1. Comparison:
Decolonization
Natasha Alvarez

2. Thesis
No matter if nation’s independence (de jure) was
violent or non- violent, the consequences of
decolonization, among them crippled
economies, ethnic violence and even global
conflict, eventually led to developing nations still
not economically independent

3. India
• Mughal Rule: 1520s (Babur, Akbar)
• British East India Company: 17th century (spice trade)
• Negotiated with Mughals to carry out trade: Bombay, Calcutta,
Madras
• Direct rule: Bengal/ Indirect rule: other provinces
• 1850: sphere of influence (entire Indian subcontinent)
• Great Revolt of 1857
Nationalist roots: failed tradition
• British Raj (Crown rule: Queen Victoria)
• Colony of exploration (exploitation?)

4. British Rule: Railway System

5. British Rule: Raj
• Segregation + civil lines – enhance power/ control
• Challenging of policies + economic reforms
• 1885: Indian National Congress
• 1906: Muslim League
The subaltern is beginning to speak…!

6. British Rule: Raj
Political movements (growing nationalism)
• Turning Point #1: 1919, Rowlett Bills
• Swadeshi: boycotting
• Satyagraha: non-violence resistance
• Promotion of swaraj: home- rule
• Turning Point #2: 1919, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (General
Dyer)
• Gandhi called off satyagraha
• Swadeshi: Non- Cooperation Movement
• Promotion of khadi: home spun
• Salt March (1930)

7. Negotiated Independence
• 1935: Government of India Act
• 1937: Elections
• 1940: Lahore Resolution
• 1942: Cripps Mission
• 1942: Quit Indian Movement (Nehru)
• Crashing British economy after WWII
1947: Indian Independence

8. Vietnam
• Chinese rule: 40 AD (To Dinh)
• Trung Sisters: led people’s army which drove Chinese out of Viet
Nam
Nationalist roots: failed tradition
• Tây So’n + Nguyên dynastinies: 1778 to 1945
• Supression of Catholicism after emperor Nguyên
• Uprisings – used as excuses for France to invade Vietnam
• Orders Napoleon III of France, 1858: attack port of Da Nang
• French troops landed in northern Vietnam, 1873 and again in
1882
• French Indochina: 1887

9. French Rule

10. French Rule: Vichy
Political movements (growing nationalism)
• Turning point #1: Gia Dinh fell to French troops
• Resistance movements:
• Dong Du (Go East): 1905
• Duy Tan (Modernization)
• Turning point #2: Japanese invasion, 1940
• Viet Minh Front formed by Ho Chi Minh
• Dominated by communist party
• Worked with American Office of Strategic Services
• Vacuum after famine + Japanese defeat
Nationalist control…

11. Violent Independence
• First Indochina War: 1945 to 1950
• South Vietnam: under Bao Dai
• North Vietnam: Ho’s Democratic Republic
• Supply with artillery: communist China + communist Soviet Union
• Guerrilla fighters: tactics + civilian intelligence
• Dien Bien Phu: 1954
• Geneva Accords: French left colonies in Indochina
1954: Vietnamese independence ‘de jure’

12. Consequences ETHNIC CONFLICT: PARTITION

13. Consequences
GLOBAL CONFLICT: VIETNAM WAR
Participants: France, US, Laos,
Cambodia, Soviet Union, People’s
Republic of China, UK, Australia, South
Korea, New Zealand, India, Thailand

14. Consequences
CRIPPLED ECONOMIES – BECOME DEVELOPING ECONOMIES

15. Comparing & Contrasting

16. Explanations
INDIA VIETNAM
Nationalist
Growing nationalism since a
failed rebellion, Great
Revolt, until independence
(1947)
Growing nationalism, since
a failed rebellion, Trung
Sisters, until end of Vietnam
War (1975)
Metropolitan
Negotiated independence
was only successful due to
crashing British economy
after WWII
Independence was not
dependent on Western/
colonial relationship
Internationalist
International movements,
including the Non-
Alignment did not affect
situation and independence
International movements,
including the Non-
Alignment did not affect
situation and independence

17. Theories
INDIA VIETNAM
Gayatri
Spivak
The subaltern did speak, through
political movements, though it
was not merely sufficient
(metropolitan explanation)
The subaltern did speak, through
resistance movements and guerilla
tactics
Benedict
Anderson
Nationalism and nationalistic
movements did create the Indian
nation (1947: de facto)
Nationalism and nationalistic
movements did create the
Vietnamese nation (1975: de facto)
A.G. Hopkins
Globalization: decolonization
eventually directs nations to be
developing (consequences)
Globalization: decolonization
eventually directs nations to be
developing (consequences)
Edward Said Orient defined the West: Indian
trade + end British colony
Orient defined the West: Vietnam
War affected the USA (American
war strategies)
Kemper Nationalism came from a local
response to colonizers: Rowlett
Bills + Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Nationalism came from a local
response to colonizers: falling Gia
Dinh + Japanese invasion

18. World System Theory
BEFORE DECOLONIZATION:
• Scenario #1:
• Core nations: England
• Periphery: India
• Semi- Periphery: China
• Scenario #2
• Core nations: France
• Periphery: Vietnam
• Semi- Periphery: China

19. World System Theory
AFTER DECOLONIZATION
• Scenario #1:
• Core nations: United States
• Semi- periphery: India
• Periphery: Sub- Saharan Africa
• Scenario #2:
• Core nations: China
• Semi-periphery: Vietnam
• Periphery: Sub- Saharan Africa

20. So what?