ABSTRACT
The European colonial powers could no longer resist the rising tides of nationalism in both Asia and Africa. By 1960 most former colonies had attained independence, the majority without recourse to armed struggle. The British decision in 1947 to evacuate Palestine and to hand over the thorny problem to the United Nations came after three years of military and political feuding. Jewish resistance was splintered. There was the Hagana, a militialike self-defense organization that had been tolerated although never officially recognized by the British Mandatory authorities. During World War II its members had been voluntarily mobilized for the war effort against Nazi Germany. On 16 October 1949 the Greek Communist radio transmitter situated somewhere in Eastern Europe announced that the Communist army had put a stop to operations in order to “avoid the total destruction of the homeland.” The announcement, magnanimous in spirit, came a month after the army had ceased to exist.
