The Shifting Sands of Power: The Interwar World

THE INTERWAR PERIOD HIST 1301 | History Old Empires and New Colonies The interwar years saw a great deal of change in the political environment and the balance of power, not just in Europe but also around the world. The fall of the Ottoman Empire, a huge and once-powerful entity that had ruled the Middle East, North Africa, and portions of Eastern Europe for centuries, was one of the most significant developments. The Ottoman state had been declining for a long time before the end of World War I, which ultimately led to its dissolution. The Ottoman Empire came to an official end with the signing of the Treaties of Sèvres in 1920 and Lausanne in 1923, which divided its territory into several new nations and mandates that came under the influence or authority of the victorious Allied forces. The Republic of Turkey, which took up the previous empire's core Anatolian heartland, was the largest of these new states. Turkey began a significant process of modernization and secularisation under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's leadership, giving up much of its Ottoman heritage in the process of attempting to forge a new national identity based on Turkish nationalism. Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Transjordan are just a few of the new nation-states that have emerged in the Middle East as a result of the Ottoman Empire's fall. The League of Nations established a mandate system for these regions, with Britain and France serving as the primary administrative authorities. This arrangement created the foundation for upcoming disputes and tensions by frequently ignoring the intricate ethnic, religious, and tribal dynamics of the area. For instance, the British mandate in Iraq brought together various ethnicities such as Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Shiite Arabs, whose different identities and interests made governing a difficult task. Similar to this, the French mandate in Syria and Lebanon established arbitrary borders that did not take into consideration the complex terrain of sectarianism, planting the seeds of dissension that would eventually burst into civil unrest. Significant ramifications also resulted from Germany's possessions in Asia and Africa being redistributed. Germany lost all of her foreign holdings after the First World War, and they were transferred to the winning Allies in the form of mandates. Britain, France, Belgium, and South Africa shared Germany's former colonies in Africa: Togoland, Cameroon, German South West Africa (now Namibia), and German East Africa (now Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi). The exploitative methods of their forebears were frequently continued and strengthened by these new colonial rulers, who prioritised resource exploitation and the imposition of European political and cultural structures. Significant effects were felt by the local populace as a result of forced labour and foreign dominance over indigenous communities, which exacerbated social and economic inequality. Similar reassignments occurred to German holdings in the Pacific, which included sections of New Guinea and other island groupings, in Asia. Several of these areas, including the Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands, were acquired by Japan under the South Seas Mandate as it grew into a significant imperial power. Japan's strategic position in the Pacific was strengthened by this expansion, but it also increased tensions with other regional powers, especially the US, and created the conditions for more confrontations in the area. During this time, the idea of self-determination—which US President Woodrow Wilson supported—had a contradictory function. Although several ethnic and colonial groups' desires for independence and nationalist movements were sparked by it, its implementation was extremely selective and frequently hypocritical. The goal to match political borders with ethnic identities was reflected in the redrawing of borders and the founding of new republics like Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Poland throughout Europe as a result of the rhetoric of self-determination. To further the objectives of the colonial powers, the same idea was, nonetheless, mostly disregarded or twisted in the colonial realm. Nationalist ideology gained popularity across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa as local thinkers and leaders found inspiration in the idea of self-determination. Under the leadership of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, India's fight for independence from British control grew more intense during the interwar period. With its support for Swaraj, or self-rule, the Indian National Congress organised large-scale demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience, undermining the legitimacy of colonial rule and establishing the framework for ultimate independence. Similar to this, Arab nationalism rose to prominence in the Middle East throughout the interwar years. Arab leaders and groups started to demand more autonomy and selfgovernance after becoming disillusioned with European mandates and the promises of independence given during World War I. Although British influence persisted significantly, the Wafd Party, led by Saad Zaghloul, was crucial to Egypt's fight for independence from British rule. This effort resulted in Egypt's formal independence in 1922. Nationalist movements also started to appear throughout Africa, but more slowly. The effects of colonial authority, which were marked by social and economic inequality as well as economic exploitation, stoked African discontent and a yearning for independence. The interwar period established the groundwork for the political actions and beliefs of leaders like Kwame Nkrumah in modern-day Ghana and Jomo Kenyatta in Kenya who would go on to become major players in the post-World War II independence movements. The May Fourth Movement of 1919, which was a direct reaction to the Treaty of Versailles, which gave Japanese authority over German concessions in Shandong instead of restoring them to Chinese sovereignty, sparked a surge of Chinese nationalism throughout East Asia. Chinese intellectuals, reformers, and students were incensed at what they saw as Western betrayal of their country. This resulted in a wave of anti-imperialist feeling and the eventual ascent of the Chinese Communist Party alongside the Nationalist Kuomintang. Thus, the world underwent significant and far-reaching transformations throughout the interwar years. A surge of nationalist movements was sparked by the fall of ancient empires and the reorganisation of regions under new political frameworks, upending established power structures and changing the course of history for decades to come. Despite the inconsistent application of the rhetoric of self-determination, which frequently reflected the prejudices and interests of the major countries, its impact pervaded international politics and inspired a new generation of activists and leaders dedicated to the cause of national sovereignty and self-governance. These interwar changes have left a lasting legacy in modern international relations that emphasises the significance of this crucial period in global history.