Unit #5 Notes

1. Unit #5 Notes Chapters 33 & 34: Middle East, Africa, and Asia (Major Ideas)

2. Decolonization • Post WWII • Mother countries couldn’t maintain control of colonies • Too busy repairing own war-torn lands • Inside colonies, nationalist movements focusing on freedom from home rule began to rise

3. Decolonization • Result=imperial powers ended colonial possessions • Newly independent states struggled to maintain autonomy and self-determination during Cold War • More than 90 nations gained independence from the end of WWII up to 1980

4. Arab Nationalism • Former Arab colonies easily gained independence from their mother countries post-WWII • Arab nations include: Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan • Superpowers quickly attempted to fill the void created by the vacuum of power • Attractive because the region is rich in oil and had strategic military bases for Cold War operations

5. Arab Nationalism • British mandate in Palestine was intended to provide Arabs with a secure homeland • Problem=Jews promised same land in the Balfour Declaration of 1917 • Creation of Israel led to the Arab-Israeli conflict • Extreme nationalists formed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in an effort to combat the Jewish state

6. Creation of Israel • Created by the United Nations in 1947 • Divided Palestine (a British mandate) into an Arab state and Jewish state • Jews accepted the plan • Arabs refused to accept the plan

7. Creation of Israel • United States and Soviet Union recognized Israel as a nation • 1948: Britain withdrew…fighting between Jews and Arabs began…fighting continues to today • Major Israeli/Palestinian wars include the Six-Day war and the Yom Kippur war

8. Iranian Revolution • 1941: Muhammad Reza Pahlavi declared himself shah • Backed by U.S. and Britain, he modernized and westernized Iran • Pahlavi’s reforms were in direct opposition to Muslim beliefs • Opposition party rose quickly led by Islamic fundamentalist Ayatollah Khomeini

9. Iranian Revolution • 1979: Pahlavi fled Iran and Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic republic • New govt. overturned all of Pahlavi’s reforms • Banned western movies, books, and music • Instituted strict adherence to Muslim tradition • Khomeini worked to establish Islamic republics throughout the Middle East

10. Islamic Fundamentalism • Term often used by western sources to describe extreme movement to replace secular states with Islamic ones • Increased in popularity as an extremist movement in response to opposition to westernization reforms in Muslim countries in the Middle East

11. Islamic Fundamentalism • Libya: Muammar al-Qaddafi gained power as the result of a coup d'état in 1969…new govt. instituted based on Islamic principles…support subsequent revolutionary groups in an effort to spread Islamic beliefs in the Middle East • Turkey: in an effort to overturn western reforms instituted by Ataturk, I.F. increased power and support and influence in political parties in 1990

12. Iran-Iraq War • 1979: Saddam Hussein became leader of Iraq and seized control over disputed border area • Hussein used power to invade Iran in 1980 • Goal=quick victory over Iran and a pan-Arab movement throughout the Middle East • Lasted eight years and killed one million soldiers

13. Iran-Iraq War • U.S. got involved when both sides attacked oil tankers in the Persian Gulf • Persian Gulf War followed in 1991 • Iraq invaded Kuwait and seized control of oil fields • U.S. and its allies intervened and liberated Kuwait

14. OPEC • Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries • Established in 1960 • Goal=to control the price of oil through cooperation • Power lessened in 1980s as a result of over-production and Iran-Iraq wars and Gulf wars • Member countries include: Abu Dhabi, Algeria, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Kuwait, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela

15. Indian Independence • Post WWII…Britain tried to hold on to India but election of Labour Party in India increased the movement toward home rule • Leaders in Indian National Congress and Muslim League worked with M. Gandhi and Nehru to start movement called communalism • Communalism=effort to get Indians to act and feel as one nation

16. Indian Independence • M. Gandhi advocated passive resistance and nonviolence designed to draw public support from around the world and identify Britain as forceful tyrants • Boycotts of British goods and against British colonies were conducted

