Decolonization: Crash Course European History #43

After World War II, Europe was changing radically, and its place in the world was changing as well. European powers had colonized around the world in the 18th and 19th centuries, and in the 20th century, it all came crashing down. Of course the degree of crashing was variable from country to country.
Sources
-Buettner, Elizabeth. Europe After Empire: Decolonization, Society, and Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017.
-Kent, Susan Kingsley. A New History of Britain Since 1688: Four Nations and an Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, 2017.
-Ogle, Vanessa. “Archipelago Capitalism,” Public Lecture, Rutgers University, 2018.
-Smith, Bonnie G. Europe in the Contemporary World, 1900 to the Present. 2nd ed. London: Bloomsbury, 2020.
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#crashcourse #europeanhistory #decolonization

[@centreoftheselights]

I feel like a lot of people forget how recently all this happened. This was all within living memory; two of my grandparents were born in British colonies.

[@saaargummm1868]

Exactly

[@andriesoliviier9529]

My dad was born when South Africa was still 'n British colony. He was barely out of high school when he fought in the Angolan war of independence (South Africa sent in troops to support the Anti-communists). He jokes that "every time I walk through a metal detector, it's a little history lesson." Make of that what you will.

[@FroehligGirlz]

Boomers saw the tail end on black & white TVs, and remember it. Rebels were not painted in a favorable light, then.

[@spikethea2630]

It's ridiculous. I didn't learn any of this in british curriculum.

[@donovan5656]

Same with segregation and Jim Crow

[@thomasr.jackson2940]

Please, please, consider CC History of Africa. I know it isn’t the topic most in demand, and won’t appeal to as many in the AP crowd, but gosh, it is important and it is so poorly covered everywhere, and the African countries importance globally keeps increasing. We should be a part of watching and engaging with that. Or just a modern history. Please, it shouldn’t be a footnote in talking about US and European topics.

[@kurojima]

Africa was and will stay irrelevant on the global scale for the forseable future, as will the middle east

[@Theturtleowl]

As much as I would like to see a series about African history, I wonder how hard it is to create one, since there is little written record.

[@farisraza1902]

Agreed. Will love to follow that series. So we can really bless the rains down in Africa...

[@publicano777]

@@Theturtleowl there is UNESCO General History of Africa books and they're like 10+ huge books... so I think there would be much to research for a Crash Course

[@garg414]

CC Asian or African history should of happened before Euro history

[@salahddinebensebane8429]

France :we lost to the nazis but we can recover Vietnam : prepare for trouble Algeria :and make it double

[@Pirantsable]

Algerians got their asses kicked Only the vietnamese won their independence militarily

[@justwannabehappy6735]

Yeah and now both these countries are shithole whose populations are fleeing to western countries.

[@VNYoshi]

@@justwannabehappy6735 your racism knows no bound. Especially given how the video literally explained how the West warmongering and cold war politics basically continue to systematically abuse these nations after decolonization.

[@savyskunk6683]

@@Pirantsable nobody like the ideal of death well maybe Trump supporters but their not even mentally grow up or are sick people

[@gunsofaugust1971]

@@justwannabehappy6735 Did you not just watch the video? Just here to troll?

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

I love when Crash Course talks about history. Decolonization was a very interesting period. When this series is over, I hope you consider doing serieses about African and Middle Eastern history. Maybe Asian history. To talk about the things they don't mention in schools about those continents

[@Rebecca-fu7bx]

Would love an African history series!

[@jkally1]

I agree! I'd be really interested in an African, Middle Eastern, Asian and South American history series

[@no.reply_]

@Jordan Nkosi African history goes far beyond that, do some research and you're in for a lot of interesting stories

[@hiddenhist]

Jordan Nkosi no.

[@hiddenhist]

Jordan Nkosi the history of the entire world is mostly people having petty wars and slavery. Africa is no exception because africans are humans. Africa has many other things though, and i’d encourage you to atleast read a wikipedia page before you spread garbage. I don’t know how someone named “Nkosi” could say so many false things about Africa.

[@mccoolguy1973]

France: Algeria? You mean a colony - I mean - an integral part of the country that should not try to gain independence. De Gaulle: Alright, time for a new constitution.

[@wanitooo]

what changes did he do? I'm genuinely curious. Was colonization specifically allowed in European constitutions at the time?

[@isaackim3312]

@@wanitooo Algeria was a special case. There were many European French in Algeirs, and hence De Gaulle wanted to curb the law to be able to integrate Algeria as a core part of France. (also nuke testing hee hee)

[@florianlecarrour5992]

Also, it was because french generals in Algiers attemps to do a putch and threat metropolitan France (they reached Corsica) that the IVth French Republic call back De Gaulle to power as he was the only personnality strong enough to enforce stability and gain respect to the military commanders. It would need a full episode solely on the Algeria War to explain it properly from the french side and another to explain properly from the algerian side. It was a terrible conflict but a very interesting one to analyse with a lot of consequences today.

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Short answer is France STILL wanted their empire and went through two Constitutions to give legitimacy to that such as the French Union and the successor French Community...

[@nassimb7151]

As an Algerian I can confirm this

[@TheOneIndex]

I would love to see more about neo-colonialism, neo-imperialism, and decolonization. It's super unfortunate that we don't get to learn much about it in school.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

You know you are allowed to read things outside of school?

[@KT-ki8ik]

@@user-yv2cz8oj1k With an 8 hours a day school schedule, homework, extracurriculars, chores and even a job, who has the time?

