Expert: Dan Smith - 11/20/2004

Question
   World War II drained the resources of many European countries, most notably Britain, thus encouraging independence movements.  During and after World War II, there was increased industrialization of the West.  Most colonies had originally been set up by Britain and France to take advantage of slave or indentured labor.  Once technology had replaced this need for this mass labor, the colonies were no longer necessary.  World War II was a watershed of the political affairs throughout the Empires of Europe.  The post war years saw a growing social and political consciousness amongst the colonies.  They observed the apparent weakness of their colonial masters as they recovered from the devastating war and saw this as an opportunity to gain self-rule at the least or full independence at most.  Also Russia sought to extend its influence throughout the world and this brought into play the America which did not trust the weakened European powers to provide strong leadership against the Soviet threat.  This coupled with more liberal politics in France and Great Britain saw a rush for independence in the West African colonies in the late 1950 and the early 1960s.  Nationalist movements in these colonies won important electoral successes and paved the way for their eventual independence.

As World War II progressed, the colonial powers were becoming minor players in world politics.  Anti-colonialism was promoted due to World War II because the wealthy powerful nations realized that colonization was no longer economically feasible.  World War II demonstrated how weak European nation were. After World War II, Britain's Empire crumbled.  Britain was of the opinion that they were no longer able to afford her colonies.  France at this time gave her colonies the option to become independent or to  

Answer
World War II drained the resources of many European countries, most notably Britain, thus encouraging independence movements in what had been colonial possessions. During and after World War II, the West had become increasingly industrialized. Most colonies had originally been set up by Britain and France to take advantage of slave or indentured labor, but technological advances had reduced the need for such labor.
The colonies were no longer necessary.

World War II therefore became a watershed in the political affairs of Europe. The postwar years saw growing social and political consciousness among the people of the colonies. They observed the apparent weakness of their colonial masters as they recovered from the devastating war and saw an opportunity to gain self-rule at the least or full independence at most. Also following World War II, the Soviet Union sought to extend its influence throughout the world. America, which did not trust the weakened European powers to provide strong leadership against the Soviet threat, became the major counterforce to Soviet expansionism. This (this? these things, maybe?), coupled with more liberal politics in France and Great Britain, led to a rush for independence in the West African colonies in the late 1950s and the early 1960s. Nationalist movements in these colonies won important electoral successes and paved the way for their eventual independence.

As World War II progressed (I thought we were past WWII), the colonial powers were becoming minor players in world politics. Anticolonialism was in a sense a natural outcome of World War II because the wealthy powerful nations realized that colonial possession were no longer economically feasible. World War II demonstrated how weak European nation were.

After World War II, Britain's Empire crumbled. British leaders were of the opinion that the country was no longer able to afford her colonies. France also at this time gave her colonies the option to become independent or to

Hope this helps. A major problem for you is that you try to cram too much information into too little space. Some of the concepts you are working with here demand considerably more attention. The transitions are nonexistent or very jarring. Use more paragraphs.

Hope this helps.