The Bandung Conference
The Bandung Conference
TexteThe Bandung Conference
Note from the Commonwealth Relations Office on the holding of an Afro-Asian Conference (18 November 1954)
TexteIn a note dated 18 November 1954, George Crombie from the Commonwealth Relations Office expresses his concern at the holding of an Afro-Asian Conference, particularly since anti-colonialist views will undoubtedly dominate discussions. He also fears the potential participation of the British colonies.
Note from the British Foreign Office to the United Kingdom High Commissioners in the Commonwealth on the arrangements for an Afro-Asian Conference (4 February 1955)
TexteOn 4 February 1955, a note sent by the British Foreign Office to the United Kingdom High Commissioners in the Commonwealth outlines the United Kingdom’s concerns surrounding the conference, to be attended by the representatives of 23 Asian countries and six African countries. The Foreign Office suggests that there is a risk that the Afro-Asian Conference will be influenced by communist hostility to the West and by neutralism.
The participants at the Bandung conference (18 to 24 April 1955)
TableauFrom 18 to 24 April 1955, 29 Third World countries met in Bandung, Indonesia. This conference was at the origins of the non-aligned countries movement.
The Liberian Delegation at the Bandung Conference (18 to 24 April 1955)
ImageThe delegation from Liberia, one of the 29 countries participating in the Conference of non-aligned nations held from 18 to 24 April 1955 in Bandung, Indonesia.
The Vietnamese delegation at the Bandung Conference (18 to 24 April 1955)
ImageNguyen Van Thoai leads the Vietnamese delegation to the Conference of 29 Non-Aligned States held from 18 to 24 April 1955 in Bandung, Indonesia.
The Bandung Conference (18 to 24 April 1955)
ImageIn April 1955, on the margins of the Asian-African Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, the non-aligned leaders (from left to right) — Colonel Gamal A. Nasser, the Burmese Prime Minister, U Nu, the Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Nasser’s adjutant, Major Salah Salem — celebrate the Burmese New Year in traditional costume.
Opening address given by Sukarno (Bandung, 18 April 1955)
TexteOn 18 April 1955, the Indonesian President Sukarno declares the Bandung Conference open. With some 29 African and Asian countries in attendance, the Conference calls upon all the participants to unite in the fight against colonialism.
Opening address given by John Kotelawala (Bandung, 18 April 1955)
TexteOn 18 April 1955, in his opening address, the Prime Minister of Ceylon, John Kotelawala, calls on the countries of Africa and Asia taking part in the Bandung Conference to unite against colonialism.
Statement by the Egyptian Delegation at the opening session (Bandung, 18 April 1955)
TexteOn 18 April 1955, at the opening session of the Bandung Conference, the Egyptian Delegation looks at the issues involved in the process of decolonisation and self-rule in Asian and African countries.
Summary of the introductory speeches at the Bandung Conference (18–19 April 1955)
TexteIn a telegram dated 26 April 1955, the British Embassy in Djakarta provides a summary of all the introductory speeches that were given on 18 and 19 April at the Bandung Conference.
Closing address given by Ali Sastraoamidjojo (Bandung, 24 April 1955)
TexteIn his closing address, given on 24 April 1955, the Indonesian Prime Minister, Ali Sastraoamidjojo, claims that the Bandung Conference has been a success.
Statement by the Indian Delegation at the closing session (Bandung, 24 April 1955)
TexteAt the closing session on 24 April 1955, the Indian Delegation celebrates the success of the Bandung Conference as regards the right of self-determination of colonised peoples.
Final Communiqué of the Asian-African conference of Bandung (24 April 1955)
TexteOn 24 April 1955, the delegations of 29 countries from Africa and Asia, meeting at the Bandung (Indonesia) International Conference, publish a Final Communiqué containing the principles adopted at the Conference.
Interview with Arthur Conte (RTL, 16 April 1965)
SonOn the 10th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, the French journalist Arthur Conte publishes an article entitled 'Bandung, a turning point in history' in which he describes the role of this meeting at a global level.
Reactions to the Bandung Conference
'Delegates from 29 African and Asian Countries meet in Bandung', from Le Figaro (18 April 1955)
TexteAs the Bandung Conference opens on 18 April 1955, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro looks at the objectives of this Asian-African Conference and the policy of non-alignment.
