Independence Movements Around the World

Indian Sub-Continent

India August 15. 1947  Partition of India (Hindu India, Muslim East Pakistan and West Pakistan) Migration of People  millions of Hindus and Muslims crossed new borders Mass massacre of each other – 1 million killed Kashmir  when independence was granted, border conflicts ignited a war over Kashmir – a princely state in the Himalayas Hindu price in charge signed Kashmir over to India, but its majority of Muslims wanted to be part of the newly created Pakistan Two nations are still fighting over this region today

Sri Lanka

India Jawaharlal Nehru  1St Prime Minister of India Muhammad Ali Jinnah  1st Governor of Pakistan January 30, 1948  Mohandas Gandhi is assassinated by a Hindu extremist 1964  Nehru dies after working to build a modern, secular India Promoted social justice Green Revolution Built dams, hydroelectric power, steel mills (India lacked natural gas and oil, which are two resources necessary to industrialization

India 1966  Indira Gandhi becomes the new Prime Minister of India 1984  Indira Gandhi increases the production of food (Green Revolution) Assassinated by a Sikh bodyguard 1984  Raji Gandhi becomes Prime Minister Assassinated in 1991

Pakistan 1971  East Pakistan (Bangladesh) breaks with West Pakistan (Pakistan) Differed by language and culture West Pakistan dominated the economy and the government During the war, India aided Bangladesh for freedom from Pakistan and helped them gain independence

Sri Lanka Island located off the coast of India Since 1981, Militant Tamils want to separate from Sri Lanka Civil unrest continues today in the small nation

Asia

Philippines Immediate goals  rebuild the economy and restore the capital of Manila Bell Act  Establish free trade between the United States and the Philippines for eight years, followed by gradually increasing tariffs United States maintained a military force following independence

Philippines Ferdinand Marcos  Elected president of Philippines in 1965 until 1986 Established an authoritarian regime Stole million of dollars from the government Corazón Aquino  elected president in 1986, but Marcos refused to acknowledge her victory Public outcry led to the exile of Marcos and placing Aquino in control Instituted a new constitution Ended US leases on military bases

Burma (Myanmar) Became a sovereign republic in 1948 Aung San  leader of the Burmese Nationalist Army At first, cooperated with the Japanese, then joined the British to fight the Japanese occupation Defeated the Japanese, but was gunned down before independence General Ne Win  Set up a repressive government with the goal of a socialist state

Burma (Myanmar) Aung San Suu Kyi  1988, became active in the National League for Democracy Placed under house arrest for almost six years for pro-democratic actions 1990  National League for Democracy won 80 seats in government during the election Released in 1995 from house arrest, but is still under surveillance

Malaysia & Singapore 1957  Federation of Malaya created Singapore, Malaya, Sarawak, and Sabah 1965  Singapore separates from the federation One of the busiest ports in the world Lee Kuan Yew  Prime minister from 1965-1990

Indonesia Sukarno  leader of the Indonesian independence movement Dutch were unwilling to give up their colonies Through guerilla war, Indonesians gained their independence 1965  attempted coup on Sukarno, but suppressed by Suharto (a general)

Indonesia 1967  Suharto officially named president Established a police state with martial law Government filled with bribery and corruption 1998  Suharto was forced to resign

Africa

Ghana Africans allowed in legislative council by British after WWII Kwame Nkrumah  worked to gain Ghana’s independence in the 1940s 1957  Ghana gains it’s independence Pan-Africanism  goal to create a unified, fully African society Organization of African Unity (1963) Jerry Rawlings  seized power in 1979 and 1981, still in power today

Kenya Mau Mau  wanted to frighten white farmers into leaving Kenya Jomo Kenyatta  refused to condemn actions of Mau Mau – imprisoned by the British Kenya granted independence in 1963 Kenyatta becomes the 1st president Worked to unify the various ethnic and language groups

Kenya Daniel arap Moi  takes over control in 1978 Less successful than Kenyatta at governing Protests led to Moi’s government becoming slightly more democratic Economy suffers a reversal and Moi’s government becomes very corrupt

Congo Most exploited colony within Africa 1960 – Congo granted independence from Belgium Patrice Lumumba  becomes 1st Prime Minister Ruled a divided nation Looked to the United Nations and the Soviet Union for aid