[@edwardr.k.wilson1829]

I wonder if they're going to cover the break-up of Yugoslavia later in the series.

[@h4skey2001]

I hope they'll cover it. People too often overlook how brutal and sad those wars were and those same probems still exist in the balkans today

[@dainironfoot5198]

I'm guessing they'll cover it in an episode about the collapse of the USSR.

[@geranball9678]

@@dainironfoot5198 Yugoslavia is completely different to the USSR so it would make zero sense to put it in a fall of USSR episode

[@cikalujo]

It's completely bizzare that they didn't mention either Yugoslavia or the Non-Aligned movement in this exact video. I love Crash Course and I watch every episode since way back when, but at times the writing is painfuly west-centric. If they only mention Yugoslavia in passing when USSR collapses it'll be completely stupid and misguided, because Yugoslavia by that point had nothing much to do with the USSR for something like 30 or so years. Countries which were in the USSR sphere of influence didn't have horrible, bloody civil wars when the USSR collapsed, and you could barely even call Yugoslavia socialist by the time the 80-ties rolled around, let alone the 90-ties.

[@algirdaskundelis9512]

​ Luka Kordić I find this series on Europe hugely disappointing, they are literally more concentrating on colonies like Chile or Cuba in 18th century wars episode than on partition of Poland, it was literally a footnote "by the way Poland was partitioned several times, meanwhile Britain kept other colonies besides US milking their resources..." I get it they have agenda that Europe is evil colonizer, but there were other things that were happening and shaped history of the world. Decolonization is really relevant topic in European context, but they are glossing over some of defining events in history. I find it troubling when narrative about European history gives more attention on how boring it was working in a factory than wars and rebellions and creation of new countries.

[@Foon2Death]

As a Trinidadian, I didn't expect to learn that one of us had that part to play in The Beatles. 🇹🇹

[@realtrini2007]

me either. I was shocked! Trinibagoians are all over the world and a part of every world history.

[@LuinTathren]

I just showed my mother. Her two best friends are from Jamaica. Now, she can tell her friends, Jamaica may have had Bob Marley, but Trinidad had the Beatles!

[@jeromematthews392]

@@LuinTathren lol

[@the_hanged_clown]

great thanks now I'm going to be repeating Trinidadian to myself all day thanks lol I can't get over the way it sounds

[@Caprica4]

I saw a picture on instagram of Dr. Eric Williams his wife together with John Lennon , Cynthia Lennon & Ringo Starr in Trinidad and was wondering how did that meet up manage to happen. Hearing this adds some background & context to the Beatles relationship with T&T.

[@mhmodbkr2994]

The problem in Syria is that France left in 1946 but with actions that seem not so innocent , they left the government and the army under the control of a group of minority which caused a state of instability which lasts till now . l admit as a Syrian that we have a lot of problems in our society that needed to be fixed but the role that France played was crucial even after 66 years during the Syrian civil war which started as protests against the regime . lt seems to me and to most Syrians that the super powers left us with 2 choices either the safety under a totalitarian regime or mass distraction , the war in Syria is a new phase of the cold war by my humble opinion . Great work Mr.John l really like the content you offer us and it changed the way l look to history through ,as always best wishes

[@hamzamj4515]

Same thing France did here in Morocco,and i cay say Algerie and tunisia too

[@LowellMorgan]

What should the French have done in ‘46?

[@aratosm]

The victim mentality is getting super old.

[@usernamesample8386]

aratosm Poor colonials powers waaa go cry somewhere else!

[@mhmodbkr2994]

@@LowellMorgan trying to leave some kind of democratic civilian government behind , this would have helped to make things go in more peaceful manner , but at that time France's leaders saw syria just as ethnic and religious groups , at that time most super powers saw the less developed countries like this unfortunately.

[@joskleijne9344]

I've always found the example of decolonialisation in Congo enlightening, a thorough book about that was written by David van Reybrouck

[@kajetannowak7508]

Geez, that book was awesome!

[@arjb1046]

I'd love to see you guys dive into American history and I'm not talking about the US, you already did that. But I mean Latin America, Canada, and the Caribbean islands.

[@brent123456yo]

ThT would be a 5 min video of unimportant history

[@rebekahviran8762]

@@brent123456yo how is it unimportant history?

[@bredrick677]

@@brent123456yo I feel that it would be important to cover that.

[@JustHatcheted]

@@brent123456yo You're unimportant history

[@MakaveliRaider]

@@brent123456yo what are u talking about? Latin America is filled with history.

[@mya.4344]

Would love to see you expand more on Latin America's response to the to neo-colonialist projects and rebellion in the 60s and 70s as well as the post-colonial state of the Caribean and the current neo-colonial projects china currently have in parts of Africa and the Caribbean

[@obviouslyniceduh5521]

It's important to note that it isn't just China trying to exploit the developing world, pretty much every country and NGO is trying to do the same and just like China they hide their true desires behind the vail of "Aid" and infrastructure development loans

[@DanielSanchez-yi9cr]

@@obviouslyniceduh5521 Devils in the details, are those infrastructure loans really the same as predatory IMF loans? Look at what China's done with the debts its owed during Coronavirus vs what the world bank and the USA is doing with the debts its owed

[@IkeOkerekeNews]

@@obviouslyniceduh5521 Cringe.

