1. Overview: Culture and History
Southeast Asia
Overview: Culture and History

2. Diversity
The people of Southeast Asia developed their own culture before outside influences shaped the region
The mountains in Southeast Asia kept groups of people isolated from each other
Because of this, each group developed its own way of life

3. Diversity
Eventually, outside influence began to spread into southeast Asia from China and India
India affected Southeast Asia’s culture through trade, by spreading Hinduism and Buddhism
China conquered Vietnam in 111 B.C., and ruled it for over 1,000 years
Vietnam then used Chinese methods of farming

4. Religion
Buddhism is the major religion of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia today
Islam is the most popular religion in Malaysia and Indonesia
Missionaries brought Christianity to SE Asia in the 1500s, and today, most people in the Philippines are Christian

5. Colonial Rule
Europeans arrived in Southeast Asia in the 1500s looking to control the trade of silk, iron, silver, pearls, and spices
By the 1800s, European nations had gained control of most of Southeast Asia
In 1898, The United States gained control of the Philippines after it defeated Spain in the Spanish- American War

7. Colonial Rule
Colonial Rulers built transportation systems for the colonies
They also built schools

8. Colonial Rule
By the early 1900s, nationalists were organizing independent movements throughout Southeast Asia
Nationalists – someone who is devoted to the interests of his or her country
But by 1939, World War II broke out, and Japan drove out the European colonists and took over the region

9. Colonial Rule
After the Japanese defeat in World War II, western nations tried to regain power in Southeast Asia, but the southeast Asian countries wanted to be independent
Some countries were able to gain independence peacefully, others had to fight for it

10. Fight for Independence
Independence did not come peacefully for Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam
These countries were controlled by France, and known as French Indochina

11. Fight for Independence
After World War II, France tried to take Indochina back from Japan
Nationalist forces in Vietnam fought back against the French
The French finally withdrew in 1954

12. Fight for Independence
The Vietnamese forces that defeated France declared Vietnam’s independence
They wanted Vietnam to be a communist country
South Vietnam split from North Vietnam and did not want communism

13. Fight for Independence
North Vietnam tried to keep the country together by force
At first, the United States sent supplies and military advisors to South Vietnam to prevent communism from spreading
(Remember, the U.S. was in a “Cold War” against the Soviet Union, and was trying to PREVENT communism from spreading!)

14. Fight for Independence
Later, the U.S. sent hundreds of thousands of troops
By 1975, the U.S. withdrew, and North Vietnam took over the South

16. Fight for Independence

17. Fight for Independence
Cambodia and Laos were pulled into the Vietnam conflict
The U.S. bombed Cambodia and Laos to destroy Communist North Vietnamese forces there