Routledge

Chapter Resources

Chapter 4: The European colonial empires, 1900–45

Debates

Debating the origins of modern Western imperialism

Maps

The British Empire in 1922

The Middle East in 1922

Africa in 1922

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did the European Great Powers engage in empire-building in the decades immediately before the First World War?
  2. For what reasons and with what consequences did the imperial powers engage in modernization policies in their colonial possessions?
  3. “Nationalist unrest in the inter-war period was largely due to the influence of one man — Woodrow Wilson.” Discuss.
  4. What effect did the emergence of Kemalist Turkey and Guomindang China have on the history of empire in the inter-war period?
  5. What effect did the Great Depression have on the European colonial empires?
  6. “The decline of the European empires began ironically in the early 1920s with the demand of the Dominions for greater independence.” Discuss.
  7. Why was the European colonial hold over the Middle East in the inter-war period so contentious and fragile?
  8. Account for the failure of the Indian nationalist movement to evict Britain from India during the inter-war period.
  9. Account for the relative lack of nationalist unrest in sub-Saharan Africa between 1919 and 1945.
  10. Why did the Second World War have a more profound impact on the drive towards decolonization than the First World War?

Weblinks

This chapter does not lend itself to weblinks — please refer to the recommended reading in the textbook for additional support material.