Congo Moise Tshombe  local leader of the Katanga region Area rich in copper Backed by mining interests Mobutu Sese Seko  led a coup against Lumumba Seized power in 1965 Renamed Congo – Zaire (1965-1997) Accused of stealing billions of dollars from the government 1997  Mobutu overthrown by Laurent Kabila – becomes Congo again

Algeria 1945  French troops fired on Algerian nationalists 1954  Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) announced its fight for independence Used guerilla tactics 1958  De Gaulle returns to power in France

Algeria 1962  Referendum setting conditions for Algerian independence Both sides agree on referendum Independence granted in July, 1962 Ahmed Ben Bella  1st prime minister and then 1st president Overthrown in 1965 Islamic Salvation Front (ISF)  chief Islamic party, won local nd parliamentary elections in 1990-91 Civil war broke out and continues off and on today

Angola 1960  Three revolutionary groups emerged Portugal sent in 50,000 troops to put down rebels Discontent with the colonial wars led to the toppling of the Portuguese dictatorship 1975  Portuguese troops withdraw from Angola MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola)  took control of Luanda (capitol) Led to a civil war

Angola FNLA (National Front for the Liberation of Angola) Backed by Zaire and the United States Short-lived independence group UNITA (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) Assisted by South Africa and the United States 1988  United States pressed for settlement between these groups 1989  shaky ceasefire established 1995  began discussions about representation of each group in the government

Middle East

Palestine and Israel Jews and Arabs each have claims to this land Zionists  people who favor a Jewish homeland in Palestine Began settlement in late 19th and early 20th century Balfour Declaration  statement from the British that the government will support the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine

Palestine and Israel 1947  United Nations calls for a partition of Palestine into a Palestinian state and a Jewish state May 14, 1948  official formation of Israel

Israel and the Arab States in Conflict Day after Israel is proclaimed a state, it was invaded by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria Ended in a few months with an Israeli victory Full scale war broke out in 1956, 1967, and 1973 Palestinian land never came into reality Israel seized half of Palestinian land in 1948-49 fighting Egypt took the Gaza strip Jordan took the West Bank

Israel and the Arab States in Conflict 1956  Suez Crisis Egypt seized the Suez Canal by orders of President Abdel Nasser The British and French made an agreement with Israel Israeli troops marched on the Suez Canal Pressure from the world community forced the Israelis to withdraw and Egypt regained control of the Suez Canal

Israel and the Arab States in Conflict 1967  Six Day War Nasser and allies decided it was time to defeat the Israelis Israel struck first, hitting the airfields in Egypt, Iran, Jordan, and Syria Israel lost 800 men and the Arabs lost 1500 men Israel gained control of the Sinai Peninsula, which created a buffer zone Some Palestinians were left stateless

Israel and the Arab States in Conflict 1973  4th Arab-Israeli Conflict Anwar Sadat (leader of Egypt) planned a joint Arab attack on Yom Kippur (holiest Jewish holiday) Caused major Israeli causalities and lost some territory Golda Meir (Prime Minister of Israel) launched a counterattack and regained territory and settled on an uneasy truce

Trading Land for Peace Anwar Sadat offered peace in 1977 Egypt would have peace if Israel would recognize Palestinian rights and return territory seized in 1967 from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria US president, Jimmy Carter, invited Sadat and Menachem Begin (Israeli Prime Minister) to Camp David Camp David Accords  treaty signed by Egypt and Israel Egypt recognizes Israel and Israel returns Sinai Peninsula 1981 Sadat assassinated by Muslim extremists Egypt’s new leader – Hoshi Mubarak – maintained peace with Israel

The Palestinians Demand Independence Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)  led by Yasir Arafat Armed struggle against Israel in the 1970s-80s Israel bombed suspected bases in Palestinian towns 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon in an attempt to destroy strongholds, but was drawn into Lebanese civil war and were forced to withdraw 1987  Intifada – campaign of civil disobedience in the form of boycotts, demonstrations, attacks on Israeli soldiers, and throwing rocks Continued into the 1990s but with little effect

The Palestinians Demand Independence 1993  Secret talks in Oslo, Norway led to an agreement Declaration of Principles – Israel agreed to grant Palestinians self-rule in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank Signed by Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin 1995  Rabin assassinated by right-wing Jewish extremist 1997  Rabin’s successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, met with Arafat to work out plans for a partial Israeli withdrawal from Hebron, on the West Bank Peace has continued to be difficult to reach