1945–1960s: (The International Climate — Indian Independence as Inspiration, Japan’s Humiliation of European Powers in Southeast Asia, the United States Espo…

1945–1960s: (The International Climate — Indian Independence as Inspiration, Japan’s Humiliation of European Powers in Southeast Asia, the United States Espousing Anti-Colonialism but Prioritizing Anti-Communism, Military Aid to Portugal’s Fascist Regime Fighting Marxist Guerrillas, and the Soviet Union Offering an Ideological Alternative and Military Hardware from the 1960s Onward): The world was dramatically different in 1945. Events in Asia were significant for Africa — Indian nationalist advances appeared to point toward an empire in retreat and inspired African movements on both sides of the Sahara. During the war, Japan had been seen as a model of successful non-European anti-colonial power, humbling the Dutch, British, and French across Southeast Asia and capturing Singapore with astonishing ease, though its reputation as a liberating force was destroyed by its own behavior toward occupied populations. The emergence of the United States as a truly global power had enormous impact — Roosevelt’s deeply felt antipathy toward European imperialism had pushed for a decolonization timetable, but after his death anti-imperialism dropped down the US agenda as the Cold War took priority. Of prime concern was that the Third World be protected from communism, which was believed to prey on the vulnerable and destitute — European imperialism could be reinterpreted as offering protection to primitive peoples prone to radical predation. The US continued to espouse anti-colonial doctrine, but its antipathy to communism was much stronger, and it was willing to intervene in support of colonial regimes threatened by communist insurrection — military aid was provided to Portugal’s fascist regime fighting Marxist guerrillas in Angola and Mozambique in the 1960s. The Soviet Union also came of age, presenting itself as anti-colonial to its core and by the 1960s offering diplomatic and military support to African independence movements, representing an ideological alternative and the possibility of acquiring military hardware.