The minority Whites in South Africa used apartheid to control the majority of the population who were majorly Blacks. Apartheid was a system of racial discrimination. Whites created laws that denied the Blacks and people of color, who were from Indian and Asian origin, political rights, economic opportunities and social rights. For example, non-whites were not allowed to intermarry or have sexual relations with the Whites. Those who went against the race laws were harshly punished, tortured or killed.
Although, the U.S. government did not buy the idea of the minority ruling the majority, when Apartheid came into force in 1948 the U.S. government (led by Truman) of the day was too slow on the subject as it wanted South Africa to remain as an ally in its fight against the spread of communism. This idea set the stage for growth of apartheid in South Africa since the succeeding U.S. administrations bought the same idea (Maddox W, 1987). But, the natives had been rioting since 1910 when the white rule began in South Africa. The protests increased in the 1960s due to the government outlawing all protests, whether legal or not, and banning political parties that were anti-apartheid like ANC and putting the party leaders like Nelson Mandela in prisons.
In 1960s the international community (for example, the United Nation General Assembly) had identified the brutality that the natives of South Africa were going through and had proposed economic and military sanctions against the South Africa government (History.com Editors, 2020). But, nations like U.S., Britain and France that had a strong say in the security council did not take the proposal seriously as they were afraid of losing an ally. In 1970s human rights movements and associations in U.S. and Europe started protesting and pressuring their government to impose sanctions on the South Africa oppressive regime. The efforts of these movements bore fruit in 1986 when the U.S. passed Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act (Simkins C, 2014).
The role of the U.S. in ending Apartheid in South Africa
The U.S. first consulate in South Africa was opened in 1799. Later, in 1929 a formal diplomatic relation was started between U.S. and South Africa after the United Kingdom recognized South Africa as a nation on its own. That relationship made U.S. to remain a bit silent on the racial discrimination that was going on in South Africa. But, U.S. governments kept calling for racial integration. For example, in 1966 president Johnson on his speech he said, “And we will not support policies abroad which are based on the rule of minorities or the discredited notion that men are unequal before the law. We will not live by a double standard—professing abroad what we do not practice at home, or venerating at home what we ignore abroad. (Thomson A, 2008)” Though, Johnson did not impose any sanction on South Africa he tried to persuade the apartheid government to alter its racial policies.
The pressure that brought apartheid to an end started from grass roots. Human rights activists across the U.S. protested in solidarity with native South Africans. Major protests were held in the South Africa Embassy in Washington demanding abolishment of racial discrimination and release of political prisoners like Nelson Mandela, who later became the first black president of South Africa. University students in U.S. universities also played a great role in organizing protests (Kaufman S, 2013). These movements imposed sanctions on products of U.S. companies that were operating in South Africa. As a result, the economy of the oppressive apartheid nation started ailing.
The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act became the final nail in the coffin for apartheid in South Africa. The Act was punitive. It banned new loans to the economically ailing South Africa, sale of technology gadget like computers, importation of military equipment from South Africa, termination of air transportation between U.S and South Africa, the double taxation law on U.S. parastatals in South Africa was uplifted, among other sanctions. This Act made South Africa to sink in the economic crisis that made the apartheid administration to surrender (Thomson A, 2008).
Although, the U.S. government did not buy the idea of the minority ruling the majority, when Apartheid came into force in 1948 the U.S. government (led by Truman) of the day was too slow on the subject as it wanted South Africa to remain as an ally in its fight against the spread of communism. This idea set the stage for growth of apartheid in South Africa since the succeeding U.S. administrations bought the same idea (Maddox W, 1987). But, the natives had been rioting since 1910 when the white rule began in South Africa. The protests increased in the 1960s due to the government outlawing all protests, whether legal or not, and banning political parties that were anti-apartheid like ANC and putting the party leaders like Nelson Mandela in prisons.
In 1960s the international community (for example, the United Nation General Assembly) had identified the brutality that the natives of South Africa were going through and had proposed economic and military sanctions against the South Africa government (History.com Editors, 2020). But, nations like U.S., Britain and France that had a strong say in the security council did not take the proposal seriously as they were afraid of losing an ally. In 1970s human rights movements and associations in U.S. and Europe started protesting and pressuring their government to impose sanctions on the South Africa oppressive regime. The efforts of these movements bore fruit in 1986 when the U.S. passed Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act (Simkins C, 2014).
The role of the U.S. in ending Apartheid in South Africa
The U.S. first consulate in South Africa was opened in 1799. Later, in 1929 a formal diplomatic relation was started between U.S. and South Africa after the United Kingdom recognized South Africa as a nation on its own. That relationship made U.S. to remain a bit silent on the racial discrimination that was going on in South Africa. But, U.S. governments kept calling for racial integration. For example, in 1966 president Johnson on his speech he said, “And we will not support policies abroad which are based on the rule of minorities or the discredited notion that men are unequal before the law. We will not live by a double standard—professing abroad what we do not practice at home, or venerating at home what we ignore abroad. (Thomson A, 2008)” Though, Johnson did not impose any sanction on South Africa he tried to persuade the apartheid government to alter its racial policies.
The pressure that brought apartheid to an end started from grass roots. Human rights activists across the U.S. protested in solidarity with native South Africans. Major protests were held in the South Africa Embassy in Washington demanding abolishment of racial discrimination and release of political prisoners like Nelson Mandela, who later became the first black president of South Africa. University students in U.S. universities also played a great role in organizing protests (Kaufman S, 2013). These movements imposed sanctions on products of U.S. companies that were operating in South Africa. As a result, the economy of the oppressive apartheid nation started ailing.
The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act became the final nail in the coffin for apartheid in South Africa. The Act was punitive. It banned new loans to the economically ailing South Africa, sale of technology gadget like computers, importation of military equipment from South Africa, termination of air transportation between U.S and South Africa, the double taxation law on U.S. parastatals in South Africa was uplifted, among other sanctions. This Act made South Africa to sink in the economic crisis that made the apartheid administration to surrender (Thomson A, 2008).
