Final answer:
Decolonization after World War II resulted from the weakened state of European powers, the rise of self-determination ideas, the shifting global power dynamics with the emergence of the U.S. and Soviet Union as superpowers that supported decolonization, and the establishment of international bodies that encouraged sovereign state formation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The movement that began after the Second World War, referred to as decolonization, largely occurred because of a number of interrelated factors. The war had significantly weakened the European powers economically and militarily, making it harder for them to maintain control over their colonies. There was also a strong push for liberation and self-determination across colonies, influenced by the principles of democracy and human rights that had been widely propagated during the war years. Additionally, the global shift in power dynamics, with the rise of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers, provided international support to anti-colonial movements, further undermining European colonial empires. The ideological battle of the Cold War also encouraged colonial nations to pursue independence as the superpowers competed for influence in these newly sovereign states. Finally, the period of economic reconstruction after the war saw the establishing of international bodies and alliances which sought to ensure global peace and stability, further emphasizing the need for decolonization and the creation of independent states.