1945-Present

Modern Asia

During World War II – India forced by Great Britain to fight for Allies They had issue in fighting for democracy when not given freedom

themselves Started “Quit India” campaign – led by Gandhi and was a non-violent

protest to get Britain to leave British responded to protests with arrest of Gandhi – this led to violence

against the British – Created a great push for Indian nationalism Religious conflict marred the country – struggle for religious control

was an issue Main religious groups – Muslims and Hindus – political freedom created

more religious tension as Muslims feared that democratic government would lead to loss in power of Muslims because of larger Hindu population

Violence led to partition of nation into two separate nations: Muslim controlled Pakistan and Hindu controlled India

Great Britain leaves India in 1947 – Jawaharlal Nehru becomes first prime minister of India

India – End of Colonialism

Religious violence continues – moving of religious groups into different countries causes violent outbreaks around the region Over 1 million are killed in violence – including Gandhi

Kashmir War begins – Pakistan and India fight for control of this region on the Northern border of India Formal war ended in 1949 with a cease fire, but region is still a

problem today Region was split up and part was given to Pakistan and other part to

India Challenges faced by India:

Rights of women and life improvement for the poor Modernization of science and technology Stayed out of Cold War – focus on their own development

India – After Independence

Indira Gandhi – female prime minister of India who took over in 1966 Faced Sikh independence movement – wanted religious

freedom in region of Punjab Revolutionaries took control of temple in Amritsar – Indira sent

troops in to force out Sikh rebels Sikhs killed sparking more violence – led to assassination of

Indira Gandhi in 1984 India today has went through an economic boom – this

improved life in India and brought better health care and decrease in poverty in India

There is still a standing feud with Pakistan and also issues with Sri Lanka

India – After Independence

Civil War faced the region when created in 1947 – two regions East and West Pakistan Deep divisions over language, religion and culture West Pakistan was favored by government – was home to capital of region 1971 – East Pakistan asks to become independent nation – government

sends in troops to put down movement India sends in troops to help East Pakistan to get independence

West Pakistan gives up fight and allows East Pakistan to become independent

East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh

Since the Civil War Ethnic and religious tensions are common Government overthrow – Pervez Musharraf, general who took over in

1999 Threat of Nuclear Arms race with India

India get nuclear bomb in 1974, and Pakistan gets bomb in 1998

Pakistan

Came about after Pakistan Civil War in 1971Issues of the nation:

High povertyOver populationNatural disasters (Floods, Storms) – lead to

widespread death and famineGovernment turmoil – now in process of trying

to make democracy work

Bangladesh

Much of this region was under the control of European nations prior to World War II

During World War II – This same area fell under Japanese control This weakened European and American control in the region Led to nations gaining independence following World War II

Philippines – independence from U.S. in 1946 Burma – independence from Britain in 1948

Other regions had much harder road to freedom - Vietnam

Southeast Asia – Gaining Independence

This region, like Korea, became a struggle between Communism and Capitalist Democracy Communist Leader in Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh

Received aid from China and Russia Goal was to get Vietnam independent of France – not expand Communism

Vietnam War World Powers of France, U.S. and Soviet Union agree to split Vietnam

into a North and South because of Communist/Democracy issue This angers the people of Vietnam – 1956 the people of Vietnam vote for

reunification U.S. does not want Vietnam to reunify for fear that Communists would take control

Eisenhower’s Domino Theory – If Vietnam fell to Communism then other regions of Southeast Asia would become Communist

U.S. supports the brutal leader of the South – Ngo Dinh Diem –people in South Vietnam hate him and form a rival group called Vietcong

North Vietnamese join with Vietcong in South and fight against Americans and supporters of Diem

Vietnam – Center of Cold War Rivalry

War Escalates – President Johnson Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – gives the president power to expand U.S.

involvement without a formal declaration of war Prior to this the U.S. had been an aid nation to South Vietnam and helped train troops

and send food, but North Vietnamese attack on U.S. ship changes American involvement

Turning Point – Tet Offensive North Vietnamese attack on their New Year’s Day America felt their victory in Vietnam was close, but this attack proved

otherwise War expands – spills over into nations neighboring Vietnam (Laos and

Cambodia) These areas the North Vietnamese had used for supply lines – Ho Chi Minh

Trail Americans began to lose will to continue the fight – U.S. signs peace

agreement with North Vietnam in 1973 – U.S. troops leave North Vietnam overwhelms the South and they take the capital in 1975

Vietnam War

Reunified in 1976 – A Communist regime Problems faced:

Economic hardships due to war Homelessness – hurt economy Death of many citizens – hurt economy

Solutions: 1980s – left behind Soviet planned economy and adopted economic

reform Economy slowly improved

United States recognizes Vietnam as an independent nation – 1995 This gives Vietnam ability to trade with U.S. – helps economy

Vietnam Today – still Communist

Vietnam – After the War

Indonesia – island chain of 13,000 islands and one of the largest populations in the world Has faced struggle with ethnic problems Also had a communist revolution that was put down in the 1960s

Led to rise of a man named Suharto as the leader of Indonesia 1997 – economy collapses – is in the process of rebuilding it Most of the population is Muslim – there is a large group of Christians 2004 – Devastating Tsunami strikes nation and kills 225,000 people

East Timor – became independent of Indonesia in 2002 after almost 30 years of war.

