Mitchell on Colonial Nationalism

Compare nationalism in colonial areas after World War II to that in Italy and Germany in the 19th Century.

Thesis: While in 19th century Germany and Italy, nationalism was focused on unifying, in colonial areas after World War II, it focused on freeing itself from foreign control. In both cases, violent warfare was often resorted to in order to reach the goal of nationalism.

I. Aims of Nationalism

A. Colonies after World War II sought to gain independence from European states
1. Nationalism against Europe began after World War I
2. Accelerated in World War II
a. colonies knew that Allied war aims included self-determination
b. recognized that European states lacked the money and energy after the war to maintain colonies.
3. Exception of Zionists who tried to establish a nation rather than gain independence
B. Germany
1. Frankfurt assembly
a. Met to write a constitution for a united Germany
b. Dominated by educated middle-class professionals.
c. Disbanded within a year (597-598)
2. United in 1871, thanks to Bismark's efforts
C. Italy
1. Giuseppe Mazzini
a. Italian nationalist
b. Founder of Young Italy which intended to create a united Italian republic
c. Wrote The Duties of Man in which he urged Italians to work for an Italian nation. (598)
2. United due to Cavour, Garibaldi, and (indirectly), the Franco-Prussian War (618)

II. Means used to achieve aims

A. Colonies: peaceful means successful in many cases
1. Africa
a. political parties focusing on economic and political issues and reforms, seeking self-rule
b. in many cases, European states willingly let go of their colonies, such as in Ghana (1957, the first to gain independence), and 28 others by 1965.(811)
2. Middle East: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon become independent (811)
3. Asia:
a. Phillipines, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Indoniesia, Laos, Cambodia granted independence
b. elections planned, but never held for Vietnam(814)
B. Violence occurred everywhere
1. Africa
a. Mau Mau movement in Kenya used terrorism, causing Britain to promise eventual independence in 1959
b. Algerian nationalists created the National Liberation Front and stared using guerrilla warfare; gain independence 1962
c. in areas with large amounts of European settlers (i.e.South Africa) where European nationalist sentiments collided with African nationalism,violence broke out for more complicated reasons, i.e. apartheid (811)
2. Middle East: Palestine issue
a. The Truman administration created a Jewish state in Palestine in 1948; a UN resolution divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab states later that year
b. Palestinian-Isreali conflicts begin: Palestine Liberation Organization, guerrilla movement al-Fatah led by Yasir Arafat, Six-Day War (812- 813)
3. Asia
a. India had to be divided into Hindu (India) and Muslim(Pakistan) states.
b. over 1 million people killed as they crossed the new borders (814)
C. Italy: means achieved through war
1. Cavour oversaw annexation of northern Italian states in 1860
2. Garibaldi conquered southern Italian states, then yielded them to Cavour
3. Franco-Prussian War gives Venetia to Italy(617-618)
D. Germany: Bismark's three wars achieve unity
1. Danish War 1864
2 .Austro-Prussian War 1866
3.Franco-Prussian War 1870-71 (619-20)