This collection examines aspects of colonial break-down within the British, French, Dutch and Portugese empires after 1945, thus contrasting the problems confronting the European imperial powers after World War II.

Diplomacy and decolonialization, John Darwin; decolonization deferred? - the re-establishment of colonial rule in Hong Kong, 1942-45, Kent Fedorowich; Britain, the United States and the end of the Italian Empire in Africa, 1940-52, Saul Kelly; divisive decolonization - the Anglo-French withdrawal from Syria and Lebanon, 1944-46, Martin Thomas; filling the void - the emergence of early Vietnamese trade with China, 1945-50, Christopher E. Goscha; division and discord - British policy, Indo-China, and the origins of the Vietnam War, 1954-1956, Phillip Hughes; after decolonization - Australia and the emergence of the non-aligned movement in Asia, 1954-55 Christopher Waters; Britain and the Cyprus problem at the United Nations, 1954-58, Edward Johnson; causes and consequences of France's departure from Algeria, 1958-62, Sabine-Marie Decup; Britain, the United States and the demise of the Central African Federation, 1959-1963, L.J. Butler; Britain, the Cold war, and the Congo Crisis, 1960-63, Alan James; Britain and Portuguese Africa, 1961-65, Glyn Stoner; revolution and reaction - South Arabia in the aftermath of the Yemini Revolution, Simon C. Smith; Britain, Konfrontasi and the end of empire in south-east Asia, 1961-65, John Subritski; decolonization by default - Suriname and the Dutch retreat from empire, Bob Moore; the end of Australian rule in Papua New Guinea, Hank Nelson.