.

  2. Ghana: Kwame Nkrumah • Who: Ghana’s first Prime minister & president for life • What: leader of Ghana’s nonviolent movement for freedom • Where: Ghana, West Africa • When: 1947-1966

  3. Kwame Nkrumah • Why: Liberates Ghana from the British • Organized strikes & boycotts = ultimately, they got independence • He became leader of Ghana • pushed for new roads, schools, health facilities, industrialized & gave welfare BUT his programs were too expensive • This crippled Ghana’s economy which led to the army & police taking control & kicked him out of power

  4. Kenya: Jomo Kenyatta • Who: African revolutionary; Kenyan Nationalist & president • What: promoted his beliefs & was put in jail • Where: Kenya, Africa • When: 1964-1978 • Why: got independence for Kenya; became president; united many ethnic groups; after he died- no one was as successful at governing the country

  5. Kenya • Tactics used by Mau Mau: Guerilla warfare • Kenyatta’s reforms: unite countries of various ethnic & language groups • Problems: killed hundreds & left 1000s homeless; corruption & ethnic conflicts

  6. Algeria: Ahmed Ben Bella • Who: leader of FLN & president of Algeria • What: became first president of newly independent Algeria • Where: Algeria, Africa • When: 1962-1965 • Why: He attempted to make Algeria a socialist state; overthrown in 1965 by his military commander

  7. Algeria • How was independence gained: Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) sent ½ mill soldiers to fight against French colonists • Ben Bella’s programs: attempted to make a socialist state • Problems: overthrown by his army commander; unemployment; dissatisfaction w. the govt • Democracy allowed Islamists to rule, and their military killed over 100,000 Algerians.

  8. Democratic Republic of the Congo • The huge country contains valuable natural resources (diamonds and copper in Katanga province) • The colony rushed to be independent, but weren’t prepared allowing the Belgian mining companies to work with politicians to maintain control of Katanga. • Katanga province rebels against the Congo and is put down by the U.N. • The government of Congo appealed to the Soviets for help, but Mobutu, a rival to the government in power and supported by the U.S., overthrows Congo’s government, driving it into poverty, and instability.

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