'Bandung will bring out the best and the worst' from Le Populaire (19 April 1955)
TexteOn 19 April 1955, the French Socialist daily newspaper Le Populaire paints an optimistic picture of the work carried out at the Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung from 18 to 24 April 1955.
'A backdrop of anti-European sentiment', from Corriere della Sera (19 April 1955)
TexteAs the Bandung Conference opens on 18 April 1955, the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera outlines the growing political awareness of the Asian-African peoples and highlights their various demands.
‘The Asian-African Conference is over' from Pravda (25 April 1955)
TexteOn 25 April 1955, the Soviet daily newspaper Pravda publishes a report on the outcome of the first conference of non-aligned nations, held in Bandung, Indonesia.
‘Bandung, a success', from Het Parool (26 April 1955)
TexteOn 26 April 1955, the Dutch daily newspaper Het Parool assesses the Bandung Conference and marks the position of Chinese diplomacy on the international scene.
'The world after Bandung', from Süddeutsche Zeitung (26 April 1955)
TexteOn 26 April 1955, commenting on the proceedings of the Bandung Conference, the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung considers the role and the position of Asian countries on the international scene.
‘The ambiguities of the Bandung Conference' from Le Figaro (27 April 1955)
TexteOn 27 April 1955, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro paints a critical picture of the Bandung Conference (18–24 April 1955) and doubts whether the decisions taken will be implemented.
Letter from Renaud Sivan to Antoine Pinay on the Bandung Conference (Jakarta, 27 April 1955)
TexteOn 27 April 1955, Renaud Sivan, French Ambassador in Jakarta, writes a letter to Antoine Pinay, French Foreign Minister, in which he sets out the highlights of the Bandung Conference.
'Warning from Bandung', from Luxemburger Wort (27 April 1955)
TexteOn 27 April 1955, the Luxembourg daily newspaper Luxemburger Wort considers the move towards non-alignment apparent at the Bandung Conference attended by 29 countries from Africa and Asia from 18 to 24 April 1955.
Letter from General Ely to Antoine Pinay on the Bandung Conference (Saigon, 28 April 1955)
TexteOn 28 April 1955, General Paul Ely, French Commissioner General in Indo-China, sends a letter to Antoine Pinay, French Foreign Minister, in which he gives his first impressions of the Bandung Conference, held from 18 to 24 April 1955.
Reactions to the Bandung Conference
Extracts of a note from the French External Documentation and Counter-Intelligence Department on reactions to the Bandung Conference (11 June 1955)
TexteOn 11 June 1955, the French External Documentation and Counter-Intelligence Department drafts a note in which it outlines the various reactions to the Bandung Conference.
Cartoon by Mitelberg on the Bandung Conference (1955)
ImageCommenting on the Bandung Conference held from 18 to 24 April 1955 and attended by delegations from 29 African and Asian countries, French cartoonist Mitelberg takes an ironic look at the misunderstandings surrounding decolonisation.
Memorandum from the British Embassy in Djakarta on the Bandung Conference (Djakarta, 28 April 1955)
TexteOn 28 April 1955, the British Ambassador to Djakarta, Oscar Morland, sends a letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Harold Macmillan, in which he encloses a memorandum on the working and achievements of the Bandung Conference.
Letter from Maurice Couve de Murville to Christian Pineau concerning US policy on colonialism (25 May 1956)
TexteOn 25 May 1956, Maurice Couve de Murville, French Ambassador to Washington, informs French Foreign Minister Christian Pineau of an address given by the US Senator for Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy, in which he gave his views on colonialism and US foreign policy. Kennedy believes that his country must take a stance against the colonial policy of Western powers, in particular so that the colonies, which are currently gaining independence, will not turn towards the East.
‘The Accra Conference has enshrined a new African bloc on the international stage’ from Le Monde (24 April 1958)
TexteOn 24 April 1958, the French daily newspaper Le Monde analyses the positions taken and the agreements reached by the independent African states which took part in the Accra Conference, held from 15 to 22 April 1958 on the initiative of Ghanaian Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah.
Note from the French Foreign Ministry on the Accra Conference (Paris, 12 May 1958)
TexteOn 12 May 1958, the Sub-Directorate for Africa in the French Foreign Ministry reports on the Conference of Independent African States held from 15 to 22 April 1958 in Accra, Ghana, on the initiative of Ghanaian Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah. The states participating in the conference presented their nationalist objectives and strongly criticised French colonialism.