Topic: Decolonization of Asia Essential Question: What challenges faced decolonization and what could have been done to prevent them? Bell Ringer: What is decolonization? Decolonization: the process of becoming free of colonial status and achieving statehood

Colonial History of Asia Like much of the rest of the world, Asia was dominated by outside powers for extraction of resources until after WWII.

Asia: Nationalism and Communism U.S. granted independence to the Philippines in Plans to decolonize the Philippines had been in place prior to 1946, but Japan invaded and occupied the Philippines in

Asia: Nationalism and Communism 1948: Britain granted independence to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Burma (Myanmar).

Asia: Nationalism and Communism Indonesia emerged from Dutch East Indies in French tried to remain in Indochina, causing bloody struggle with Vietnamese nationalist guerrillas led by Ho Chi Minh. After defeat in 1954, France granted independence to Laos and Cambodia; Vietnam was temporarily divided between the pro-Communist North and the pro-Western South, eventually causing Vietnam War. It became fully Communist in 1976 soon after the US withdrawal of troops

China under Communism  Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek in southern and central China (supported by Americans) and Communists led by Mao Zedong in North China.  Full-scale war broke out in  In 1949, Chiang’s government and 2 million of his followers fled to Taiwan.  1955: Chinese government collectivized all private farmland and nationalized most industry and commerce.  Began radical program called Great Leap Forward in 1958 to increase productivity; it was a disaster.

Asia: Nationalism and Communism China Under Communism  Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution lasted from 1966 to  Red Guards wanted to eliminate “four olds” – old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits.  People began to turn against revolution, and reformers seized power when Mao died in September  After 1976, China became a mixed economy, no longer completely communist.

Decolonization and Cold War Rivalries Indonesia  President Sukarno allied himself with Communist China and Soviet Union.  Relied on domestic support for Indonesian Communist Party.  Overthrown by conservative Muslim army in 1965  Military government was established under General Suharto.  Suharto re-established good relations with the West and attempted to repair economy, called himself President.  Became a republic with elections for president after Suharto resigned in 1998, with the first public election held in 2004.

Decolonization and Cold War Rivalries Independent nations found themselves caught in rivalry between US and USSR. The nations that tried to stay out of it are called the non-aligned nations

Challenges of Independence Ethnic disputes Dependent economies Growing debt Cultural dependence on west-> religious revivalism as backlash Widespread social unrest Military responses to restore order Population growth Resource depletion Lack of middle class in some locales Education deficit and later, brain drain. Neo-colonialism through economic debt.

Conclusions Decolonization was sometimes a violent process- dependent in large part on how many settlers had come to the colony. In many parts of world, decolonization was not revolutionary. Power passed from one class of elites to another. Little economic and social reform occurred. Significant challenges faced independent nations. SUMMARY: What could have been done to prevent the challenges that faced former colonies? Finish your vocabulary! It is due tomorrow!