During WWII, colonies were highly important for the allies because they allowed enhancing human resources and keeping additional military bases. However, after the war, numerous nationalist rebellions in colonies rose. As a result of losing such insurgencies, Britain and France, once-powerful empires, had no choice but to grant independence to many previously colonized states. One of the reasons why colonization unraveled so quickly after WWII was that the movements for freedom in colonies had started long before the war, and they increased in intensity by the war’s end. Another contributing factor was that post-war France and Britain had to accommodate to military dependence on the USA. This fact limited their possibilities in colonies.
Decolonization initiated both advantages and disadvantages for the allies and their colonies. For instance, decolonizing Algeria caused severe ideological aftermath in France. A large wave of immigration started, which caused issues on national and ethnic levels. For Britain, the granting of independence to the previously dependent republics had both positive and negative aftermath. In India, the fight for independence had lasted for several decades due to Gandhi’s efforts. Thus, separating that colony was relatively easy and expected by Britain. However, in other parts of the empire, significant problems arose. In Cyprus, for instance, counterinsurgency techniques were employed to make sure that potential insurgents were isolated. In Fiji, the matter was in ethnonationalism, which evolved after obtaining independence. Despite numerous disadvantages, there were some benefits for the allies and their colonies, such as new economic policies and parties. However, the politics of decolonization was met with skepticism on the part of the USA, which considered that former colonies did not have enough experience and knowledge to govern themselves.