Africa and the Middle East

Ch. 30

African Independence

Africa in early 1900s

African Independence

• Africa today

Independence Gained

• European rule starts to end after WW II

• England and France no $ to support colonies

• Ghana, 1st nation to gain independence

• Led by Kwame Nkrumah• 17 more independent

nations in 1960

Independence problems• France fought to maintain

control in Algeria• National Liberation Front

(FLN) fought guerilla war to win freedom – granted in 1962 (after 8 years)

• South Africa• African National Congress

(ANC) fights for black equality – Nelson Mandela

• Apartheid pushed by Afrikaners (Dutch)

• Desmond Tutu, F.W. de Klerk

With New Independence Comes…• Economic questions

– Kenya and Congo = capitalism– Tanzania, Ghana, Guinea = African

socialism– Dependent on exports (Liberia/rubber,

Nigeria/oil)• Pan-Africanism (unity of all black

Africans)• Led by Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta

(Kenya)• Hunger (Ethiopia, Sudan)• AIDS (2/3 of global total in sub-

Saharan Africa)• Poverty (3/4 of people live off land;

drought)• Civil War (Nigeria, Rwanda)

Society and Culture• African cities look a lot like western

cities• Rural areas missing modern amenities• After independence women allowed

to vote and run for office• Still lack range of career options• Rural areas – traditional attitudes

(arranged marriages, etc.)• Art = balance between tradition and

western• Chinua Achebe (Things Fall Apart) –

influence of western culture on traditional African village

Middle East

Conflicts a go-go

Palestine• Pre-WWII Palestine home to Arabs• Zionists wanted Palestine as home for Jews• 1948, state of Israel created by United Nations (failed invasion by

Arab nations)• Arabs still claim land as their own and refuse Israel’s right to

exist

Nasser and Pan-Arabism

• In Egypt, Britain and France controlled the Suez Canal

• In 1956 Gamal Abdel Nasser (leader of Egypt) took it back

• Britain, France, and Israel attacked to get control – Egypt was backed by US and USSR

• With new power, Nasser promoted Pan-Arabism

• Concerns over oil profit-sharing led to failure of united Arab state

Arab-Israeli Conflict• Six Day War (1967)• Israel vs. Arab Nations, over

in…6 days• Israel took control of Golan

Heights, West Bank and Sinai Peninsula

• Egypt leads attack in 1973 (new president Anwar el-Sadat)

• War led to rise in oil prices set by OPEC

• 1977 peace treaty – Camp David Accords (Egypt and Israel, with Pres. Jimmy Carter mediating)

Further Arab-Israel Stuff• Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) – led by

Yasir Arafat• Terrorist attacks against Israel• Intifada occurred in 1980s and early 2000s (militant

uprising)• Some agreements made but slow in progress

Iran

• In 1950s-1970s under leadership of US-supported Shah (leader)

• Muslims opposed westernization

• Led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

• 1979 Islamic Revolution – take US Hostages

• Poor Iran-US relations since

Iraq

• Saddam Hussein takes over in 1979

• Attacks Iran in 1980 (war ends in 1988, US supported Iraq)

• Invades Kuwait in 1990• US leads attack against

Iraq (1st Persian Gulf War)

Afghanistan• Developed close ties with USSR ($ help)• Internal fighting to overthrow communism led to USSR

invasion 1979• US supports Afghani resistance – USSR leaves in 1989• Taliban takes over (human rights violations)• US invades and drives out Taliban – now looking for

terrorists (Osama bin Laden)

Society and Culture• Islamic law, Islamic militants

– Sadat assassinated in 1981– Terrorism

• Women’s roles– Oppressive by western

standards (used to be relaxed and open for women)

• Literature– More secular (non-spiritual)

writings– Naguib Mahfouz (Cairo Trilogy)

– shows changes in Arab family as well as in Egypt