🏴Nationalism Unit 6 – Nationalism After WWI

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Nationalism: Strong identification with and loyalty to one's nation, often accompanied by a sense of superiority and desire for independence
• Self-determination: The belief that nations have the right to govern themselves and determine their own political status
• Irredentism: A movement to unite a nation and the territories it considers to be its own, often based on historical or ethnic claims
• Revanchism: A political manifestation of the will to reverse territorial losses incurred by a country, often after a war or social movement
• Ethnic nationalism: A form of nationalism wherein the nation is defined in terms of ethnicity, emphasizing common ancestry and culture
  • Promotes the interests of a particular ethnic group over those of other groups within the state
• Civic nationalism: A form of nationalism wherein the nation is defined by shared citizenship, values, and institutions rather than ethnicity
  • Seeks to unify people of different ethnic backgrounds based on shared political values and a common national identity

Historical Context: Pre-WWI Nationalism

• Rise of nationalist ideologies in Europe during the 19th century, fueled by factors such as the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars
• Unification movements in Germany and Italy, driven by nationalist sentiments and the desire for strong, centralized nation-states
• Nationalist uprisings and independence movements in regions under imperial rule (Balkans, Poland)
• Competing nationalist claims and tensions among European powers, contributing to the complex web of alliances preceding WWI
• Nationalism as a tool for mobilizing public support and justifying imperial expansionism and colonial ventures
• The Balkan Wars (1912-1913) as a manifestation of nationalist conflicts and a prelude to the larger conflict of WWI

Impact of WWI on Nationalist Movements

• Collapse of multi-ethnic empires (Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, Russian) and the emergence of new nation-states in Europe
• Paris Peace Conference (1919) and the redrawing of European borders based on the principle of self-determination
  • Creation of new states such as Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Poland
• Rise of anti-colonial nationalist movements in Asia and Africa, inspired by the rhetoric of self-determination and the weakening of European colonial powers
• Bolstering of Irish nationalism and the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) following the Easter Rising of 1916
• Growth of Arab nationalism and the Arab Revolt (1916-1918) against Ottoman rule, supported by British promises of independence
• Disillusionment with the post-war settlement and the perceived failure to fully implement the principle of self-determination, sowing the seeds for future conflicts

Major Nationalist Ideologies and Movements

• Wilsonian idealism: U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's vision of a post-war world order based on self-determination and international cooperation
  • Fourteen Points speech (1918) outlining his principles for a just and lasting peace
• Pan-Arabism: A movement advocating for the political unity and independence of Arab nations, often in opposition to Western imperialism and Zionism
• Zionism: The Jewish nationalist movement seeking to establish a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine, gaining momentum after the Balfour Declaration (1917)
• Turkish nationalism: The ideological foundation of the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923) and the establishment of the modern Republic of Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
• Irish republicanism: The ideology underpinning the struggle for Irish independence from British rule, exemplified by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Sinn Féin
• Indian nationalism: The growing movement for Indian independence from British colonial rule, led by figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru

Case Studies: Prominent Nationalist Movements

• Irish War of Independence (1919-1921): Guerrilla campaign waged by the IRA against British forces, resulting in the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the partition of Ireland
• Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923): Nationalist struggle led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk against Allied occupation and the Treaty of Sèvres, culminating in the establishment of the Republic of Turkey
• Egyptian Revolution of 1919: Nationalist uprising against British rule, triggered by the exile of Saad Zaghloul and the Wafd Party, leading to nominal independence in 1922
• Indian Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922): Gandhian campaign of non-violent resistance against British rule, aiming to achieve Swaraj (self-rule) for India
  • Included boycotts of British goods, institutions, and elections, as well as acts of civil disobedience
• Chinese May Fourth Movement (1919): Student-led protests against the Treaty of Versailles and Japanese imperialism, giving rise to Chinese nationalism and the spread of Marxism

Consequences and Global Reactions

• Redrawing of borders and creation of new nation-states, often with significant ethnic minorities, leading to future conflicts and instability
• Rise of revisionist powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) seeking to challenge the post-war order and assert their nationalist ambitions
• Growth of anti-colonial movements in Asia and Africa, inspired by the principle of self-determination and the weakening of European colonial powers
• Emergence of the League of Nations as an international organization aimed at promoting peace and resolving disputes, though hampered by its lack of enforcement powers
• Polarization of domestic politics in many countries, with nationalist and anti-nationalist factions vying for power and influence
• Development of international legal principles and norms related to self-determination, minority rights, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, though often unevenly applied in practice

Legacy and Modern Implications

• Ongoing conflicts and territorial disputes rooted in the nationalist movements and border changes of the post-WWI era (Israel-Palestine, Kashmir, Cyprus)
• Persistence of separatist and irredentist movements in various regions (Basque Country, Catalonia, Northern Ireland, Kurdish regions)
• Role of nationalism in the breakup of Yugoslavia and the ensuing conflicts of the 1990s, highlighting the enduring power of nationalist ideologies
• Resurgence of nationalist and populist movements in the 21st century, often in response to globalization, immigration, and perceived threats to national identity
  • Examples include Brexit, the rise of far-right parties in Europe, and the election of nationalist leaders in countries such as the United States, Brazil, and India
• Continuing debates over the balance between national sovereignty and international cooperation in addressing global challenges such as climate change, migration, and public health crises

Key Figures and Their Contributions

• Woodrow Wilson: U.S. President who championed the principle of self-determination and played a key role in shaping the post-war international order
• Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: Turkish nationalist leader who led the Turkish War of Independence and founded the modern Republic of Turkey, implementing sweeping social and political reforms
• Mahatma Gandhi: Indian independence leader who pioneered the use of non-violent civil disobedience and became a global icon of anti-colonial nationalism
• Saad Zaghloul: Egyptian nationalist leader who led the Wafd Party and the 1919 Revolution against British rule, paving the way for nominal Egyptian independence
• Éamon de Valera: Irish republican leader who served as President of Sinn Féin and later as Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and President of Ireland, playing a key role in the struggle for Irish independence
• Chaim Weizmann: Prominent Zionist leader who helped secure the Balfour Declaration and later served as the first President of Israel
• Ho Chi Minh: Vietnamese nationalist and communist revolutionary who led the struggle for Vietnamese independence from French colonial rule and later from American intervention