[@pantsfortwo4611]

+

[@zacharylindner1178]

While Latin America’s response to neo-colonialism is very important from a global standpoint, it is less integral to the history of Europe, which is the core of this series. Latin America was very much under US hegemony, and their Cold War politics were wrapped up much closer with US foreign policy than European policy.

[@octavianhughes4493]

Ive been watching Crash Course for nearly a decade now, and somehow the subject matter and coverage of it seems only to have improved!

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

It's has becomed political. The narrative is not neutral anymore. Not an improvement. Statements that are highly debated and controversial are stated as facts. I understand that they have to simplify things but... As a European interested in European history I'm disappointed of the very simplistic Americanized lens they use.

[@Famalamri]

@@eirikbelisarius1100 as someone who does not study history, do you mind explaining what you are referring to?

[@kylewilliams8114]

@@eirikbelisarius1100 there's no such thing as a neutral worldview. To pretend one side is equally as valid as the other is a form of bias itself. "Political" is just a club you're using to attack something you disagree with. Historical narratives that match your worldview I doubt you'd ever call political since you're "right".

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

@@Famalamri Well. He presents immigration to Europe as a plot to exploit people from the colonies. They are again victimized. Very simplistic. The immigrants have been given every chance in the countries they have chosen to immigrate to. The Bengal famine: It's not a clear cut case how at fault the British administrators were. Burma was invades by the Japanese at the time. The resources of the region were evacuated to avoid it coming into the hands of the invaders (like the Russians did). Later it was very difficult to send aid when the situation became clear because, you know, Britain was fighting for its life against tyranny (Germany and Japan). They had their resources stretched and the Japanese navy was a danger to any shipping. The Mau Mau in Kenya were really brutal. They ambushed white settlements and killed everyone. They believed that their rituals made them bullet proof. Really crazy things. The respons was brutal, but by far not as brutal as what they responded to. To blame the Europeans for the sectarian violence in Africa after decolonization is not really fair. That's what you get when you mix tribal warfare with AK47s. And to use the statistics that things have improved in Africa after 1950 as proof of how terrible things used to be. Well, things have improved in Europe too in the same timeframe. The world has improved. It doesen't prove anything. You might say that those nations that continued to build on the frame that the colonizers built by far have had more improvements than those nations that didn't.

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

@@kylewilliams8114 Facts matter. To present pros AND cons matter. To present things that are really debatable and by no way clear cut as simple facts are disingenuous.

[@andrewshea6652]

It’s amazing that we have gotten to point where some of these figures are still alive. It makes me think about how they see the world today and what they think of the worlds current circumstance.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

Coronavirus: hold my beer.

[@inferioraim]

Google Ian Smith. Former white president of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Under his (racist) rule, the African nation was one of the wealthiest countries on the continent, with extraordinary high standards of living for all races. He was eventually deposed by military dictator Mugabe, who managed to wreck Zimbabwe's economy. The country has become a shithole since then, and is one of the poorest in Africa. Really interesting story, especially because this history is so recent and there is lots of material to find on it.

[@rparl]

The world globe didn't open.

[@EmileA266]

Thats because this whole episode was the globe opening up, haha

[@FroehligGirlz]

it didn't want to....

[@nilesbutler8638]

its a stupid feature anyway. I´d wish he would just dispense with all those forced "format" elements. He´isnt that good at comedy, and his channel is dependent on facts and narratives. All that "though bubble/world globe ect" stuff is a habit from no-content youtubers trying to build fandom that way. Its just unwieldy and superflous in an educational channel, I feel.

[@gamingwithazian1453]

@@nilesbutler8638 yea thats facts. I will say that thought bubble is good, but everything else is cringy and unnecessary. Glad someone said smth abt this

[@jacoblinde7486]

@@nilesbutler8638 It worked better when they were trying to have a bit more fun with Crash Course. They gave this series too serious a tone in my opinion.

[@EugeneKhutoryansky]

Very good video. Too bad they don't teach this in school.

[@yt_2077_]

Which school

[@cloe412]

There were multiple times I felt like breaking into tears throughout this video.

[@GhostMacross01]

Funmilayo did the fashion clothing right. Preserve the color and patterns. Though she was saving heritage she was indirectly saving creativity against uniformity in the long run.

[@clay9617]

Lookup "Francafrique." France never left Africa, they only went behind a curtain.

[@markncl100]

Damn, you beat me to it. Great point, mate.

[@maxencebarre3833]

In the same way you can search for Chinafrique too

[@appleslover]

Maxence Barré yeah, the only difference being is that it's investment rather than colonization and only the Europeans are bragging about it everywhere.

[@johnyarbrough502]

Famously and apocryphally: "Mr. Gandhi, What do you think of western civilization?" "I think it would be a very good idea."

[@nw9801]

Haha I think that went over most people’s heads

[@labi2999]

@Sweetbutter Cupcakes love it when people get offended and start attacking someone's character when they don't know how to criticize their ideology

[@babscabs1987]

@@labi2999 good point. Have you heard Gandhi's ideology about black people?

[@yj9032]

@@babscabs1987 Gandhi as a young man was racist. However as he grew old he changed as a person. As an old man he many time spoke about the rights of black people in countries like USA. Please read real history, not bullishit propaganda served to you by Hindu nationalists and racist Europeans.

[@yj9032]

@Sweetbutter Cupcakes I'm sorry snowflake, it is indeed British propaganda.

[@navo5827]

Hey John Green, I just want to say thank you for helping me on my ap European history, I had the test last week and before the test I watched all these videos and made the test a piece of cake! Thank you!

