The 1950s and 1960s saw widespread re-evaluation and contestation of the relationship between the industrialized West and the developing nations of the world. The most direct manifestation of this phenomenon was decolonization, the dismantling of the overseas empires Western powers had built over the course of the previous centuries. The Allies had cast World War II as a fight for freedom; with the war won, the peoples of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East demanded freedom for themselves. At the same time, many in the developing world came to understand that winning political independence was only part of the battle. They would also need to unravel the relationships and practices that kept the developing world economically and technologically dependent on Europe. As you read the documents included in this feature, think about the connections between decolonization and the fight against economic dependence. Why did many observers believe that true independence had both political and economic components?