CH.16 SECTION 2

Independent States in South and Southeast Asia

British India Divided: India and Pakistan

Split up over religious differences India was primarily Hindu, Pakistan primarily Muslim

On independence day millions fled across new borders

Violence broke out because of fear, rumors, and thugs willing to take advantage of chaos Millions were killed, including Ghandi

The New India

Jawaharlal Nehru took over as the new Prime minister and fashioned the new government after Britain's labor party State took ownership of major industries, utilities, and

transportation, but private enterprise was allowed at the local level and land was privately owned. Industrial production tripled.

After his death they faced serious poverty issues because of population growth

India cont…

His daughter took control and in 1984 used military force to stop Sikh rebels who wanted to make Punjab independent. They later assassinated her out of revenge

Her son replaced her and began new economic policies Encouraged private enterprise and transferred state-run

industries into private hands Increased middle class

Technology part of industry is thriving and many US companies began outsourcing jobs to India

Pakistan

Was a completely new nation in 1947Early years marked by intense internal

conflict Especially between East and West Pakistan

East Pakistan declared its independence in 1971 and after a brief civil war became Bangladesh

Both have struggled to maintain stable governments and battle poverty

Southeast Asia: Independence

Philippines became independence from the U.S. in 1946

Britain gave up colonies of Burma 1948, and Malaya 1957

Netherlands and France were less willing to give up colonies, but the threat of a communist uprising set Indonesia free in 1949

In Vietnam, Communist leader Ho Chi Minh seized power from the French with the Vietminh France refused to accept his leadership and siezed

Southern half of Vietnam

The Vietnam War

The French could not defeat the Vietminh so they agreed to a peace settlement in 1954 Vietnam was divided and they would hold elections in 2

yearsThe U.S. began aiding South Vietnamese

government Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to Vietnam in 1965 War reached a stalemate and Nixon made an agreement

pulling troops out in 1975Vietnam was reunited under a communist regime

Led to Cambodia, Laos, and Indochina to become Communist

Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos Today

Vietnam is working hard to become an industrial nation and relations with the U.S. have greatly improved

Cambodia became democratic in 1993Laos remains one of the few remaining

Communist countries along with Vietnam and North Korea

Cambodia and Laos are among the world’s poorest countries