[@asmomair]

The speed of your delivery has been excellent which used to be so fast for second language learner. Thanks for the great videos.

[@chimerakait]

Thank you for this video. This was a huge gap in history I wasn’t aware of. The formation of the modern world is real fascinating to learn about.

[@FatemaLiya]

The effects of partition are still being felt in India and Pakistan

[@sabirasolaiman]

And Bangladesh.

[@PhilHoy97]

And Ireland

[@pegasus713]

Thank you John and Crash Course team. As a child of a former French Colony living in France, my history lessons in school never depicted the history of my family and myself. It is truly wonderful to feel like a true part of history and specifically European History.

[@cholten99]

I'm a nearly 50 year old Brit and even now I still find out new awful things my country did in the past that we were never taught in school. It's shameful.

[@paktiger79a62]

UK is the Island of the AntiChrist/Dajjal. Research it. 👍

[@Shirokroete]

@@paktiger79a62 ayo sounds rad I should move to Britain, hail Satan

[@Crazytechnition]

It’s not shameful, we came, we saw, we conquered. Human life is overrated and I’m proud of the Empire, I wish less weak willed people like yourself where around back then so we would still have it.

[@yj9032]

The conservatives in your country have destroyed many books and government reports to promote the idea that Great Britain. Most of the history about countries like India, Indonesia and countries in West Africa taught in European schools is derived from the works of racist Victorian 'Orientalists' who suppressed local historians and made the colonies look backward. Most of the colonies were advanced civilizations that were brought down by Islamic and Mongol Invasions making way for Europeans.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

@@yj9032 every country teaches it's nationalistic jingoism, even the now independent colonies, but if you actually go to a library or a book shop you can still read what really happened. You make it sound like there is a campaign to destroy books, there simply isn't, but we are seeing less people read physical copies, entirely different thing. And to put England down as being evil? If they were evil they would have joined forces with the German forces instead of fighting them in WW2, marched their troops into India and started slaughtering the entire population for expansion room.

[@aaminahasan6270]

I haven’t been watching crash course history for awhile but I’m so glad I came across this specific episode. Thank you crash course for educating us! I didn’t learn any of this in British education system.

[@Metalvolt]

Really great to see the Fanon reference here. I recommend his book, "The Wretched of the Earth" on this topic. Also another read in this area in Kwame Nkrumah's "Neo-colonialism".

[@camfinch5347]

"Steve Biko - I Write What I Like" is also excellent. If you enjoyed Fanon you will enjoy that book

[@willh7352]

Thank you for this, John.

[@luciusgarvous]

France didn't really see Algeria as a colony. They saw it as a vital part of France, thats why they fought so hard to keep it.

[@Inucroft]

it was an intergreated part of France. It was French soil, not a French colony. People fail to understand this.

[@georgelane6350]

@@Inucroft that's what the French believed, it wasn't true.

[@Niarkk09]

@@georgelane6350 from an administrative and legal pov it was. It wasn't treated like other colonies and was french for a longer time than Savoy or Alsace-Lorraine. By the end of the conflict algerian got offered proper full french citizenship, and a big number of algerian fought for France. (France then abandonned those fighter to the new regime and a lot of them were massacred, it is one of the biggest national shame in France)

[@garrusn7702]

03germas I don’t know if you know this, but Algeria is not part of France.

[@kigenkzadock8643]

This was by far my favorite on this series. I am from Kenya and you talked about it

[@producedbyfieri]

ive been waiting for this one for years. thanks guys

[@jordanhalsey2778]

thank you for not leaving out the costs paid by freedom fighters

[@saaargummm1868]

I am thankful to crash course for not glossing over the partition. My grandfather still remembers it. Him and his family barely made it to India.

[@OrbitalAstronaut]

Vietnam: please leave USA: fortunate son gets louder.

[@imtheotherdave]

South Vietnamese: please stay. Reeducation camps: happened.

[@stza16]

South Vietnam wanted the US.

[@sebastienvondoom8615]

Fortunate Son is an anti-war song though...

[@giren0079]

@@stza16 The leaders of SV wanted the U.S. because they where puppets.

[@Luka-qm6le]

@@stza16 that "help" didn't do much, a lot like every other country the US has "helped"

[@gabesusman4592]

I'm jonesing for #44, this series has been awesome

[@olivias1604]

This was so well done, thank you!

[@stephenjames2951]

I always appreciate the compassion with which John presents these difficult topeics.

[@Ongzhikai]

John, I had no idea you were on this channel. You were my favorite presenter on Mental Floss.

[@garyermann]

Ahhhh, you're in for a happy surprise. Crash Course is one of John Green's MANY projects with his brother, Hank. He's been making videos with Crash Course for years.

[@ricardocardenas186]

Always wonderful; thank you very much for the knowledge. Also, I had no idea who Frantz Fanon was and now I´m gonna read all his books!!!

[@oscars7948]

Nice work. This topic is rarely mentioned, but its repercussions are still prevelant today...in so many countries

[@SikanderG]

Please do a series on the history of communism, e.g. USSR, Mao, etc., including Soviet imperialism.

[@Mr.Prince_Tunmise]

Next playlist do History of Africa.

[@hmmm9658]

parts of africa hadnt invented the wheel before europeans arrived in the victorian era, african history can be summed up with two words 'ooga booga'

[@amandafantuzze6931]

Thank you so much for being brave enough to spread this knowledge on youtube!

