Group+4+-+Independent+Nations+of+South+Asia+-+New+Nations+in+Southeast+Asia

Group 4 - Independent Nations of South Asia - New Nations in Southeast Asia

Key Terms
= Independent Nations of South Asia =
 * Partition**- Division of the subcontinent into a Muslim-majority Pakistan
 * Sikhs**- members of an Indian religious minority
 * Kashmir-** a former princely state in the Himalayas, claimed by both India and Pakistan, which fought over its control
 * Jawaharlal Nehru**- Led India as its first prime minister
 * Dalits**- outcasts
 * Indira Gandhi**- Nehru's daughter who was elected prime minister after her fathers death
 * Punjab**- a state in India with a large population of Sikh people
 * Golden Temple**- the Sikh religion'e holiest shrine
 * Bangladesh**- was formed when East Pakistan gained Independence
 * Nonalignment**- political and diplomatic independence from both Cold War superpowers
 * Autocratic**- A government that has unlimited power
 * Aung San Kyi**- He led a party who opposed military rule and his father helped Burma win Independence
 * Sukarno**- First president of Indonesia's democratic parliamentary government
 * Suharto**- An army general
 * East Timor**- A former Portuguese colony that was seized by Indonesia in 1975
 * Ferdinand Marcos**- Elected president of Philippines in 1965 who abandoned democracy, and became a dictator who cracked down on basic freedoms
 * Benigon Aquino**- Popular rival of Marcos who was murdered

Independence Brings Partition
Local activist in British India had demanded self-rule since the late 1800's. When Independence came close, another problem surfaced.

Two New Nations Emerge
Most of the4 leaders and members of the congress Party were Hindus. The party wanted a unified India, that would include both Muslims and Hindus. Th Muslims lead by Muhammad Allie Jinnah, had a different view of liberation, the Muslims demanded a separate nation called Pakistani. It would include parts of British Indian where Muslims formed the majority. In the 1940's tensions between Muslims and Hindu majority in British India led to increasing violence. As violence between these groups threatened to to spiral out of control. Brittan decided the only thing the could agree on was a ** partition **. The new nations of Pakistan and India gained independence on August 15, 1947.

Refugees Flee Amid Violence
Hindus and Muslims still live side by side in many cities and Ural areas. As soon as the new borders became known millions of Hindus on the Pakistani side of the borders packed up their belongings and fled to the new India. An estimated ten million people fled their homes mainly on foot. Muslims leaving alone the crowed rows in Pakistani were killed by Hindus and **Sikhs**.

Struggles Over Kashmir
After independence Indian and Pakistan fought a war over **Kashmir.** Its Hindu ruler wanted to join India even though much of the state's. Muslim majority wanted to be apart of Pakistani in 1940 India and Pakistani agreed to stop fighting. To peace between the two nations didn't last long in 1965 Pakistani and India fought another war over Kashmir, and had brief clashes. Over the years Muslims Kashmir separatists supported by militants from Pakistan have fought Indian troops. then Indian forces, intern attacked Muslims Kashmirs.

A Nuclear Arms Race
In the 1970's India launched a program to devolve nuclear weapons carrying out its first test explosion in 1974 this prompted Pakistan to launch it's own nuclear weapons program. In 1998 India tested it's first actual nuclear weapon. The emergence of these two new and hostile nuclear powers in south Asia alarmed other nations in Asia and around the world.

**Conflict divides Sir Lanka**
The British colony of Ceylon an island just south of India gained independence in 1948. Majority of Sir Lanka's are Buddhist who speak Sinhalese. However, a large Camile speaking Hindu minorities live in the north and east. In the late 1970's Tamil rebels began a military struggle for a separate nation. After years of fighting at Sir Lanka's government and the Tamil rebels signed a peace agreement in 2002. The rebels agreed to stop fighting and the government agreed to give the Tamil's some freedom, however it was uncertain whether this agreement would hold.

Building a nation in India
Ethnic and religious tensions continued to threaten India's unity, hundreds of millions of Indians struggled daily for adequate food and shelter.

Nehru Confronts Social Problems
From 1947 to 1964 **Jawaharlal Nehru** led India's as its first prime minister. However; rapid population growth hurt Nehru's efforts to improve living conditions. While food output rose, so did India's population. Indians, especially in rural areas, saw children as an economic resource. Children were expected to work the land and to care for parents in old age. In the 1930's, Mohands Gandhi had campaigned to end the inhumane treatments of **dalits**, or outcasts.

A Woman leads India
Nehru died in office in 1964. Two years later, the Congress Party elected his daughter, **Indira Gandhi,** as prime minister. In India women had traditionally faced discrimination. Gandhi's leadership proved to the world that women could hold powerful positions.

Sikhs Rebel
Some Indians Sikhs wanted independence for the prosperous and largely Sikh state of **Punjab**. In 1984, armed Sikh separatists took dramatic action. They occupied the **Golden Temple**, the Sikh religion's holiest shrine. A few months later, Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards assassinated her, igniting more religious violence.

Religious Unrest Threatens India
India gained independence, its people spoke more than 100 languages and dialects. A majority of Indians were Hindu, but millions were Muslim, Sikh, Christian, or Buddhist. While the Congress Party had separated religion and government, the BJP called for a government built on Hindu principles. The BJP supported destroying one of India's most important mosques, in the city of Ayodhya. When BAP-backed rioters destroyed the mosque in 1992, Indians feared more religious unrest. India has avoided all out religious conflict, it remains the worlds largest democracy.

