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Nationalism in the early 20th century
History 20th century nationalism
Nationalism in the early 20th century
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The years after World War One brought about vast changes to many parts of the world. Places like South Asia and the Middle East were able to see the need for self government away from foreign control. This sparked a number of nationalist movements during the 1920’s and 1930’s. The Middle East had to Westernize to rid foreign control while India had to be united under non-violence and Hindu values.
Before WW1, the Middle East was dominated by outside powers. Egypt was under British control and Persia was divided in to Russian and British spheres of influence. The Ottomans tried to promote change with the Tanzimat reforms which allowed some industrialization and modernization. However, in 1908, the Young Turks took over and attempted faster change. Unfortunately, the Young Turks sided with the Germans in WW1, so the Middle East was directly involved in the war. The Ottomans were the losers and their empire was broken up. The Arabs were disappointed because they had rebelled against Ottoman rule and sided with the Allies in an effort to attain an independent Arab nation. Rather, the British and French placed a mandate on the Arab regions of Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine. Under the Balfour declaration (1917), the British granted a Jewish tolerance in Palestine and alienated the Arabs in these territories in response to the persecution in Germany. Thus, the Jewish population rose by twenty percent and the World Zionist Organization was created to increase Jewish migration. In 1932, the conservative state of Saudi Arabia was created by Ibn Saud since he was able to rid the Ottomans out of the Arab peninsula. In 1938, the discovery of oil marked the beginning of economic modernization that only aided the elites of...
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...s that included satyagraha, or hold to the truth. This prevented bloody revolts like those of Egypt.. For example, when the British placed a high tax on salt, Gandhi led 50,000 people on a 200 mile march to the sea to make their own salt. Gandhi was taken to prison many times. Gandhi was able to work with Jawaharalal Nehru, a young lawyer to receive reforms from the British. The British finally granted a constitution in 1935 which was a beginning step towards independence.
Therefore, after WW1, both the Middle East and South Asia had nationalist movements. Modernization to rid foreign control of the Middle East was rare and had to be pushed by Westernization since politicians had to oppose to Muslim tradition. Rather, India rid foreign control by being united and staying true to their beliefs.
Works Cited
World Civilizations Textbook
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These improvements and benefits from British rule eventually led to Indian nationalism. The exposure to European ideas caused an Indian nationalist movement, the people dreamed of ending Imperial rule.
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The flash of machine guns and the blare of shells were brand new to the veterans. Both the soldiers on the front and their family at home did not realize how much WW1 would change war forever. WW1, beginning in 1914 and ending in 1918 involved two major parties. The triple alliance, including Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary, and the triple entente, including France, Great Britain, and Russia fought the biggest War that the world had ever seen. We know the story, but when we read the between the pages, what were the underlying causes of the Great War that changed history? Through extensive research among primary and secondary documents, the answer has been found. The hidden causes were militarism, nationalism, and the system of alliances. Militarism led nations to jump at war prematurely. Nationalism causes other nations to become suspicious, and it also leads to a war that could easily be resolved other ways. The system of alliances was another underlying cause, as it made the war a world war by bringing all of Europe into it. WW1 began because of militarism, nationalism, and the system of alliances.
The Middle East has historically rebuked Western influence during their process of establishing independence. When Britain and France left the Middle East after World War II, the region saw an unprecedented opportunity to establish independent and self-sufficient states free from the Western influence they had felt for hundreds of years. In an attempt to promote nationalistic independence, the states of the region immediately formed the League of Arab States in 1945. The League recognized and promoted the autonomy of its members and collaborated in regional opposition against the West until 1948 when Israel declared independence. Israel represented then and now an intrusive Western presence in the Arab world. The ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict typifies this cultural antagonism. The Cold War refocused attention to the Middle East as a site of economic and strategic importance for both sides, yet the two hegemons of the Cold War now needed to recognize the sovereignty of the Middle Eastern states. With their statehood and power cemented, the Middle Easte...
Whilst the growth of Indian nationalism put considerable pressure on the Raj, historians offer many interpretations as to the fundamental cause of Independence. Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement and subsequent campaigns meant that nationalism began to appeal to the masses and helped establish a broad based movement for Independence. However, the British were always able to supress the nationalist movements, through reform or by using force, up to the Quit India movement of 1942. British involvement in the Great War and particularly the Second World War placed them in a weaker position economically, whilst the social and political expectations of the Indian people were changing, which strengthened nationalism and discontent.
Despite numerous conflicts with the British and with the Muslims, India fought for its rights by doing what they felt was right. India under the British rule had some benefits as the new school system and outlawing sati but they did manage to trouble the Indians with taxation and other laws. Gandhi who was an outstanding, important figure in India’s way for independence who taught to fight with nonviolence.
India was under the control of European colonial powers, through trade and conquest. The Indian independence movement began with the creation of two movements: The Indian National Congress in 1885 and The Muslim League in 1905. Both groups wished to see India as an independent state which was realized in 1947.