[@bprince17]

You and your team are awesome teachers!

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

Wow, you really did your research here, TFS!! When are you going to cover the former British colonies in the West Indies and the US Western Hemisphere control over their economy from 1945 -2000?

[@Rebecca-fu7bx]

Disappointed that Ireland's struggle to escape colonial rule wasn't mentioned but very important to teach people about the tyrannical rule of England over Kenya and India when they tried to gain freedom. We rarely hear about the history of Asian and African countries in the western world.

[@utkarshdubey3435]

Yeah I was just thinking about that maybe it's because Ireland is predominantly white and ppl connect colonization and immigration with colored races(which is true but not completely)..but I'm glad they mentioned Bengal Famine it's pretty big deal in India and a reason why most ppl think that Churchill was just as bad as Hitler if not worse.

[@malikshakur1306]

Ireland is a fantastic case study on the racial contradictions inherent to colonialism. By being the first colonial subjects of the British, kinda proved that they will make racist racial barriers to anyone who is different from them, black white asian Indian. The point was colonialism. The racism that lives today is almost worse because it’s been uprooted from its colonial history. But the IRAs love for the PLA and the Black Panther Party really show that decolonization was a multi racial multi ethnic battle. Still gotta Free Belfast and Palestine tho 💕

[@matthewmcneany]

South Africa too was a massive asterisk in this episode. As were the Baltic states and Poland along with several other eastern bloc countries who far from experiencing a decolonisation in this period were subject to a new form of colonialism from Russia / The USSR. Indeed the whole episode barely scratches the surface when we look at places like Ireland, Latin America, Turkey, ETA, Morocco Indonesia even Australia and New Zealand. Heck even countries like China who had been colonised were often embarking on their pwn colonial projects in the middle of the last century. To say nothing of the erosion of the rights of Treaty nations in the Us and Canada or the Pacific. I think i whilst it is fair to say that colonialism receded in the post war period to some extent but suggest that it went away is an incomplete picture at best.

[@lemonaid2216]

It should be clarified that Ireland was never a colony. The British Empire was created by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Irish soldiers, sailors, civil servants and politicians all participated in the creation and administration of the British Empire, as did the English, Scots and Welsh.

[@woodchuck003]

They definitely skipped over Ireland because there are white. Similarly the Independence of the US was a footnote in this series, imagine if John never mentioned France in the the US series. Nor did they talk about Greece gaining independce from the Ottoman. My ancestors had my of the same committed against them but I guess it doesn't help sell the narrative.

[@mrmrsrobinson4725]

All caught up! Really enjoying the series so far. And i genuinely love history and didn't just come here because of quarantine! lol.

[@noticias6111]

10:11-10:23 Thank you -- thank you so much; even for places as seemingly inconsequential as say Greenland, I could see that applying some day. __ 10:46-10:53 neat to know an 'origin point' for offshore banking

[@johnparish6566]

John, when are going to do a video about how the Mongols did all the things that other groups couldn't do?

[@isabbygabbyorcrabby]

Such a great overview of this period, it is breath taking to me that we do not learn this in history classes at school (and when we do get taught this era of history it is from one or two Euro-centric perspectives!)

[@christinalin8208]

An1e3 reality is biased towards liberal

[@714Sluggo]

I wonder if anyone knows the story of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti? Well, first, her son was probably the most influential African musician in all of the 20th Century, Fela Kuti. Kuti formed the independent Kalakuta Republic. The Nigerian government sent soldiers, who threw Funmilayo out of a window to her death. The family's story is incredibly compelling, and Fela Kuti's music is extraordinary.

[@morahman2988]

This was great! Thanks CC!

[@jebarijihed]

Please define what is "peace" ....when we talk about decolonization

[@davidsawyers8754]

This was very informative and should be shown in history classes for all high schools. 20 years ago, when I was a history nerd in HS, America was portrayed as bigot and racist after WW2 (which was true), but Europeans were some how portrayed as not bigoted or racist (which was not true). Most of that is because we focus too much on the U.S equal rights and racial overcoming of the 1960s and beyond in history post WW2. Wish we learned more about this stuff back then.

[@daaaaaaaaaaavid]

Racism in America was much more institutionalized than in Europe. Europe was trying to hold onto colonies not because of racism but because of economics. Trying to down play racism in America by making false comparisons to Europe is shamefull.

[@59DGO59]

This video is not the whole story though. It is heavily emphasized on the suffering of the colonized.

[@christinalin8208]

Sony Ber yes because those colonies suffered more

[@sergiuoprea357]

Thank you for the sources!

[@torimallory9499]

I love your channel and videos😍

[@ememem2952]

What is shocking is that in British schools they never mention decolonization, even at exam level. Most of this is new to me, which is a shame because it's so important and also it's really interesting. Thank you Crash Course for another brilliant episode!

[@jamesmichaels4979]

Because its not core History. If you study History at a higher level its taught. Not at foundation and for good reason. It would create a generation of apologists and 'white guilt' despite nobody being alive today being responsible.

[@bobjoe8613]

@@jamesmichaels4979 "white guilt" is not a problem because rational people recognize that they were not the ones who supported these atrocious policies and instead learn from history and move on. That means it is crucial to learn about all aspects of history, even if you want to look away from it.

[@Marco_Onyxheart]

Where's my Multatuli at? He's the writer of Max Havelaar, also known as "the book that killed colonialism".