17. Indian Independence • Granted independence in 1947 • Result=India was partitioned • India gained its independence • Pakistan was created as an Islamic Republic • Partition led to conflict that still exists today

18. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan • Muslim-controlled Afghanistan maintained a nonalignment position in the Cold War until 1978 • Then, a pro-Soviet coup dragged the country into a civil war • People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) gained control • Radically reformed laws regarding family, land, and education • New laws were in direct opposition to Muslim beliefs which led to military resistance

19. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan • Soviet Union sided with PDPA and installed BabrakKarmal as president • He used Soviet military to gain control of country (very unpopular) • Nine-year battle ensued in which U.S., Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan backed the Afghan mujahideen (Islamic warriors)

20. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan • United Nations organized a cease-fire • Soviets withdrew in 1989…fighting continued to 1992 • In a large measure due to political instability in the region, the Taliban gained control in 1994

21. Pan-Africanism • Movements first emerged in U.S. and Caribbean and then spread to French West Africa • Strove to revive African culture and traditions through poetry and artists • Also had a goal to remove foreign European influence • New class of African elite arose to lead the movement for independence

22. Apartheid • Established by the Afrikaner National Party in 1948 in an effort to maintain control over the black African majority • Meaning “separateness,” it was the policy of legal segregation imposed by the white minority government in South Africa

23. Apartheid • 13% of the least-arable land (homelands) was reserved for the black and colored South Africans • Nonwhites were segregated based on ethnic identities into a variety of subgroups in another effort to prevent organized black resistance • African National Congress (ANC) was most vocal in its protests of apartheid

24. Apartheid • ANC leaders were jailed for their efforts to end apartheid, including Nelson Mandela • International pressure was eventually applied through economic sanctions in hopes of ending policy • 1990: DeKlerk (National Party) became president • Released Nelson Mandela from jail (who then became president himself in 1994) • Worked with ANC to end apartheid

25. Korean War • Following WWII, Korea, which had been annexed by Japan, was occupied by both the Soviet Union (north of the 38th parallel) and the United States (south of the 38th parallel) • The occupation was intended to be for a limited time while the terms of united the country were negotiated • Each occupied zone adopted the politic beliefs of its occupying nation

26. Korean War • 1950: communist leader of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, invaded South Korea • U.S. policy of containment (see p. 745 of text) ensured U.S. intervention on behalf of South Korea • United Nations condemned invasion and under leadership of the U.S., a multilateral force fought to push North Korea out of South Korea

27. Korean War • China eventually entered war on side of North Korea • 1953 cease-fire agreement divided Korea along the 38th parallel • Nation still remains divided today by a demilitarized zone • First major armed Cold War conflict which led to the U.S. taking a more aggressive containment policy and extending military and $ support throughout Asia

28. Vietnam War • U.S. intervened in the conflict on the side of the noncommunist South Vietnam after the French were defeated • Military involvement increased under presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson • In 1968, more than 500,000 troops were engaged in Vietnam

29. Vietnam War • U.S. public opinion pressured President Nixon to vow to end the U.S. military involvement in Vietnam • Nixon subsequently adopted a policy of Vietnamization (strategy of turning over the war to the Japanese) • 1973: U.S. phase of the war ended with the Paris Peace Accords • 1975: Accords thrown out…North Vietnam waged war again…achieved their goal of unification in 1976

30. Deng Xiaoping • 1976: replaced Mao as leader of communist China • Introduced new economic reforms but little extension of individual political rights • Four Modernizations: attempt to promote trade and contact with the West • Introduced reforms in the areas of farming, industry, science, technology, and defense

31. Deng Xiaoping • Reformed land distribution and allowed private ownership after government needs were met • Private business helped China’s economy • Also led to an increasing gap between rich and poor • Encouraged foreign investments of technology and capital

32. Deng Xiaoping • 1989: Tiananmen Square • Chinese students peacefully protested lack of political reforms • Deng ordered open fire on defenseless students and killed/wounded thousands • A demonstration of the importance that government placed on maintaining order • Was willing to make economic reforms but not political ones