World War I shook up old empires big time. The Ottoman Empire crumbled, and its lands got carved up by the winners. Germany lost all its colonies too. This reshuffling of power left a lot of people unhappy.

All this change sparked nationalist movements in Africa and Asia. People started fighting for independence from colonial rule. Groups like the Indian National Congress and the African National Congress led the charge, setting the stage for decolonization after World War II.

The Decline of Old Empires and the Rise of Nationalist Movements

Ottoman Empire Dissolution

• Ottoman Empire sided with Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary) during World War I resulting in their defeat and subsequent partitioning by Allied Powers (Britain, France, Italy, and Greece) under Treaty of Sèvres (1920)
  • Treaty divided empire into spheres of influence and mandates but was never ratified by Ottoman government due to its unfavorable terms
• Turkish nationalists, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, rejected Treaty of Sèvres and fought Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923) ultimately defeating Allied Powers and establishing modern Republic of Turkey
• Treaty of Lausanne (1923) recognized Turkey's independence, sovereignty, and defined its modern borders
• Dissolution of Ottoman Empire led to creation of new states in Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine) placed under British and French mandates as part of post-war settlement

German Colonies Redistribution

• Germany's overseas colonies taken away and redistributed among Allied Powers under Treaty of Versailles (1919) after their defeat in World War I
• Redistribution carried out by League of Nations through Mandate System designed to prepare former colonies for eventual independence under Allied Powers' guidance
• German East Africa divided between Britain (Tanganyika) and Belgium (Ruanda-Urundi) while German Southwest Africa placed under Union of South Africa administration
• German West African colonies (Togoland and Kamerun) divided between Britain and France and German Pacific colonies divided among Japan (Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, and Mariana Islands), Australia (German New Guinea), and New Zealand (German Samoa)

Nationalist Movements and Colonial Resistance

• World War I aftermath and colonial redistribution led to rise of nationalist movements in Africa and Asia seeking independence from colonial rule
• India: Indian National Congress, led by Mahatma Gandhi, intensified non-violent resistance against British rule through civil disobedience (Salt March in 1930, Quit India Movement in 1942)
• Africa: Emergence of nationalist movements such as Wafd Party in Egypt (independence from British rule), Destour Party in Tunisia (independence from French rule), and African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa (opposed discriminatory policies of white minority government)
• Southeast Asia: Nationalist movements gained momentum with Vietnamese Nationalist Party (VNQDĐ) fighting against French colonial rule and Indonesian National Party (PNI) advocating for Indonesian independence from Dutch rule
• These nationalist movements laid foundation for eventual decolonization of Africa and Asia in decades following World War II as they galvanized support for self-determination and challenged colonial powers' authority