What happened to British colonies after ww2?

The Cold War added further complexities, as Britain attempted to insulate former colonies from the influence of the Soviet Union. In 1997 Hong Kong returned to Chinese administration. Though Britain still maintains overseas territories, the handover marked the final end of Britain’s empire.

How many colonies did Britain have after ww2?

At its most extensive, the British Empire comprised 57 colonies, dominions, territories or protectorates from Australia, Canada and India to Fiji, Western Samoa and Tonga.

Did Britain have colonies in ww2?

Britain’s colonies in West Africa, Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and Nigeria also served as staging posts and military bases during World War Two. The war also meant increased demands for raw materials, which were sometimes produced by forced labour.

Why did Britain decolonize after ww2?

[42] Without question, the process of decolonization eroded Britain’s pretense of ‘world power’ status. Lacking economic clout or the strategic bases essential to independently project global military power, Britain was compelled to accept relegation to the status of a European middle power.

How many countries did the UK colonize?

The British Empire stretched into each part of the world. Territories were held across the continents. There remain 14 British Territories Overseas.

How were the English successful in colonizing America?

Rather than formal colonization, however, the most successful early English ventures in the New World were a form of state-sponsored piracy known as privateering. Queen Elizabeth sponsored sailors, or “Sea Dogges,” such as John Hawkins and Francis Drake, to plunder Spanish ships and towns in the Americas.

What nations did Britain grant independence to in 1957?

In 1957 the British colony of the Gold Coast became the independent nation of Ghana. Did Britain grant Ghanaian independence or was this the result of the actions of Ghanaian nationalists, led by Kwame Nkrumah? Many historians see the post-World War Two period as one of British retreat from its empire.