[@booktendersclub1110]

Indië verloren Rampspoed geboren

[@mohammadrickypratama6720]

Hidoep Indonesia Raya

[@michieldemare6532]

You're 100 years wrong

[@Katkayz]

Thank you for this crash course very informative

[@kanyekubrick5391]

Great content

[@grapeshot]

People who are going to try to justify colonialism and imperialism incoming. You know they're attracted to channels like this like flies to honey.

[@semaj_5022]

Every damn time..

[@sirellyn4391]

Only when people who base any findings on use of critical theory, which is even more ridiculous and cult like than Scientology.

[@grapeshot]

@Jordan Nkosi I don't ignore them. As a matter of fact I've read a number books about those subjects.

[@HeadsFullOfEyeballs]

@Jordan Nkosi Any news on when someone more interesting will replace you specifically? Is there a "replace Jordan Nkosi" fund I can donate to, or something?

[@Cortisoulm8]

Beard hairs: Hmmm... This face looks like it's worth colonising... John Green's Face: Freedom! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@clairekurdelak2913]

This brief summary is well done, but completely overwhelming in terms of violence and the dark side of human nature. I hope all your crash courses don’t have the same effect on me. (Not your fault, you’re telling history in concise form, I get it). I want to learn more modern history so I’ll try more!

[@katvogel98]

This couldn't have come at a better time as I'm writing my thesis on the Colonial memory and ghost

[@fernandogiongo]

Fantastic work, John and team. You're making amazing educational videos and standing up to right-wing anti-scientific historical revisionism. Thank you.

[@Simon_Alexnder]

Wtf is "scientific history"? Is it just left wing history?

[@fernandogiongo]

@@Simon_Alexnder Science is just a word. What is and isn't science depends on where you choose to demarcate it. A dictionary won't help, as this is a fundamental problem of a field of philosophy called epistemology. If science talks about what can be known and what cannot, that will be the point of divergence, that is to say, the nature of reality. You can think of it as a spectrum, with common sense and blind belief on one end, and science on the other. That is to say: science is what common sense isn't. While positivists and empirists take the stance that science can only talk about what can be measurable in numbers and operationalized in this manner (classical formalism), most social scientists, including historians, recognize something called "social reality". That means that historians accept that there are parts of reality that, although cannot be described quantitatively, can be objectively discussed, even though they recognize its political, ideological and subjective nature. That means acceptance that subjective reality can be objectified without turning into subjectivism or relativism.

[@lisagriffin8221]

This video couldn't be more perfectly timed for a release. So many ignorant commentators on twitter who know nothing about decolonization and the struggles that came with it. I hope this video educates A LOT of people

[@nehalmahmudkhan1549]

Now that the European history chapter is almost at its end, I think you should make another series for Asian history chapter

[@BlakeTimmonsArt]

Hey john green. Good to see you’re doing good

[@labi2999]

2:51 bhabi means sister-in-law

[@Trag-zj2yo]

A coworker was complaining about how white south Africans were being treated but it seems to me that if you invade a country you can't expect good will when your occupation has ceased.

[@TheMagicJIZZ]

What country did the Boer invade? So you agree with South African Zulu king that all the Bantus have to go? All the foreign blacks in South Africa? Do you suppose we run your logic on my logic. Send me your bank account and send me money. I want you to pay for speaking my Indo-European Germanic language English. You need to pay me a tax. I see myself as the rightful heir the Anglo-Saxon and you are a degenerate peasant. If you don't believe in rule of law and people should be treated based on former acts of their father. Then you deserve genocide Everyday and no peace

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

The Boers and the Bantu peoples arrived approximately at the same time. Who should back their bags and leave?

[@DirtyEdon]

@@eirikbelisarius1100 the bantu been migrating to South African for thousands of years, there literally archaeological evidence to back that up. This is just a LIE the right wing and racist use to justify the invasion of South Africa.

[@DirtyEdon]

@@TheMagicJIZZ well you can't really talk about it being "in the past" when white people control 70% of the land and yet are 8% of the population that isn't right at ALL

[@atheistsgod]

I would love to one day see a post-colonial literature course on Crash Course. I took a subject at uni in it while studying to be an English teacher and as a white Australian who had never before studied history, had my eyes opened to the nuances of culture and the impact of colonisation on the characterisation of nations in world discourse. Since then I've been hungry to learn more of history and its study and interpretation such as Crash Course has presented. A post-co lit course would combine their excellent work on history and literature and I think open many more people's eyes in turn.

[@MrSketchy009]

Good timing with this video

[@danielegnor8624]

If you're going to (rightly, I add) call out European atrocities in Kenya and Algeria, you got to do more than just ignore atrocities committed by the Mau Mau. Historical truth, as you used to say, resists simplicity.

[@MGustave]

I was going to comment something similar. He rather whitewashes the Mau Mau here, being anti-colonial /= being good.

[@Luka-qm6le]

seems like nitpicking, especially considering the nationwide scale of CENTURIES of brutality caused systematically by a government as opposed to an uncoordinated, guerrilla warfare style resistance group. centrism, in this case is illogical

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@@Luka-qm6le The Mau Mau ate their grandmothers.

[@MGustave]

@@Luka-qm6le In studying and remembering history, we should not decide to forget parts of the truth just because they do not suit our narratives.

[@Noidonteatbabiesstopasking]

Yeah this is extremely one-sided. The FLN was notoriously brutal as well.

