The historical event marking the end of imperial powers in Asia is generally considered the aftermath of World War II, particularly the decolonization process that followed the war. As European nations weakened by the conflict faced widespread nationalist movements, countries like India and Indonesia began to assert their independence in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The war had also led to increased awareness of self-determination among colonized peoples. The resulting wave of independence movements throughout Asia dismantled long-standing empires, ushering in a new era of nation-states and reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the region.