Cambodia – became independent of France in 1953 Khmer Rouge (led by Pol Pot)– Communist group who took over the nation in 1975 and

believed in peasant life as means to success so they got rid of urban life – murdered millions

Many years of civil war after Vietnam invades country have left it slow to rebuild, but in 1993 United Nations helped organize elections for the nation

Myanmar – won freedom from Great Britain in 1948 (was called Burma) Military dictatorship today rules nation – opposed by Aung San Suu Kyi – female winner

of Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 who has been held in prison for her opposition

Other Nations in the Region

Communist takeover China – October 1, 1949 Leader: Mao Zedong Civil War in China had been going on before World War II but the two

sides, the Communists and the nationalist group, the Guomindang, stopped fighting to go to war against Japan – when World War II ended, the Civil War picked up and Communists win

Problems in China: Bad Economy No functional government

Mao rebuilds China: Started with 5-year plans – reorganized land and wealth amongst the

people Rebuilt economy and ended rural poverty Increased literacy rate Life expectancy increases – public health reformed

Cost: Thousands of artists, public officials, business leaders, and writers are killed or sent to prison camps

China – Communist Nation

Great Leap Forward – program announced by Mao Zedong in 1958 designed to increase industrial and agricultural output Created collectively owned farms and communes – designed to produce

food and have small scale industry The program was a failure – led to a famine in rural China – killed

millions Also saw criticism from Soviet Union – withdrew aid in 1960 – created a

wide rift (separation) between the two nations Cultural Revolution – called for creation of a society in which

peasants and physical labor were the ideal way of life – this meant that intellectuals (teachers, skilled workers, and artists) were eliminated Schools were shut down – saw creation of Red Guard – tortured and

killed those who did not follow the ideals of the Cultural Revolution Brought Mao back to absolute power – almost caused a civil war Destroyed Chinese society, economy, and civil authority

China – Communist Nation

Mao Zedong died in 1976 China changes many of his old policies and begins to advance

China enters an era of reform: Ended isolation from rest of the world – U.S. President Nixon visits

nation in 1972 New leadership has the remnants of Mao’s Gang of Four rounded up

and put into prison Group of Four – wielded much of the power in China with Mao and were

responsible for many of the horrors of the Cultural Revolution – included Mao’s wife (Jiang Qing)

China under Deng Xiaoping Started plan called Four Modernizations – this was his idea of far-

reaching market reform to help the Chinese economy Named after the four areas that needed to modernize – agriculture, industry,

science, and technology Gave businesses new freedom to make own economic decisions

China – After Mao Zedong

This was a protest movement where the Chinese people were demanding more political freedom.Chinese government asked for protests to stop –

people refused to stop protestsGovernment officials sent in the military to end the

protestsMany protestors killedBecame known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre –

June 1989

Tiananmen Square

Economy has grown rapidly – 2nd in the world to the United States Still has not reached all and the large population has forced

measures to be put in place to control birth rates Through population control they can help spread wealth

Faces issues with pollution and lack of resources Forced to import a great deal of resources Drives prices up globally on natural resources – strains economy

Still dealing with human rights abuses – concern of many of their critics Limits of free speech and freedom of religion

Hosted the 2008 Olympics

China Today

After World War II – Japan was destroyed and needed to be rebuilt American forces occupied Japan – helped to rebuild the nation

Demilitarized the nation Instituted a democratic government Rebuilt the economy – provided economic aid

War in Korea helped Japan because they became a flow of resources for United Nations forces

Japanese economy: Became based on foreign trade and production of consumer goods Focus moved to electronics production in the 1970s Now a major economic power

Japanese Social Changes Standard of living improved Moved from agrarian society to industrialized society – people began

working in industries Adopted many American customs Gender roles changed – women became involved outside the home

Post World War II Japan

Gained independence from U.S. in 1946 Was established as a democratic government

Ferdinand Marcos – became an authoritarian leader of Philippines in 1970s Imposed martial law and arrested his opponents Stole money from the country Allowed elections in 1986 after blamed for assassination of major

opponent Benigno Aquino Led to the election of Corazon Aquino, widow of Benigno, as the new

president of the nation

Challenges today: Struggling with democracy and economy Rebel groups use guerilla warfare to attack

The Philippines

Followed two different paths North Korea – followed path of Communism

Started by Kim Il Sung Followed Soviet Union model of complete control Suffered poverty and food shortages

Kim Jong Il – became leader after his father Kim Il Sung died in 1994 Economy continued to deteriorate Expanded military Developed first nuclear weapon in 2006

South Korea – followed democratic path U.S. economic aid helped to build up nation’s industry Faced constant government turmoil – had authoritarian rulers and constant

rebellion until 1980s 1980s – adopted democratic constitution

Nuclear weapons in North Korea continue to cause strain in the region

Korea

Leftovers of old Nationalist regime in China Received economic aid from U.S. – built successful economy

Economy based on trade and consumer good production Ruled under martial law until 1980s

In 1980s they allowed other political parties to form In a constant struggle for control with China

China sees them as a part of China that will return to Chinese control

Taiwan views itself as an independent nation not wanting China to control it

Taiwan

Name given to Pacific Rim nations of South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore due to their economic success Started as poor and underdeveloped in the 1960s Followed Japanese pattern to economic success

Provided ample education and training of workers Received aid from U.S. Benefitted from shipping routes across the Pacific Focus on growth through exports of consumer goods – goods that could

sell in U.S. Faced financial crisis in 1997 – due to lack of government regulation

on borrowing money These regions have progressed well since World War II and is

seen as a miracle after the destruction they faced and recovery they have went through – spurring a call that the Asian markets would soon pass North America and Europe as the dominant regions in the world

Asian Tigers