[@thomasr.jackson2940]

The particular data and arguments used to contest alleged benefits of colonization were very weak. Improvement post decolonization does not particularly address if colonization was beneficial, especially in a period of history where such metrics were dramatically improving everywhere. Mind you, I am not saying the thesis is wrong, but you do no service giving unconvincing and flawed evidence.

[@inferioraim]

Completely agree! Normally, I find CrashCourse to be sound in their arguments, but in this episode, two reasonings bothered me especially. Firstly, using (not even always) violent colonial regimes to explain the fact that many former colonies entered an extremely violent time after gaining independence, because they supposedly have only known violent rule, is just plain stupid. This is an excuse for nations, who obviously weren't ready to govern themselves, to engulf themselves in excessive violence. Just admit it, many former colonies were not up to the task of self-governance. An example for this case is Zimbabwe, today Africa's shithole, while it was its pearl 50 years ago. White only rule was wrong, no doubt about that. But the rapid transitions many countries made from colony to self-governance lead to the rise of military dictatorships and brutal civil wars. Secondly, crediting that life expectancy rose dramatically after decolonisation to the gaining of independence by these countries, is a terribly false argument. There are dozens of reasons why life expectancy rose. Meanwhile, this completely disregards the scientific progress and agricultural revolutions. However, you name decolonisation as a reason for such worldwide progress?! Mind you, developed countries in Europe enjoyed even further rise of life expectancy. Kind of disappointed in you, Crash Course. Sure, the views you're representing are popular, but your job is to tell the truth, not what people want to hear. Colonising nations did some terrible terrible things, but give them credit where it is due.

[@bobjoe8613]

You two really are trying to justify colonization... Incredible mental gymnastics you're doing there.

[@connecticutaggie]

Hey John, thanks so much for helping a curious Engineer to see the story at the heart of history. For years I was turned off History by years of being taught History is not about understanding; but, about memorizing facts and figures. Now I look forward to hearing more of the story of History. You opened up my globe ;). This weekend that paid off for real as I was working on my Family History. One of my ancestors (Anton Jung) arrived in the USA in 1854. He was born in 1817 and I have heard various different places listed as what her was born/from ... Warsaw, Poland, Prussia, Germany, Austria, etc. That always seemed like someone did't know where he was really from; but, now I know the mess that was Europe that that time. It was all actually true. Warsaw was originally Poland; but, in 1795 it was annexed into Prussia (German Confederation) and Austria. It was then liberated by Napolean in 1806 back into Poland (under Russian protection). After that it was invaded by Germany in 1915 during WW1 until the end of WW1 in 1918 when it became Poland again. He died in 1902 so he did not see that whole WW mess.

[@nicksifuentes1509]

Hope you guys bring back another season of Crash Course Literature!

[@realhawaii5o]

Should have talked about Portugal...

[@nathanseper8738]

Britain: Loves spreading the white man's burden. Gandhi: I'm going to end this whole man's tea time.

[@ArawnOfAnnwn]

@Keshav Why did I know I'd find some Hindu nationalists here? What's the matter, hating on Nehru not enough so you have to smear Bapu as well? And of course the ever popular if unsubstantiated idea that the Fauj actually got anywhere (also ironic since Bose actually admired Gandhi). Go back to worshiping your bois Savarkar (pretty ironic to be worshiping in his case, given his own atheism) and Godse please.

[@suhas6508]

@@ArawnOfAnnwn I think he (Gandhi) was not a "anti hindu " but was a staunch racist and called the lower caste and blacks as "k*ffirs" , when the British supported the lower caste to vote (one of the only few things British did good in india), Gandhi strongly opposed it, he believed in "Aryan brotherhood", basically Nazism with North Indians as "superior" as Europeans, why do you think Gandhi's statues are now being taken down in african countries?

[@gabesusman4592]

Will this series speculate on the future of Europe or just finish off on contemporary Europe?

[@geoffreywinn4031]

Educational!

[@xxxgeorgefloydgaming420xxx6]

Me watching this confusedly trying to keep a few brain cells active during quarantine 👁️👄👁️

[@joaopedromeireles7210]

The correct title for the video: British decolonization.

[@joaopedromeireles7210]

@Reg Eric It is missing the dutch, the italian, the belgian, the portuguese

[@youpratter]

THANK YOU FOR THIS 🙏

[@musonobari2560]

Where can I find the 'too barbaric' part to read for myself ?

[@jordanm9014]

Last time I was this early Zimbabwe was still Rhodesia

[@TheProPeeL]

9:39 "[...] receiving nations benefited from this immigration." Ah, yes. Rich industrialists getting to employ cheaper labor, while nothing changes for the average middle-class person, is also how I see benefit to my nation.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

And the reduction of wages which had been rising due to the shortage of labour. It was said you could walk out of one job on a Friday and into another job on the Monday.

[@robertjarman3703]

They also do have to consume, things like housing and food, meaning that other people have to work to provide it. Plus they can send remittances and in a fairly democratic and individualistic way, not controlled by any country's president or party, make economic choices and develop a need for inclusivity in their home countries, making them better and also desiring more of the things the host country can make. And your industries are only rich the way you say they are if your workers' rights and immigrants rights are bad and the latter have legal statuses that make it easy to exploit them, like unsecure visa protections dependent on constant renewal rather than long term investment and breaking cycles of exploitation, and if your economic system in general poorly protects the economy from concentrated capital, failing to promote cooperatives for instance.

