Decolonization: 1945-1968

A selective chronology

 

1942

Aug 8

"Quit India" resolution of Indian National Congress Party

1946

July 4

Republic of the Philippines independent of USA

 

Aug 16

Mohammed Ali Jinnah declares a Muslim "day of protest": 4000 people are killed

 

Dec 19

Viet Minh forces under Ho Chi Minh begin war on France

1947

Feb 20

British Prime Minister Atlee announces that Britain will leave India

 

March 25

Netherlands grant Indonesia independence

 

Aug 14

India achieves independence; communal massacres begin

1948

Jan 4

Burma (Myanmar) becomes independent

 

Jan 30

Gandhi assassinated by Hindu fundamentalist

 

Feb 4

Ceylon (Sri Lanka) becomes independent

1949

Apr 18

Eire (Ireland) leaves Commonwealth

 

Apr 27

King George VI recognized as "head of the Commonwealth"

1951

Jan 1

Liberal constitution comes into effect in Gold Coast (Ghana)

1953

Aug 1

Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland established (today Zimbabwe. Zambia and Malawi)

1954

May 7

French army defeated in Viet Nam at Dien Bien Phu

 

Nov 1

FLN (Front de Liberation Nationale) launches independence Struggle in Algeria

1955

Apr 22

Tunisia granted home rule

1956

Jan 1

Sudan gains independence

 

Mar 2

France recognizes independence of Tunisia and Morocco

 

Nov 5/Dec 22

Britain and France at war with Egypt; six day war Israel versus Egypt

1957

Mar 6

Gold Coast (Ghana) gains independence

 

Aug 31

Federation of Malaya independent

1960

Feb 3

Macmillan, British prime minister, makes "winds of change" speech in Cape Town

 

Apr 27

French grant Togoland independence

 

June 30

Belgians grant Congo independence

 

July 1

Somalia becomes a republic

 

Aug 21

Federation of Mali breaks up; Mali and Senegal independent

 

Oct 1

Nigeria independent

1961

Apr 27

Sierra Leone independent

 

Dec 9

Tanganyika (Tanzania) independent

1962

Mar 19

Cease-fire in Algeria

 

July 1

Ruanda and Burundi independent

 

July 3

Algeria gains independence

1963

Dec 12

Kenya independent

 

Dec 22

Greek and Turkish populations begin civil war on Cyprus

 

Dec 31

Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland dissolved

1964

July 6

Nyasaland (Malawi) becomes independent

 

Oct 24

Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) independent

1965

Feb 19

Gambia independent

 

Nov 11

Prime Minister Ian Smith declares Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) Independent ("Unilateral Declaration of Independence"/UDI)

1967

May 3

Biafra secedes from Nigeria; civil war (- Jan 12, 1970)

1968

Mar 12

Mauritius independent

 

Sept 6

Swaziland independent

 

Oct 12

Equatorial Guinea independent

 

Nov 29

British leave Aden; People’s Republic proclaimed