Modern World History Unit 5, Assign. #2 Independence in Southeast Asia

WWII’s impact on SE Asia (#1) During WWII Japan seized much of SE Asia from the European nations that had ruled the region At the end of WWII Japan was forced out of the region The nations of SE Asia refused to live again under European rule They called for and won their independence

The Philippines Gains Independence from the US The U.S. granted the Philippines its independence in 1946 The U.S. also promised the Philippines $620 million in aid for war damages In return the Philippines was forced to accept a law that allowed free trade with the U.S. (without tariffs on U.S. goods) for 8 years Also, the Philippines was forced to accept a 99 year lease for U.S. military and naval bases in the Philippines The last of these bases (Subic Bay) was turned over to the Philippines in 1992, but the U.S. has recently been given permission to use the bases again with approval of the Philippines government Subic Bay Naval Base

Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines (#3) Ferdinand Marcos was elected President of the Philippines in 1965 and ruled from 1966-1986 He set up an authoritarian government that stole millions from the public treasury and deposited it in foreign banks He declared martial law from 1972 to 1981 to avoid being removed from office due to term limit rules He had his main political opponent, Benigno Aquino, assassinated before an election in 1983 for President

Corazón Aquino (#4) Corazón Aquino was the widow of Benigno Aquino (he was the political opponent of President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines who was assassinated) She challenged Ferdinand Marcos in the 1986 Presidential Election Marcos tried to rig the election, but the public outcry against him forced him to leave the country and allowed her to rightfully win the election She promoted democratic reforms, wrote a new constitution, and negotiated the treaty that ended the U.S. lease for military bases in the Philippines

Malaysia Gains its Independence from the British (#5) Britain returned to the Malay peninsula in 1945 following the departure of the Japanese at the end of WWII They tried to organize the people of the peninsula into one state They struggled to put down a communist uprising Finally in 1957 the British created the Federation of Malaya (later known as Malaysia) comprised of the southern tip of the Malay peninsula and the northern part of the island of Borneo It has become an economically strong nation in the region

Economic Success of Singapore (#6) Singapore is an island at the tip of the Malay peninsula that split from Malaysia in 1965 and is an independent nation now It has one of the busiest ports in the world making it a center of trade for the region Video It is also a banking center for all of SE Asia It has a far higher standard of living than any of the other nations of SE Asia

Singapore Compared to Other Nations around the World Human Development Index (Life Exp., education, literacy, standard of Living) Norway #1 United States #4 Singapore #6 Hong Kong #15 Japan #16 South Korea #17 Brazil #79 Niger # 187 Singapore Life Exp. 84 years Literacy Rate 97% Per capita Income $60,410

Indonesia Gains Independence from the Dutch (#7) Indonesian leader Sukarno (left) declared independence after WWII The Dutch returned with support of western powers, but after losing U.S. support granted Indonesia independence in 1949 Indonesia is the 4th most populous nation in the world It consists of 13,600 islands, 300 different ethnic groups, 250 languages, and most of the world’s major religions

Problems for Indonesia After Independence (#8) Sukarno became Indonesia’s first leader and tried to build a stable democratic government When foreign banks refused to lend Indonesia money prices soared (inflation) A military coup led to General Suharto taking power in 1965 In taking power nearly a million Indonesians were killed Suharto turned Indonesia into a police state known for bribery, corruption, and a lack of religious toleration

Indonesia Today As people grew increasingly unhappy due to government repression and a crippling economic crisis, Suharto stepped down from power in 1998 Gradually the nation moved toward democracy Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesia’s first leader Sukarno, was elected President in 2001 (though she lost the first direct presidential election in Indonesia’s history in 2004) Indonesia has a growing economy based on manufacturing and mineral resources It has the largest Muslim population of any nation in the world Jakarta, Indonesia

East Timor Wins Independence (#9) Horta East Timor seized by Indonesia in 1976 was brutally ruled by Suharto José Ramos Horta won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his leading non-violent protests for independence East Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence in a vote sponsored by the United Nations in 1999 Pro-Indonesian forces responded by going on a bloody rampage killing hundreds and forcing thousands into refugee camps The U.N. intervened with troops and brought peace to the area East Timor finally was granted independence in 2002