The Decolonization Era
The dismantling of European colonial empires and the birth of new nations across Africa and Asia.
Indian Independence & Partition
India and Pakistan gain independence from Britain, accompanied by massive communal violence and the displacement of millions.
Indonesian Independence
The Netherlands recognizes Indonesian sovereignty after four years of armed struggle, ending 350 years of colonial rule.
French Defeat at Dien Bien Phu
Vietnamese forces defeat the French army, ending French colonial rule in Indochina and inspiring anti-colonial movements worldwide.
Bandung Conference
Twenty-nine newly independent Asian and African nations gather in Indonesia, articulating a vision of non-alignment and anti-colonialism.
Ghana Gains Independence
Ghana becomes the first sub-Saharan African colony to gain independence, led by Kwame Nkrumah, inspiring the continent.
Year of Africa
Seventeen African nations gain independence in a single year, fundamentally transforming the continent's political map.
Algerian Independence
Algeria wins independence from France after a brutal eight-year war that killed an estimated 1.5 million Algerians.
Organization of African Unity Founded
Thirty-two African states establish the OAU to promote continental unity and support remaining liberation movements.
Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence
White-minority Rhodesia breaks from Britain to preserve racial rule, beginning a 15-year liberation struggle.
Bangladesh Independence
East Pakistan breaks away to form Bangladesh after a devastating war and genocide that kills an estimated 300,000-3 million people.
Portuguese Colonies Gain Independence
Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau achieve independence after Portugal's Carnation Revolution topples the last European colonial dictatorship.
Fall of Saigon
Vietnam is reunified under communist rule, ending the last major colonial-era conflict in Southeast Asia.