NATIONALISM SPREADS
TO THE MIDDLE EAST,
ASIA, AFRICA AND INDIA
Notes #5
Mr. Barchetto
Colonial Possessions During WWI
•WWI
•Post WWI
India
• Indians helped the British
Empire fight the Central
powers during WWI. They
hoped their service would
earn them their
independence.
Africa
• During WWI more than 1
million Africans fought on
behalf of their colonials
rulers, hoping their
service would lead to
more rights and
opportunities.
India
• Instead: Britain responded in
1919 with harsh new laws limiting
freedom of press and other
rights in India.
Africa
• Instead: German colonies
were divided amongst the
Allies.
Colonial Possessions During WWI
•WWI
Middle East
Arabs believed their contribution
to the Allies against the Ottoman
Empire in WWI would give them
independence after the war.
China
Chinese government sided with
Allies against Germany. They
hoped that the Allies, in gratitude
would return control of China to
the Chinese.
•Post WWI
• Middle East
• Instead the Allies carved up the
Ottoman lands, giving France and
Britain mandates to many Arab
nations.
• China
• Instead Allies at the Versailles
Peace Treaty allowed Japan to
keep their possessions in China
What commonality
do we see after WWI
between these FOUR
areas?
Growth of Nationalism
 Most nationalist movements were creations of Indians, Africans,
Arabs and Chinese educated by Western institutions as well
people who helped fight in the war.
 Why do you think colonial powers educated men from these societies
based on Western education? What do you think they hoped to gain?
Colonial powers hoped to create leaders in these nations
which would be models of the West. These new leaders
would run their nation based on Western values and
traditions.
 Why do you think these areas need a sense of nationalism before they
fight for their independence? What does nationalism do for a people?
Ottoman Empire During WWI
• Background
• Ottoman Empire founded in the 1300’s
• At its height controlled most of the Middle East, North Africa, large parts of
Europe
• By WWI much weaker, “Sick man of Europe”
• Sided with the Germans/Central Powers in WWI, was defeated by the Allies
• Nationalism in the Ottoman Empire Before/During WWI
• Nationalism appealed to a small elite (ex. Young Turks) but not to most
people before WWI
• During WWI, extreme nationalists took control of Ottoman Government
• Ottoman Empire was culturally and ethnically very diverse, lots of religions,
lots of ethnic minorities, why would that be a problem for ultranationalists?
• Result: Armenian Genocide, 1 to 1.5 million people killed
Ottoman Empire becomes Turkish Republic
• Treaty of Sevres
• Treaty signed by Turkey after the end of WWI (Turkey’s version of the
Versailles Treaty)
• Turkey lost all its possessions in the Middle East
• Allied countries occupied large chunks of Turkey
• Britain/France—southeast corner
• Greece—western coast
• Italy—southwestern coast
• International Zone—northwest corner
• Ottoman Sultan unable to do anything to repel the foreign invaders
• Sultan overthrown by the military, Mustafa Kemal
• Mustafa Kemal pushed all foreigners off of Turkish land
• Republic of Turkey established, Mustafa Kemal became first president
Nationalism in the Middle East: Syria, Iraq,
Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine
• Ottoman Empire during WWI
• British and French vs. Ottomans
• War not going well for the British/French, needed the Arabs to join their
side
• Hussein-McMahon Correspondence
• British ambassador (McMahon) promised the Sharif of Mecca (Hussein)
that the British would support Arab independence if the Arabs revolted
against the Ottoman Turks
• Arabs joined the British
• Fighting against the Ottoman Turks helped build Arab nationalism and
desire for an independent Arab state after the war
Nationalism in Asia
• French Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia)
•
•
•
•
•
Wanted independence from France
Ho Chi Minh = the leader of the Vietnamese movement for independence
Vietnamese heavily influenced by communism, ideas of Lenin and the USSR
No independence until after WWII
Vietnamese defeated the French in 1954 gained independence
• Japan
•
•
•
•
1920’s and 1930’s Japan was a liberal democracy
Heavily industrialized economy
Problems: Japan had a lot of people but not many natural resources
Late 1920’s the economy began to decline many turned away from
liberalism and towards militant nationalism
• Nationalists saw the military as the solution to Japan’s economic problems
Nationalism and Communism in China
• Background: China in the early 1900s
• China was once the most powerful/advanced country in the world
• During the late 1800s imperialized by European powers, “spheres of
influence”
• Chinese government lost control of most of the country to either European
powers or local warlords who did whatever they wanted
• Sun Yat-sen founded the Chinese Nationalist party to fight against
European Imperialism and Chinese warlords
• Paris Peace Conference: many in China hoped that the major powers would
support Chinese independence, no more imperialism in China, that didn’t
happen, led to a major upsurge in Chinese nationalism