Imperialism Dbq

In the late 19th century, Western Imperialism gave rise to movements of resistance and independence. Decolonization movements gained importance after World War II, not only because the wars sparked nationalism in the colonies. However, imperial powers weakened by the war were less able to suppress colonial independence. Many methods were used to gain independence. In some cases, fighting was to achieve independence from a colonizer such as France. However, in other cases decolonization was used to overthrow a government that was already independent, but perceived to be under Western imperial control. Although many world leaders support decolonization, others saw it as a threat to their own power and influence. Nonetheless, decolonization benefited

According to the Vietnam Declaration of Independence, although the Declaration of the French Revolution states that everyone is equal and free. Yet the French disregarded this abuse of liberty and forced imperialism on Vietnam (Document 2). The Vietnamese Declaration of Independence was a direct response to the French Revolution Declaration. It was a response to the French not applying liberty and equality principles to the colonies. This inspired the Vietnamese to fight for freedom and autonomy from French rule. Additionally, another Enlightenment idea that inspired leaders to promote decolonization was freedom of expression. Mohandas Gandhi in his "Quit India Speech" states, while the French and Russian revolutions fought for freedom, liberty and more, they used violence when the same thing could have been achieved with a non-violent protest. Freedom of expression needs to be respected (Document 1). India saw the success of the French and Russian revolutions and wanted to emulate them in their own fight for freedom in their own way. Gandhi encouraged citizens to express their thoughts and feelings and bring awareness. It can be concluded that most leaders sought decolonization thanks to Enlightenment ideas. Ideas such as liberty, equality, and freedom to express inspired them to fight for a cause in their own countries. It was

This was in direct contrast to colonial powers' oppressive rule systems. They wanted to create systems that reflect these countries' values and beliefs. This desire was often embraced by other countries and organizations. They wished to govern themselves and were determined to succeed. According to a speech made by Sukarno the Indonesian president, everyone is united and determined to end inequality, restore peace and stability and rule their country alone (Document 5). It was evident in the way these countries worked to overthrow the oppressive rule of the colonial powers and establish their own governments. This desire was shared by many countries and organizations, which saw the importance of self-determination and the need to end oppression and inequality. Additionally, countries worked deliberately for independence so they could run their own government. According to the Common Program of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the People’s Republic of China organizes its own government. Democracy is the political foundation of the republic. China is devoted to unity, independence, and peace (Document 3). The conference was designed to ensure that the Chinese people had a say in the formation of their government. It also ensured that it would respect its citizens' rights and freedoms. It outlined a vision of a unified, independent, and peaceful China. It also