Decolonization and Influence of the Cold War Essay

Decolonization and the Influence of the Cold War The decades following World War II were all centered on the concept of decolonization, the dismantlement of Imperial empires established prior to World War I throughout Africa and Asia. Due to the aftermath of World War II, countries around the world experienced massive independent movements whose objective was to eliminate colonization and form new independent nations. The process of decolonization was separated by three different approaches: civil war, negotiated independence through foreign pressure, and violent incomplete decolonization. China, for example, had its internal struggles with Nationalistic and Communist parties conflicting that caused a civil war between the two†¦show more content†¦The East, represented by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies, advocated the destruction of capitalism and the establishment of Communism throughout the world. Opposing them were the United States and its North American Trea ty Organization (NATO) allies that attempted to contain Communist expansion efforts, defending its actions through the Truman Doctrine and the Domino Theory. The Domino theory stated that if one nation fell to Communism, the neighboring nations would be affected and falls to Communism, eventually resulting in the inevitable spread of Communism throughout the world. One of the first nations that the United States and Soviet Union sought to establish control was in Korea. After 1949, when Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, the spread of communism began to target the country of Korea. Following the end of World War II, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel into â€Å"Soviet† North Korean and â€Å"American† South Korea occupation zones. Heavily armed with artillery and tanks, North Korean troops crossed and invaded South Korea on June 25th, 1950. Abiding to the containment of the Domino theory, U nited States immediately responded to the unprovoked attack. Under the leadership of the supreme commander of the United Nations coalition forces, General Douglas MacArthur, the South Korean forces managed to push back theShow MoreRelatedThe Conflict Between Ussr And Usa During The Cold War1178 Words   |  5 PagesThe decolonization is a process in which colonies becomes independent of the colonizing country. This process can be as violent as peaceful and most of the revolutions emerging from decolonization were lead by a strong nationalism (Collins English Dictionary, 2007). After World War II, most of the European countries did not have enough economic and political stability to sustain to the different revolts taking place in their colonies and to help them to improve social and economic developments. 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