Expert: Dan Smith - 11/21/2004

Question
become departments.  The maintenance, security, and upkeep of the colonies outweighed the financial or prestigious gains.   

World War II did not directly promote the cause of anti-colonialism, though the end of the colonial system resulted largely from World War II.  Both the Axis and Allies supported anti-colonial native leaders on their side.  Germany and Italy disseminated propaganda to Arabs in North Africa to rise up against Britain and France.  World War II gave the native leaders a chance to gain political and military experience, and confidence that they previously did not have.  In addition, World War II also weakened Britain and France in that when the war was over they could no longer reassert themselves in Africa.

Anti-colonialism started well before the Second World War.  The war, however, accelerated the effect.  Britain needed massive help in fighting Germany, Italy, and Japan.  Troops from Africa and other parts of the empire were needed.  To guarantee these troops and other war materials the British promised more independence for many parts of the empire.  At the end of World War II, a new labor government emerged which helped many of the colonies to obtain independence.  Also, in order to get needed American support Britain had to promise more independence for colonial lands.  The United States believed that the people should have the choice of their own future.  Europe had lost its power base and began to lose its colonies.  England and France along with Italy and the Netherlands, all had colonies before World War II started and at the end of the war, their economies were shattered, their national banks were filled with nothing but debts to the American and their armies were filled with injured soldiers sick of fighting.  

Answer
I don't suppose you have a friend named Peter, do you? I have explained to him my policy regarding pro bono work, and this looks a lot like his work in a question on the same topic that I answered earlier.

Sorry to have to impose limits, but I really must.