Question

Explain the conditions that were favourable for decolonisation.

Answer 1

The following are the conditions which were favourable for decolonisation:
i. Japan busted the myth of European invincibility by defeating the mighty Russian empire in the Russo–Japanese War in 1904–05. This gave Asians the confidence that they could take on the European colonial powers.
ii. Various national movements emerged from the colonial possessions spread across different parts of Asia. These were inspired by American President Woodrow Wilson’s doctrine of the ‘right to self-determination’.
iii. USA and Russia had emerged as superpowers after the Second World War. Both these countries were not necessarily in favour of the continuation of colonialism in the post-War world.
iv. The Second World War had left the imperial nations of Europe such as England and France in economic ruin. As a result, these powers found themselves unable to maintain their colonial possessions after the War.