How did the attempts to create Biafra and Bangladesh show the role of nationalism in war?

The attempts to create Biafra and Bangladesh illustrate how nationalism can act as a powerful catalyst for conflict, particularly when postcolonial borders fail to align with ethnic, linguistic, or cultural identities. In both cases, nationalist movements sought sovereignty after experiencing systemic marginalization, leading to devastating wars.123

The Role of Nationalism in Conflict

• Identity and Marginalization: In Nigeria, the Igbo people developed a strong sense of ethnic identity in response to colonial rule and subsequent ethnic friction. Following massacres in the north, they declared independence as Biafra in 1967 to escape persecution. Similarly, the Bangladesh Liberation War was driven by Bengali nationalists who resisted the imposition of a singular Pakistani identity, including the suppression of the Bengali language.324
• State Failure and Violence: Both conflicts highlight the instability of states erected without a common ethnic base. The refusal of central governments to grant political autonomy—such as the Pakistani government’s rejection of the Awami League election victory—triggered military crackdowns and widespread atrocities.124
• International Involvement: These nationalist struggles often drew in external powers, as seen with French support for Biafra and Indian military intervention in the 1971 conflict, further escalating the scale of the wars.23

Ultimately, these wars demonstrate that when nationalism challenges established state boundaries, the resulting struggle for self-determination frequently leads to protracted, violent, and humanitarian crises.1