How does the path to independence shape new states' long-term trade performance? Challenging conventional wisdom that war disrupts trade, we show that states that achieve independence from their colonizers through war experience  better trade performance after an initial disruption. Analyzing bilateral trade flows from 1948-2006 using semi-parametric gravity models, we identify that violently independent states initially experience a deterioration in trade followed by a stark U-shaped recovery around year 25. Three mechanisms drive this recovery pattern: violent independence signals credible commitment to economic autonomy, triggers state-making processes consistent with Tilly's war-making state-making thesis, and forces industrialization through necessity. In contrast, peaceful independence initially maintains existing colonial institutions and trade ties, but this advantage becomes a liability over time. Our findings extend the bellicist theory of state formation beyond Europe to post-colonial settings, qualify the erosion of colonial trade hypothesis, and show how decolonization processes shape the trade trajectories.