New Nations get Independence

1. Warm-up - Review Indian, Southeast Asian independence – • Why did Indian Independence result in 4 new countries? • In what ways was Nehru like Kemal Mustafa (ataturk) in Turkey and the Pahlevis in Iran? How was he different? • Why is it important to study this for today? • Describe the similarities in the post-independence era for the SE Asian countries • How do these independence events support the above understandings? • Final exam essay – May 31–Bring your graphic organizers • African Independence Complete p 7 & 8-9. • Describe similarities between the expansion of democracy and enlightenment ideas in Europe in the 19th C and the independence movements in Africa and Asia. • Online, read current events about the African Countries (Angola, Kenya, Ghana, Algeria, Congo) What are the current conflicts? What is the current political, religious and demographic situation? Where are there examples of the results or effects of colonialism and the above EU’s? • Present briefly to class • Work on Core 2 New Nations get Independence Enduring Understandings Long-standing cultural and religious differences and conflicts are still evident in the post-colonial world. 3. The end of World War II led to the ending of colonization, the creation of new countries and conflict between the superpowers for influence.

2. New Nations in Africa - Ghana • Kwame Nkrumah – leader of pan-Africa movement • Used strike, boycotts to promote “Freedom Now” • Comes to Presidency of independent Ghana in 1957 and initiates a new Constitution in 1960 • Promoted industrial reforms, social welfare programs like state-provided health care and improvements in education • Connected Ghana to the Organization of African Unity However, economic and political instability, his connection to Marxism, over-spending on public programs and his focus on Pan-Africanism as opposed to just Ghana, as well as his policies of heavy taxation lead to his overthrow.

3. New Nations in Africa - Kenya • The Mau Mau were Kenyan highlanders displaced by the British colonists. To take back their land and country, they used guerilla tactics. • Jomo Kenyatta led an independence movement that approved of the Mau Mau tactics. Once in office, Kenyatta: • United different ethnicities • Promoted economic growth • Changed Nairobi into the major East Africa business center Kenyatta and Mwariama (Mau Mau leader However, Kenyatta died and arapMoi was unable to continue to unite the ethnicities. Further, as was typical in Africa after colonization ended, ethnic conflict, corruption and too much emphasis on state-directed growth hurt the economy and the government’s ability to govern effectively.

4. New Nations in Africa – Zaire/Congo • Belgium left the Congo due to pressure by both USSR and US, as well as from the UN and… • Large protests and riots in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) and Stanleyville (now Kisangani) and… • French war in Algeria trying to keep its colony • Mobutu SeseSeko came to his 32 year reign of power after a US –backed coup. • Mobutu instituted a corrupt, oppressive, brutal single-party dictatorship • Changed the name of Congo to Zaire in 1971 • He stayed in power partially by bribing supporters and imprisoning or killing his opponents Mobutu was overthrown by Laurent Kabila in 1997 after a 7 month rebel conflict and the country was renamed Democratic Republic of Congo. The next decade saw a massive civil war leading to almost 4 million deaths.

5. New Nations in Africa - Algeria • Algerian independence fighters formed the National Liberation Front (FLN) and fought a 4 year guerilla war to oust France • France could not win, so a national referendum led to consensus independence from France • Ahmed Ben Bella as the first president attempted to implement land reforms, education improvements and other policies to modernize Algeria. • Ben Bella was overthrown in 1965 by a military coup that then ran the country until 1992 election. However, the military annulled the election because it had been won by an Islamist party. Algeria then descended into 10 years of civil war. It is still facing economic and political instability. The civil war basically ended in 2002 with a general amnesty for the FLS rebels, but rioting and political instability are still problems.

6. New Nations in Africa - Angola • Angolan Rebels mainly led by Jonas Savimbi’s UNITA , Antonio Neto’s MPLA and Holden Roberto’s FNLA fought guerilla war against Portugal. • War in Portugal was unpopular, leading to the fall of the Portuguese dictatorship government • The new government signed peace deal with the Angolan rebels. • But the rebels had different ideological backers. FNLA was backed by US and Zaire , UNITA by China and South Africa, and MPLA by Cuba Dos Santos Chilupa of ZambiaSavimbi A big civil war with major foreign troops from Zaire, South Africa and Cuba took place right after MPLA declared independence in 1975. The civil war basically ended in 1992 with an election, but the war then broke out again until 2002. Angola now has a democratic government.