From childhood, Gaddafi was aware of the involvement of European colonialists in Libya; his nation was occupied by Italy, and during the North African Campaign of World War II it witnessed conflict between Italian and British troops. According to later claims, Gaddafi's paternal grandfather, Abdessalam Bouminyar, was killed by the Italian Army during the Italian invasion of 1911. At World War II's end in 1945, Libya was occupied by British and French forces. Although Britain and France intended on dividing the nation between their empires, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) declared that the country be granted political independence. In 1951, the UN created the United Kingdom of Libya, a federal state under the leadership of a pro-western monarch, Idris, who banned political parties and established an absolute monarchy.
When did Libya become an independent nation? When Libya first became an independent country, what form of government did it adopt? What countries occupied Libya after World War II? Who was the first leader of Libya? What World War I event directly impacted Gaddafi's family? How did World War I directly impact Gaddafi's family? What happened to Libya right after World War II? When was it announced that Libya would be independent? What was the first type of government that Libya had? What country occupied Libya during World War II? What nation controlled Libya as a colony when Gaddafi was a child? Who battled the Italians during the North African campaign? Who was Gaddafi's father's father? During what year did the Italians invade Libya? Along with the British, who occupied Libya at the end of the Second World War?