The Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall
European empires in Asia and Africa went out of business after the Second World War. India led the way to national independence right after the war, and other British, French, and Dutch territories followed. Most countries gained independence peacefully, but there were bitter colonial wars in Vietnam and Algeria. Western influence lives on in Asia and Africa, since most of the newly independent countries have retained Western nationalism and either communism or democracy as guiding ideas. An international youth culture emerged in the 1960s, encouraged by opposition to the Vietnam war and frustration over increasing bureaucracy and perceived Western imperialism. The section shows how the Second World War speeded up scientific achievement and gave rise to very large scientific projects involving great numbers of researchers and large government grants. This development has led to major changes in the lives of scientists and technicians, who have great influence in modern society. A second trend has been toward a more flexible and democratic class structure, where white-collar professionals and highly trained specialists provided the model for a new middle class.
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