Pakistan and Bangladesh Take Different Paths
Pakistan gained independence in 1947 India gained independence at the same time. Although Pakistan was divide the West side occupied northwestern portion of British India also western part of Punjab. The eastern part was renamed Bangladesh.

The Two Pakistan Grow Apart
West Pakistan dominated the nations government but East Pakistan had a larger population. In the West they concentrated on economic development but in the East they remained in poverty.

Bangladesh Break Away
In 1970 Bangalis declared independence under the knew name of **Bangladesh**. The Pakistan military wanted to crush the rebels, India supported rebels by attacking and defeating Bangladesh's army.

Pakistan's Shaky Government
Tensions between East and West Pakistan also divided the main ethnic part of West Pakistan. The Islamic fundamentalist believed that society and government should strictly follow Islamic principles. Pakistan's rulers often backed by the military, dismissed elective governments and sometimes the military simply seized power.

Islamic Fundamentalism Grows
War in Afghanistan after the soviet invasion in the 1980's drove over one million Afghanistan refugees in Pakistan.The Pakistan-Islamic fundamentalists gained power by forming ties with Afghan refugees. As the result, the Soviet's left Afghanistan. The fundamentalist turned against the U.S. because they resented U.S. influence. Pakistan backed Afghanistan's fundamentalist Taliban regime, which supported the Al Qaeda.

Bangladesh Struggles
After Bangladesh gained it's independence it became the worlds most poorest and crowded country. Bangladesh has suffered from devastating tropical storms and floods. In the 1970's and 1980's government controlled the economy but in 1990 Bangladesh moved from military to Democratic rule.

Finding an Independent Path
By the 1930's nationalists movements had taken rule in European colonies across Africa, Asia, and the middle East. After WW2, nationalist leaders such as Gandhi and Nehru insisted on independence. In 1955 India and Pakistan helped organize a conference in independent states in Bandung, Indonesia. This conference was marked the birth of the doctrine of **nonalignment**. The nonaligned movement had it's fist formal meeting in 1961 in Yugoslavia. The movement was seen as the voice of the third world of country's belonging to neither Cold Was alliance.

= New Nations of Southeast Asia = By World War Two, European nations and the U.S. had colonized much of Southeat Asia. Japanese occupation broke the power of the Europeans during World War Two, spurring local rebels to fight against foreign occupation. Rebels demanded independence after World Was Two.

= Mainland Contrast = Mainland Southeast Asia is a region of contrasts. Thailand and Malasyia prospored as market economies. On the other side Myanmar, or Burma had suffered under a brutal government that is **autocratic**.

Malaysia Prospers
British colonies on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo gained independence in the 1950's and joined to form the nation of Malaysia. The oil-rich monarchy of Brunei, on Borneo, and the city-state of Singapore gained independence as seperate nations. With the diverse population, people of Chinese and Indian decent have long dominated the business. Making Southeast Asia a leader in profitable industries such as rubber and electronics. There is a more equal distribution of wealth in Malaysia in most countries in the region.

Myanmar Suffers
Britian gained independence to the former colony Burma in 1948. It was then renamed Myanmar in 1989. Ethnic tenstions have flared. The majority, Burmans, have dominated other ethnic groups. The military Government has limited foreign trade and living standards remain low. Under foreign pressure, elections were held in 1991. A party opposed to military rule won. Led by **Aung San Suu Kyi** whose farther helped win independence. Military rejected the election results and jailed, or killed many opponets. Suu Kyi was held under house arrest. In 1995, Suu won the Nobal Prize Peace for her "nonviolent struggle" but remained a prisoner in her own coutry.

= Indonesia's Size Poses Challenges = The Netherlands attemped to regain power in Indonesia after World War Two. The Dutch, however were forced to give up their possessions when the Indonesia government declared independence in 1949 after Japanese defeat. Geography and diversity posed an obstable to unity in Indonesia. Indonesia with more than 13,000 islands, that are quite small. Japanese make up almost half of the population, but there are hundreds of other ethnic groups. About 90 perecent of them being Muslims but it also includes Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu minorities.

Democracy Falters
First years after independence, Indonesia formed a Democratic, parlimentary government under its first president **Sukarno.** An army general **Suharto**, blocked an attempt to sieze power. Sukaro believed a group of communists had been behind the officer's failed attempt. After many communists were slaughtered as suspects and for the next three decads Suharto ruled the next three decades as dictator. In 1997, an Asain financial crisis shook Inodnesia. Riots broke out over gorernment corruption. Suharto was forced to resign in 1998 after 32 years in power.

East Timor Fight for Freedom
Indonesia siezed **East Timor,** a former Portuguese colony, form Portugal in 1975. However, most East Timorese wanted independence. For years, the government battled the mostly Catholic east Timorese. East Timor finally won independence from Indonesia in 2002. This new, poor nation sturggled to meet it's people's need for jobs and living.

Ethnic Conflicts and Natural Disasters
There was a lot of religious and ethnic conflicts which were fueled by violence. Fighting between Muslims and Christians claimed thousands of lives. There were also vicious attacks on Chinese businesses because they were discriminated against. In 2004 an earthquake caused a tsunami that left over 1000,000 dead.

The Philippines Seek Democracy
Like Indonesia the Philippines is a group of islands with a diversity of ethnic groups. In 1946 the Philippines gained freedom peacefully after about 50 years of American rule.

Marcos Becomes a Dictator
They tried to have a democratic government but, the wealthy controlled the politics. **Ferdinand Marcos** who was elected perident in 1965 abandoned democray and became a dictator. He even had **Benigno Aquino** killed.