▁national ist ▁sentiment ▁in ▁the ▁colon ized ▁pe op les . ▁ ▁Moreover , ▁the ▁large ▁emer ging ▁powers ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁America ▁and ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁supported ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁national ist ▁resistance ▁groups . ▁It ▁is ▁in ▁this ▁context ▁that ▁the ▁Band ung ▁Conference , ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁gives ▁voice ▁to ▁the ▁colon ies ▁seeking ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁b ip olar ity ▁that ▁confront ed ▁those ▁two ▁countries . ▁The ▁U . S . ▁and ▁the ▁former ▁USS R ▁were ▁therefore ▁keen ▁to ▁legit im ize ▁the ▁claims ▁of ▁the ▁colon ies , ▁either ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁balance ▁in ▁international ▁relations , ▁or ▁for ▁their ▁own ▁benefit . ▁ ▁In ▁Portugal , ▁the ▁Estado ▁Nov o ▁put ▁the ▁country ▁into ▁a ▁d ile m ma : ▁on ▁the ▁one ▁hand , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁policy ▁of ▁neutral ity ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁which ▁saved ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁from ▁a ▁possible ▁confront ation ▁between ▁East ▁and ▁West , ▁and ▁second ly , ▁the ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁maintenance ▁of ▁so vere ig nt y ▁over ▁its ▁colon ies . ▁Yet ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁govern ors ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁chose ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁NAT O ▁and ▁the ▁consequ ent ▁desire ▁of ▁an ▁al liance ▁with ▁the ▁w inners . ▁ ▁This ▁integration ▁of ▁Portugal ▁in ▁NAT O ▁formed ▁a ▁military ▁el ite ▁that ▁became ▁ind isp ens able ▁in ▁the ▁conduct ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Col onial ▁War . ▁This ▁established ▁a ▁series