End of the Empire

Jorge Delgado and Derric Smith

End of the Empire

After the Macmillan gave a speech in Cape Town, South Africa there was a called “Wind of Change” through the African continent. At the time there was a colonial war that France was fighting in Algeria, and in an effort to avoid the same situation Macmillan granted independence to many African nations.

In the 1950’s Sudan, Gold Coast, and Malaya achieved independence. In the 1960’s all of Africa except Zimbabwe and Namibia had been independence. By 1968 the rest of Africa except Srhosesis had been granted independence. The Mediterranean islands Malta, and Gozo were granted independence in 1964. In 1962 Jamaica and Trinidad were granted independence. In 1966 Barbados was granted independence. Through the 1970’s and 80’s Anauilla, Turks, and Caics Islands revert back to the British rule, after stating a plan toward independence. In addition the Cayman islands kept ties with the British Government. In 1966 Guyana achieved independence. In 1970 Fiji and Vanuatu in 1980 slowly gained there independence, it was delayed because there was a conflict between the English and French speaking communities. The islands were joint administered with France, after a while Fiji, Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea became Commonwealth realms.

Zimbabwe and Vanuatu were granted independence in 1980. Belize became independent. Decolonization after the war was mostly complete and in 1982, British military was tested when Argentina invaded its Falkland Islands on the belief that the Spanish Empire land claim was still valid. Britain's military stood its ground, and they managed to retake the islands, proving they were still of power. September 1982, Prime Minister Margaret Thacher travelled to Beijing to discus with the Chinese government of the future of the British last well populated territory, Hong Kong. Under a 99 year least the land belonged to the British, and they proposed British administration with Chinese sovereignty, of course that was rejected by China. Over the course of many discussions, it was placed under the control of the Chinese government in 1997, and that marked the “end of the Empire.”