East Asia 1945-1989

Korea and Japan Korea Japan Divided between Soviet and American zones of occupation N. Korean invasion (1950) prompted Korean War Armistice of 1953 led to a cease-fire, but tensions persisted Japan U.S. occupation 1945-1952 Democratization New liberal constitution Demilitarization Rapid economic growth

Growth of Japan’s Gross Domestic Product 1970-1996

The “Four Asian Tigers”

China Fighting between communists and nationalists resumed after WWII Communist victory of 1949 led to creation of Peoples’ Republic of China Chiang and Nationalists escaped to Taiwan

“Great Leap Forward” of 1950’s ended in disaster Mao staged a comeback in 1966 w/ the Cultural Revolution

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army is the great school of Mao Zedong Thought."

( "Destroy the Old World, Forge the New World" (A Red Guard crushes the crucifix, Buddha, and classical Chinese texts with his hammer; 1967)

“Capitalist roaders” are humiliated in public

The faces of Buddhas destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

Period of economic reform began in 1976 following Mao’s death