1. The Struggle for Democracy: South Asia & Middle East What are the ongoing conflicts in South Asia & the Middle East?

2. South Asia 1947: British India is given independence & the former colony is partitioned Country #1 = India (Hindu) Country #2 Pakistan (Muslim) Pakistan will also be divided into East & West Pakistan India West Pakistan East Pakistan The two new countries will fight over a small piece of land called Kashmir Kashmir Kashmir had a Hindu leader but mostly Muslim residents India & Pakistan went to war over the area from 1947-1948 A cease-fire was declared in 1949. 1/3 will be controlled by Pakistan and 2/3 by India.

3. 1971: Pakistan has a civil war Residents of East Pakistan wanted to break away from West Pakistan because most of the money and resources were used in West Pakistan East Pakistan declares independence naming itself Bangladesh The US backs West Pakistan. India’s Indira Gandhi backs Bangladesh Bangladesh wins independence By the 1970s both India & Pakistan develop nuclear weapons India & Pakistan are still at odds with each other over Kashmir Soviets form a friendship alliance with India However country is plagued by poverty & corruption vs.

4. Iran Iran establishes a Const. Monarchy & elects Muhammad Mossadeq as PM Mossadeq wants to nationalize Iran’s oil fields CIA helps sponsor a coup to remove Mossadeq from power Shah Reza M. Pahlavi back in charge - gives US oil fields back Shah tries weaken Iran’s religious leaders, the Ayatollahs Ayatollah Khomeini who was exiled by the Shah, encourages the people of Iran to riot against the Shah & his government 1979: Khomeini leads an Islamic Revolution that ousts the Shah Islamic students would storm the US embassy holding US hostages for 444 days