Post-War Period: Cold War & Decolonization

• The post-war period was a time of decentralization for the English-speaking world.
• Britain faced economic difficulties, decolonization complexities, and US Cold War politics.

The Cold War

• After World War II, Europe was no longer the center of world power.
• The United States and the Soviet Union became the main global powers.
• The world was split between capitalism and communism, leading to the Cold War.
• The Cold War ended between 1989 and 1991 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Decolonization and the Golden Age

• Decolonization in Africa and Asia marked the end of colonial empires.
• There was also a period of economic development dubbed 'the Golden Age' between 1945 and 1970.
• The Golden Age affected capitalist countries, increasing wealth and consumption.

Britain After the War

• In 1945, Britain focused on fighting unemployment, nationalizing public services, creating a Welfare State, and investing in construction.
• The Labour Party won the 1945 election unexpectedly.
• The Welfare State was the most significant achievement of Clement Attlee's government (1945-1951).
• The Welfare State aimed to provide welfare assistance to all citizens regardless of income.
• Significant measures included old-age pensions, unemployment benefits, illness benefits (National Insurance Act, 1946), and expanded medical care (National Health Service, 1948).
• The government invested heavily in public housing and nationalized basic services.
• Safety and quality of life increased for British citizens.
• The Conservatives regained power in 1951, led by Churchill, Eden and MacMillan.
• There was a decade of intense economic growth, increasing salaries and consumption.

The Empire and The Cold War

• Maintaining the Empire became incompatible with Britain's economic resources.
• Britain's declining importance was evident during the Suez Crisis of 1956.
• Britain, France and Israel opted for military expedition after Egypt nationalized the Suez channel.
• The US did not support the war, and Eden had to withdraw his troops.
• Britain's disengagement from its Empire was gradual.
• The Commonwealth retained economic weight and symbolized Britain's presence in the world.
• The slow retreat from the colonies also reflected America's will to have Western garrisons and prevent a communist victory.

Decolonization

• India, Britain's main colony, became independent in 1947 with Pakistan.
• Burma and Ceylon gained independence the following after India.
• Britain completed decolonization throughout the 1960s in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.
• Decolonization was mostly peaceful, with only a few wars of national liberation in Kenya and Rhodesia.
• Britain retained a few Pacific islands, Hong Kong (until 1997), Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.

The Return of the Labour Party

• The Labour Party regained power under Harold Wilson (1964-1970) after 13 years.
• Key problems included a deficit in trade and weak policies.
• Britain turned to the US for financial aid in exchange for political support in the Vietnam War.
• Anti-war movements made this agreement unpopular.
• Nationalist political forces rose in Wales and Scotland.
• The Labour Party was defeated in the 1970 election.

Britain and Europe

• The relationship between Britain and Europe was difficult.
• Britain was isolationist and felt nationally superior.
• Britain did not participate in the creation of the European Economic Community (1957).
• Britain instead strengthened its alliance with the U.S.
• Britain and the EEC grew closer due to the loss of the Empire.
• In 1972 and 1973, Britain officially joined the European Community.
• Britain's entry into the EEC responded minimally to the country's markets and created distrust towards Europe which did not turn into a clash.

Economic and political crisis

• The early 1970s were dominated by an economic crisis, which was tackled by a Conservative government led by Edward Heath (1970-1974).
• Edward Heath enacted free-trade-policies which tried to safeguard British production (e.g. nationalisation of Rolls Royce in 1971).
• Heath implemented the Industrial Relations Act (1971) which limited the right to strike.
• Heath began to clash with the Trade Unions.
• 1972 had the highest number of strike days since 1926, the year of the General Strike.
• With the Liberals regaining strength alongside nationalist parties, the 1974 election questioned the traditional bipolar political system.
• Victory of the Labour Party caused a stir within the Conservative party.
• Margaret Thatcher became the party's leader in 1975.

Margaret Thatcher (Iron Lady)

• Thatcher's victory in 1979-1990 marked a change in the country's political direction.
• She was the first woman PM in the UK.
• Thatcher accomplished what became known as neo-liberalism; less state interference, privatization, and deregulation.
• The Iron Lady fought against strikes and trade unions.
• She reinforced nationalism by intervening militarily in the occupied Falkland Islands.
• Victory in the Falklands earned her popularity, but economic difficulties lead to her political defeat in 1990.

The US at the end of WWII

• Roosevelt died in April 1945 and Harry Truman became president (1945-1953).
• The US was one of the two main world powers economically and politically alongside the Soviet Union.
• The US reorganized military defense by creating the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
• The CIA countered the spread of communism, and intervened in friendly governments.

Fear of Communism

• America's political climate was characterized by a fear of communism.
• China became communist in 1949 and the USSR developed nuclear arms.
• The Korean War fueled Americans' fears further.
• Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy conducted a ‘witch-hunt’ through the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
• Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were charged without any evidence of espionage in favor of the Soviet Union and sentenced to death in 1953.

Americanization of the world

• The victory of General Dwight D. Eisenhower was facilitated by fear and suspicion.
• His presidency coincided with the economic boom that followed the Korean War.
• Mass consumption grew, per-capita income increased by 18.5% and life expectancy went up.
• The ‘American way of life' became a model to be exported, but there was high poverty among farmers and the black population.

Kennedy Presidency

• Democrat John F. Kennedy (1961-63) became the youngest president and first Catholic in the White House.
• Television played a role in Kennedy's campaign using impressive communication skills.
• His slogan was the ‘New Frontier', meaning better conditions of life, technological development, opposition to communism and civil rights

African-American Civil Rights Movement

• The black minority was discriminated against and had limited citizen's rights.
• In 1954 a Supreme Court ruling outlawed segregation in schools.
• Black militancy split into two paths: integration and separation.
• Martin Luther King led a march of 250,000 people seeking integration.
• Malcolm X advocated for separatism and believed in violence as a valid means of defense.
• Both leaders were killed in 1960s.

The Vietnam War

• Kennedy was murdered in Dallas in 1963.
• Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-69) had high military expenditure connected with Vietnam and the country's progressive involvement.
• Vietnam war undermined America's prestige as the country lost for the first time and the US began to be perceived as a big imperialist power fighting to deprive a small country of its freedom and independence.

Protest Movements

• The Vietnam conflict divided the country over the outcome, government lies, death toll, and imperialist motivations.
• Anti-war protests unified youth and university movements. intense season of mobilization was held against authoritarianism and conformism.
• Protests supported civil rights especially for black people and for women, whose battles were led by the feminist movement.

Nixon Years

• Nixon became president in 1969 and was Republican.
• The oil crisis, high military expenses linked to the Vietnam War, and competition caused a deep economic depression.
• The Watergate scandal led to Nixon's resignation.
• His representatives had the Democratic Party spied on and the FBI had derogatory campaigns held against them.
• Scandal reinforced that the control of American democracy could still function, while increasing citizens' distrust of political power overall.

Reagan's Neo-Liberalism

• After presidency from Jimmy Carter (1976-81), the Republicans returned to power with Ronald Reagan (1981-89).
• Reagan's economic recovery strategies were similar to Margaret Thatcher.
• Inflation was restrained, protests were repressed, welfare services were limited, and taxation for private enterprises were reduced.
• Reagan gained popularity, but thanks primarily to his intense foreign policy activity.
• He promoted the against the 'evil empire' of communism.
• He also had an ally in Gorbachev's USSR.