SS7H3 The student will analyze continuity and change in Southern and Eastern Asia leading to the 21st century.

a. Describe how nationalism led to independence in India and Vietnam.

b. Describe the impact of Mohandas Gandhi’s belief in non-violent protest.

Nationalism The belief that people should be loyal to those with whom they share common history, customs, origins, and sometimes language and religion. These people often think of themselves as a distinct nation.

India Flag of India

India Feelings of nationalism began to surface in India after the nation came under the direct rule of the British Empire.

India There were two major groups that fought for independence in India: the first was the Indian National Congress (which was mostly made up of Hindus) and the Muslim League (which was made up of Indians who followed Islam).

India Mohandas Gandhi, who was a believer in non-violence, began to urge Indians to refuse to cooperate with British laws they felt were unjust. His goal was to show the world the injustice of British rule in India. The plan was called civil disobedience.

India Civil disobedience was the refusal to obey unfair laws even if the result was punishment.

India Mohandas Gandhi

India Examples of civil disobedience were the boycott of British goods and the refusal to pay taxes that did not benefit the Indian people.

India Gandhi’s campaign of civil disobedience gradually wore the British down, who granted the Indians their independence after World War II.

India By 1946, disputes broke out among the Indians about how the country should be ruled. The final decision was to divide India into three countries. East and West Pakistan would be created for the Muslims. India would be a Hindu country.

Vietnam

Vietnam Flag of Vietnam

Vietnam In the early 1900’s the French gained control of an area of Southeast Asia know as Indochina. Later, this became the modern day country of Vietnam.

Vietnam Ho Chi Minh began to work for Vietnamese independence from the French. In the 1930’s he organized the Indochina Communist Party to help achieve this goal.

Vietnam Ho Chi Minh

Vietnam Ho Chi Minh also helped form a group known as the Vietminh League, which had Vietnamese independence as a goal.

Vietnam The nationalist feeling that was present in Vietnam led the Vietnamese to fight both France and the United States to unite their country.

Vietnam The United States left in 1975, and the country known as the Republic of Vietnam was born.