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THE BERLIN CONFERENCE During the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, the colonial powers of Europe carved up Africa, providing for the partitioning of 90 percent of the continent. At the time, Britain, France, and Germany, among others, looked to exploit Africa’s vast natural resources. The conference formalized the spheres of influence in Africa, but the process of colonization would come later in the following century.

turning it over to the United Nations to become a Trust Territory. The United Nations refused, but South Africa began slowly strengthening its control in the territory. South West Africa became the longest lasting League of Nations Mandate, since it did not go through the process of change other mandates had after the creation of the United Nations. The regulations governing mandates were much more relaxed than those governing Trust Territories or Non-Self-Governing Territories, and the emphasis on achieving self-determination was much less.

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Chapter Five