The surrender of its king to the Nazis had occurred without the consultation of the legislature or the military. As a result, many politicians called on the king to abdicate in favor of his heir. Within the government, questions arose about what was considered collaboration within the Belgian population. Both of these political questions created a divided nation and had to be dealt with swiftly. Malta was significantly different. Located in between Sicily and North Africa, Malta had been an important way station for Allied vessels and aircraft. Malta's location also made it a prime target and objective for the Axis. Throughout the war, Malta was under near air attacks by Italian and German aircraft. At the conclusion of the war, Malta was cratered and broken. The great harbor of Valetta, the primary point of trade for the island, had been damaged in the war and required extensive repairs. In terms of politics, Malta was approaching a transfer of power. Prior to the Second World War, Malta had been a Crown Colony. With the breakup of empires in the immediate aftermath of the war, Malta was approaching independence and would soon be required to recreate itself as a nation. Belgium and Malta both faced different problems at
The surrender of its king to the Nazis had occurred without the consultation of the legislature or the military. As a result, many politicians called on the king to abdicate in favor of his heir. Within the government, questions arose about what was considered collaboration within the Belgian population. Both of these political questions created a divided nation and had to be dealt with swiftly. Malta was significantly different. Located in between Sicily and North Africa, Malta had been an important way station for Allied vessels and aircraft. Malta's location also made it a prime target and objective for the Axis. Throughout the war, Malta was under near air attacks by Italian and German aircraft. At the conclusion of the war, Malta was cratered and broken. The great harbor of Valetta, the primary point of trade for the island, had been damaged in the war and required extensive repairs. In terms of politics, Malta was approaching a transfer of power. Prior to the Second World War, Malta had been a Crown Colony. With the breakup of empires in the immediate aftermath of the war, Malta was approaching independence and would soon be required to recreate itself as a nation. Belgium and Malta both faced different problems at