What happened to Africa after World War 2?

Answer 1

By the end of WWII the primary colonial powers (France, England, etc.) were significantly weakened in the aftermath of a massively costly war, and what little power and resources remained were intended to be focused on European interests and problems. This left Africa, and the many African colonies, essentially free to begin pursuing independence, as they were hardly a concern to the European powers at that time. The drive for independence in Africa was also helped by the 1941 signing of the Atlantic Charter by the majority of the Allied powers. This document, among other things, was about agreeing to a commitment for self-determination for all peoples, i.e. an end to colonialism. Another component of the coming independence for Africa was that many educated Africans returned to their home countries and began to lead campaigns, protests and even rebellions prior to, during, and following WWII. Among these were Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, and later, individuals like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

Some nations like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt were already independent long before World War II, however most would gain their independence in a twenty year period from 1950-1970. This was especially true in 1960 when no less than 17 different African nations declared independence, thus this year is commonly referred to as "The Year of Africa." Some nations, like Ghana, were able to secure their independence with more peaceful means, others like Algeria and Kenya were forced to fight to end colonial rule.

The social consequences of the influx of independent nations in Africa was, of course, an increase in national power and pride for the continent, as well as representation for the nations therein on the world stage. It has also lead to a great deal of strife and civil unrest, as follows any period of great social upheaval.