Britain and France had seized most of them in World War 1 and wanted to keep them. The victorious allies were keen to keep Germany weak after the devastation that had been caused in the "war to end all wars" and so Germany's overseas empire was confiscated. They were not keen on Germany being a world power, either.
The League of Nations (an early version of the UN), newly created and led by France and Britain, decided to split the German colonies between France and Britain, but they would not be classed as parts of their empire, instead they would be "protectorates".
The plan was for France and Britain to oversee and protect these territories while they built up their own government, the two empires could then make them fully independent.
As it turned out however this did not happen and the territories virtually became part of the British and French empires.
The German Colonies were removed from German control and ownership after World War 1. They were administered by individual members of the victorious powers under a League of Nations Mandate. That means that the German colonies did not become British, French, or Dutch colonies, for example, but were administered by those countries under a light form of League of Nations supervision.
Belgium wasn't given two countries. They were given two former cantons (areas) that were part of Germany. Eupen and Malmedy became part of Belguim in 1924.
axis powers
European nations wanted to control more land as a way to become more economically powerful. The hope was to acquire colonies to control their natural resources and make the nation extremely wealthy.
Germany and Japan had to be occupied by the Allies and they had to get rid of Nazism, and the idea of suicide / Samurai warrior notions. Both countries had to become democratic nations and we would help them get their countries repaired. See also information about the Yalta Conference and the Potsdam Conference.
Austria and Hungary separated, and several small countries came into being in Eastern Europe:- Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania. Several others significantly changed their borders:- Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Poland. Several of those countries changed their borders also after WWII or in recent decades and Yugoslavia has split up. Europe is just a crazy mixed up continent! I was forgetting the world-wide implications. One that I remember: German East Africa became Kenya. Germany had colonies in many places, all were taken away and given to, mostly, France and Britain, and renamed. Most large-scale wars result in border changes and name changes.
After WW1 the League of Nations (the "old UN") laid down arrangements for German Colonies to be allotted to other states as mandates, making the state responsible for fair governments and the mandate to develop and form it's own state. The former German colonies of German East Africa, Togoland and Cameroons were given the Trusteeship status. Britain was given Tanganykia, France the Togoland and the Cameroons and Belgium was given Ruanda-Urundi a.k.a. Rwanda-Burundi. The African lands were put under the charge of the three countries and the countries were supposed to help the mandates with economic, social or political problems. The countries which were allocated lands, were to report every year to the League, but the reports were often skipped or ignored as the Mandates Commission had very limited powers. Source: IB History Route 2: International Relations 1918 to 1936 by Joe Gauci
When a wealthy landowner was given full control over land in the New World, the colonies were known as proprietary colonies. In proprietary colonies, the landowner was granted the rights and authority to govern the colony as they saw fit. Examples of proprietary colonies in North America include Pennsylvania and Maryland.
The name given to the countries fighting against Germany was Allies. This name was given to this group in both World Wars.
Land Grants given to property holders in Spain
An adventurer or world traveller
This period in history is called the period of Salutary Neglect. The British had enough problems at home that they weren't as actively involved with the colonies as they previously had been. This gave the colonies the opportunity to trade with countries that the British had prevented them from trading with. Britain eventually did realize what the colonies were doing, but because it wasn't affecting their own economy, the British decided to let them trade with other countries.
Belgium wasn't given two countries. They were given two former cantons (areas) that were part of Germany. Eupen and Malmedy became part of Belguim in 1924.
Axis Forces
Land Grants given to property holders in Spain
Land Grants given to property holders in Spain
Britain had plenty of other colonies all over the world, and this fact was not used as evidence for why the colonies should be free. The Declaration of Independence focused only on the American colonies.
Britain had plenty of other colonies all over the world, and this fact was not used as evidence for why the colonies should be free. The Declaration of Independence focused only on the American colonies.