[@leobat7007]

@@robertjarman3703 Their consumption increases demand for certain goods, which raises their price and further lower the real wages of the local working class. The only ones to benefit from this are the employers who get to may lower wages and sell at higher prices. As for remittances, I'm sure they benefit their home countries, but that's beside the point, John said immigrants benefited the host countries.

[@robertjarman3703]

@@leobat7007 Only if as I said before if you are bad at having things like unions and cooperatives. And I explained why a remittance can help the developed countries as well as a growing economy there drives demand for what the developed economies can provide.

[@tyronechillifoot5573]

Actually lots changes cheeper goods people filing lower wage jobs allowing for increased production

[@liamimbriolo6066]

How well did that workout for them?

[@ajinkyamehta6417]

Hay crash course which software did you use to edit the video

[@Astrolime]

The specifics of the partition of the Indian subcontinent is interesting and terrible. Hope they go over it eventually

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

Well there's plenty of bridal history from before the colonisation and they got over that.

[@helderxmx]

My only criticism is that you solely focus on the British. There's more Europeans in the mix in this time line besides French and British

[@dimsodenso6839]

I can't wait for Balkan episode

[@cpi23]

this is such a great video, so many people go through high school without understanding the neo-colonial legacy post WW2

[@hans4595]

I was waiting for you to mention the Philippines as the US granted us the independence that they stole from us in 1898. American decolonization of the Philippines was a mere illusion as the US still imposed biased trade policies, loans, had a military base, and left us with a colonial mentality. hundreds of years under foreign occupation sure did left an impact that no foreigners could really comprehend. I just want the world to acknowledge the mistakes done by the abusers in the past.

[@joyouknow5385]

I 🤯didn't know this!

[@mydh122]

That is one point of view. Half of Filipinos wish that the Yankees would have stayed, at least at Subic Bay and Clark Air Force Base.

[@fenhen]

I’ve never heard of this before, thank you.

[@Hiddenkeymaster3]

This is European History, but I am not sure if this is noted in the US history playlist.

[@dontkillmyvibe1433]

well maybe they should include the Philippines decolonization from Spain and then America. and wow I never knew America colonized the Philippines, I learned something new thanks!

[@guhbnu]

im actually hoping for the ex colonies to gain power and get their stolen treasures back.

[@rice6497]

My great grandfather was one of the scouts, when the japan and dutch colonialization. And so my grandfather too.

[@andriesoliviier9529]

Anybody interested in this particular topic should read "A Man of the People" by Chinau Achebe. Then go ahead and read all his other work.

[@nunooliveira1728]

There are aspects of this series that i feel are very americanised or one sided, which i feel is a bad thing, beng that the show is called Crash Course European History. I was looking forward to this episode because i feel that from the colonial wars are a bit more morally ambigous than they might seem. I am bit disappointed because it is a far more complex issue than explained, at least from the view of the people at the time. For example, the portuguese people were taught by the fascist regime that the colonies, weren't colonies, they were provinces, like the various regions of Portugal itself, so when they were called (obligated) to go to war, they believed that they were defending their own nation. Salazar convinced everyone that what they were doing was right, and sent thousands of young men to die in a meatgrinder. It was a conflict that could be avoided by diplomacy, thousands of portuguese, guinean, angolan and mozambican lives could have been saved. The Colonial Wars are seen in Portugal as Portugal's Vietnam, it completely defined the generation that fought in this war. Europe isn't just France and the UK. I also feel that mentioning the problems faced by the europeans living the colonies after their independence could have been importante. Yes, there was imigration, but there also were millions of people returning to Europe, after losing everything they had in africa. These people also suffered discrimination when they arrived in Europe, their supposed homeland, they were basically refugees. But the video decides to go with the black and white thought of "Europe Bad", by just focusing on the drama of the arriving africans, which i am not disregarding by no means. Although i believe their integration wasn't as well made as the video makes it out to be. Finally, i think that mentioning that there were still fascist regimes in Europe during this time period was important, because in a way they were the reason that some of these wars happened the way they did. TL:DR The video is very reductive in the morals of the wars fought, and doesn't show the drama these events also represented to europeans. Also, the video focuses only in the UK and in France, which is wrong. Note: english is not my native language, there might be grammatical errors spinkled through this comment.

[@beaudweiser]

It's a 13 minute video, not a PhD thesis my guy

[@Kantuva]

They didn't even got time to talk about the Francozone and the neocolonialism that to this day still happens in how the French Central Bank can offload interest rates and debt to african countries. Decolonization spanned the entire planet, hard to cover it all on a 13 minute video, though they did do a very good and dignified job

[@bxzidffbxzidff]

I agree. While crash course European history has great quality in general, as with their other courses, it often shows an obvious American perspective

[@Mavrickman100]

Well said

[@damonvalentine6692]

If you colonize a country for 132 years what do want when you forced to leave a trophy.

[@juniormynos9457]

Great episode. Explaining the strategies employed by the western powers to ensure a legacy of colonialism

[@nicolasaguilerameza2923]

Please make a video explaining the relationship between Latinamerica and the US during the Cold War.

[@kevinandrews4957]

I love that such a mainstream source is talking about the horrors of European colonialism. In every history class I've taken that covers that time period, I've never had one that even mentioned the experiences of the colonized people or what they had to endure to gain independence. They might mention the nonviolent tactics of Gandhi, but never the violence that was endured by the Indian people or the ensuing war. And none of them would even consider referring to the neo-colonialism of the World Bank or IMF. Thank you John Green