Imperial Endgame: Britain's Dirty Wars and the End of Empire (Britain and the World)

The story of the British Empire in the twentieth century is one of decline, disarray, and despondency. Or so we have been told. In this fresh and controversial account of Britain's end of empire, Benjamin Grob-Fitzgibbon rejects this consensus, showing instead that in the years 1945-1960 the British government developed a successful imperial strategy based on devolving power to indigenous peoples within the Commonwealth. This strategy was calculated to allow decolonization to occur on British terms rather than those of the indigenous populations, and thus to keep these soon-to-be former colonies within the British and Western spheres of influence during the Cold War. To achieve this new form of informal liberal imperialism, however, the government had to rely upon the use of illiberal dirty wars. Spanning the globe from Palestine to Malaya, Kenya to Cyprus, these dirty wars represented Britain's true imperial endgame. Drawing On A Wealth Of Primary And Secondary Sources, This Book Explores How Far Imperial Culture Penetrated Antipodean City Institutions. It Argues That Far From Imperial Saturation, The City 'down Under' Was Remarkably Untouched By The Empire. Drawing On A Wealth Of Primary And Secondary Sources, This Book Explores How Far Imperial Culture Penetrated Antipodean City Institutions. It Argues That Far From Imperial Saturation, The City 'down Under' Was Remarkably Untouched By The Empire. Only At Certain Times, Such As During Imperial Crises, Were Citizens Alerted To Their Place As Imperial Citizens, But In Times Of Peace, Operationalising A Sense Of This Identity Was Far More Difficult. Through An Exploration Of Imperial Loyalty Leagues, School Culture, Ideas Of Imperial Federation, Youth Organisations, The Daily And Weekly Press And Popular Culture Of The City, The Book Notes That There Was An Instrumental Approach To Empire On The Part Of The Antipodean Working Class. Imperial Ceremonies And Traditions Failed To Embed Themselves And By The Inter-war Years Internationalism More Generally Challenged Imperial Values. The Roots Of Imperial Decline Are Found In The Inter War Years As Various Aspects Of British Imperial Culture Lost Their Grip. Indeed, Many Had Struggled To Implant Themselves In The First Place. From Imperial Federation To The Empty Pavilion : Empire Sentiment In British Empire Cities 1880-1914 -- Imperial Identity In Antipodean Cities During The First World War And Its Aftermath 1914-30 -- Empire City Or Global City? North American Culture In The Antipodean City C. 1880-1939 -- Integration Or Separation? Attitudes To Empire In The Antipodean Press C. 1880s-1930s -- Uniform Diversity? Youth Organisations In The Antipodes C. 1880-1939 -- Ceremonial Days, Imperial Culture, Schools And Exhibitions, C. 1900-35 -- The Branch Life Of Empire : Imperial Loyalty Leagues In Antipodean Cities C. 1900-39. John Griffiths. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 269-294) And Index. The Story Of The British Empire In The Twentieth Century Is One Of Decline, Disarray, And Despondency. Or So We Have Been Told. In This Fresh And Controversial Account Of Britain's End Of Empire, The Author Rejects This Consensus, Showing Instead That In The Years 1945-1960 The British Government Developed A Successful Imperial Strategy Based On Devolving Power To Indigenous Peoples Within The Commonwealth. This Strategy Was Calculated To Allow Decolonization To Occur On British Terms Rather Than Those Of The Indigenous Populations, And Thus To Keep These Soon-to-be Former Colonies Within The British And Western Spheres Of Influence During The Cold War. To Achieve This New Form Of Informal Liberal Imperialism, However, The Government Had To Rely Upon The Use Of Illiberal Dirty Wars. Spanning The Globe From Palestine To Malaya, Kenya To Cyprus, These Dirty Wars Represented Britain's True Imperial Endgame. The Attlee Years, July 27, 1945, To October 26, 1951 -- The Churchill Years, October 26, 1951, To April 7, 1955 -- The Eden Years, April 7, 1955, To January 10, 1957 -- Epilogue : The Imperial Endgame After Eden. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 446-457) And Index. The story of the British Empire in the twentieth century is one of decline, disarray, and despondency. Or so we have been told. In this fresh and controversial account of Britain's end of empire, Benjamin Grob-Fitzgibbon rejects this consensus, showing instead that in the years 1945-1960 the British government developed a successful imperial strategy based on devolving power to indigenous peoples within the Commonwealth. This strategy was calculated to allow decolonization to occur on British terms rather than those of the indigenous populations, and to thus keep these soon-to-be former colonies within the British and Western spheres of influence during the Cold War. To achieve this new form of informal liberal imperialism, however, the government had to rely upon the use of illiberal dirty wars. Spanning the globe from Palestine to Malaya, Kenya to Cyprus, these dirty wars represented Britain's true imperial endgame Front Matter....Pages i-xv Prologue....Pages 1-4 The Attlee Years: July 27, 1945, to October 26, 1951....Pages 5-172 The Churchill Years: October 26, 1951, to April 7, 1955....Pages 173-296 The Eden Years: April 7, 1955, to January 10, 1957....Pages 297-350 Epilogue: The Imperial Endgame after Eden....Pages 351-377 Back Matter....Pages 378-478 This book considers the British travelling beyond their isles over the last three hundred years, and through a range of interdisciplinary perspectives reflects on their taste for discovery and self-discovery both through the exploration - and exploitation - of other lands and peoples. The Paper War and the Development of Anglo-American Nationalisms, 1800-1825 offers fresh insight into the evolution of British and American nationalisms, the maturation of apologetics for slavery, and the early development of anti-Americanism, from approximately 1800 to 1830. In this fresh and controversial account of Britain's end of empire, Grob-Fitzgibbon reveals that the British government developed a successful strategy of decolonization following the Second World War based on devolving power to indigenous peoples within the Commonwealth.