South Africa: Difference between revisions
→Second World War
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===The Economic Downturn and Bolstering White Supremacy===
The Great Depression of the 1930s exacerbated racial tensions. With rising unemployment, white workers competed with Black workers for scarce jobs. This
=== Second World War ===
With Britain declaring war on Germany in 1939, South Africa, like the rest of the Dominions followed, despite attempts by then Prime Minister JBM Hertzog to declare neutrality. South African forces would fight against the Afrika Korps and Italian forces in East Africa, as well as against the Japanese invasion of India. All of the South African efforts in these theatres would prove to be for nought however, as the war would end in an Azis victory, shattering the Commonwealth. As part of the peace deal signed with the victors, South Africa would lose Namibia to Germany, and would move troops into the former British colonies of Swaziland, Lesotho and
The discovery of diamonds in Bechuanaland sparked a brief crisis where, South Africa would later be forced to cede part of the province To Reichskomissariat Ostafrika.
=== Struggle and Disorder ===
To avoid alienating either Washington or Germania, the South African government declared the South African throne vacant upon the death of George VI in 1952. In 1956, Anglo politician De Villiers Graaf was chosen to lead the United Party, leading it to victory in the 1960 election. since then has maintained a policy of opposing both the Boers and the African National Congress.
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