This report recently declassified assesses – in 1948 – the implications of the decolonisation of Africa and Asia for US security. The report – which also mentioned the futile attempts of the Netherlands to hold on to the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia) – proofs to be amazingly accurate about the broad issues of global decolonisation that happened in subsequent years and decades.
The report identifies the growth of native nationalism and the decline in power and prestige of the colonial powers as the primary causes of the break-up of the European colonial empires. It also notes that the emergence of new, nationalistic states in the former colonial world will have a significant impact on the global balance of power.
The report concludes that the US should support the decolonisation process but should also take steps to protect its own interests in the former colonial world. These interests include access to raw materials, markets, and strategic military bases. The report also warns that the decolonisation process could lead to instability and conflict in some areas, and that the US should be prepared to intervene to prevent these problems.
The CIA Report on the Break-Up of Colonial Empires 1948 is a significant document that provides insights into the thinking of US policymakers at a critical juncture in history. It is a reminder that the decolonisation process was not a smooth or easy one, and that it had a profound impact on the global order.
Here are some of the key findings of the report:
- The break-up of the European colonial empires is a major trend in the twentieth century world power situation.
- The primary cause of the break-up is the growth of native nationalism in these areas, simultaneously with the decline in power and prestige of the colonial powers.
- The emergence of young, nationalistic states in the former colonial world will have a significant impact on the global balance of power.
- The US should support the decolonisation process but should also take steps to protect its own interests in the former colonial world.
- The decolonisation process could lead to instability and conflict in some areas, and the US should be prepared to intervene to prevent these problems.
The report is available from the US National Archives: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/225248716
