Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim By Michaela Hoyt

War in Vietnam and Cambodia  In mainland Southeast Asia, a liberation struggle tore apart the region once known as French Indochina.  It lasted 30 years and had 2 major phases.  The battle against the French  The civil war and Cold War  In 1946 the French set our to regain Indochina, which Japan had seized during World War II.  They were led by Ho Chi Minh, who was a nationalist and a communist.  His forces wore down the French and forced them to leave Vietnam.

War in Vietnam and Cambodia Vietnam Divided  The struggle for Vietnam became part of the Cold War.  In 1954 western and communist powers agreed to a temporary division of Vietnam.  Ho’s communists ruled North Vietnam  Ngo Dinh Diem’s noncommunist government, supported by the U.S, ruled South Vietnam.  Cambodia and Laos gained independence.  An election was called for but never held because they feared the communists would win.  The domino theory was the feared effect.

War in Vietnam and Cambodia American Involvement  The U.S. became more involved as the war went on.  Ho Chi Minh wanted to unite Vietnam under northern rule.  At first the U.S. only sent advisers and supplies to Diem, but it eventually sent troops turning a local struggle into a major Cold War conflict.  In 1964 the U.S. began bombing targets in North Vietnam.  More than 500,000 American troops were committed.  At the same time both the Soviet Union and China sent aid-but no troops-to help North Vietnam

War in Vietnam and Cambodia  Despite massive American aid, South Vietnam could no defeat the communist guerrillas and their North Vietnamese allies.  In 1968 guerrilla forces launched a massive attack, it was called the Tet offensive because it fell on the Vietnamese New Year.  Although it did not capture any cities, The Tet Offensive marked a turning point in public opinion in the United States  Under the increasing pressure, President Nixion arranged a cease-fire.  The American forces pulled back in 1973, 2 years later the North captured Saigon, the southern capitol, and reunited the country.

War in Vietnam and Cambodia The Communist Victory  In some ways the Vietnam War mirrored the civil war in China that brought Mao to power in  Deim and his successors in South Vietnam were unpopular leaders of a corrupt government.  Ho Chi Minh was worshipped as a hero who had fought the Japanese and the French.  Many Vietnamese saw the United States as another foreign power seeking to dominate their land.

War in Vietnam and Cambodia Vietnam Today  The communist victors imposed harsh rule on the south.  Tens of thousands of Vietnamese fled in small boats, but a lot of them drowned.  Survivors landed in refugee camps, and eventually were accepted into the U.S. and other countries.  The land had to be rebuilt after the war.  Recovery was slow due to government inefficiency and an American-led embargo.  The country was forced to remain in poverty.

War in Vietnam and Cambodia  In the early 1900’s free-market reforms were introduced.  In addition to the lift of the American embargo and restoration of diplomatic relations, this caused an economy boost.  It still remained one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia.  The monopoly on political power and it’s complex laws made foreign investment difficult. Tragedy in Cambodia  During the Vietnam War, fighting spread to Cambodia.

War in Vietnam and Cambodia  North Vietnam sent supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.  In 1970, the United States bombed that route and invaded Cambodia.  After the troops left, communist guerillas, called the Khmer Rouge, overthrew the government.  Led by Pol Pot, Khmer Rouge unleashed a reign of terror.  They drove people from cities and forced them to work in the fields.  They slaughtered or caused the death of more than a million Cambodians, perhaps a third of the population.

War in Vietnam and Cambodia  In 1979, Vietnam invaded and occupied Cambodia.  Pol Pot and his forces retreated to remote areas.  In the 1990’s, the UN helped Cambodia hold elections.  The new government, however, soon grew authoritarian.  After Pol Pot died in 1998, a number of Khmer Rouge leaders gave up their guerrilla struggle.  Cambodia debated whether to put them on trial.

Challenges for the Philippines  In 1946, the Philippines gained freedom peacefully after almost 50 years of American rule.  The U.S. continued to influence the country through military and economic aid.  The Filipino constitution set up a democratic government, a wealthy elite controlled politics and economy.  The peasant majority was desperately poor.  For a time, the government battled Huks, local communists with strong peasant support.

Challenges for the Philippines  Ferdinand Marco, elected president in 1965, became a dictator.  He cracked down on basic freedoms.  Even had Denigno Aquino, a rival, murdered.  Eventually was forced to hold an election, when he was replaced by Corazon Aquino, widow of the slain Benigno.  Marco tried to overturn the results but the citizens forced him to leave  Under their families rule, the democracy struggled to survive.  Most people were very poor.  Natural disasters just added to their problems.

Challenges for the Philippines  Some Filipinos left to build a new home in the US and other parts of Asia.  For decades the government battled rebels.  Some of the rebels were communists.  Others were Muslim  Some Islamic militants supported international terrorism.  This caused the US to aid the Filipino government.

Developing Nations of Southeast Asia  Southeast Asian nations faced many problems after independence.  They lacked experience in self-government.  Demands for political freedom and social justice were frequent.  Some government leaders claimed that order and economic development held priority.  They all wanted modernization.  They took different paths however.

Developing Nations of Southeast Asia Indonesia  The geography hindered unity in Indonesia.  It includes more than 13,000 islands scattered across 3,200 miles of ocean.  The population is ethnically diverse.  The Javanese dominate, but about 300 other groups, with their own languages and dialects also live there.  Still 90% are Muslim  Indonesia had an authoritarian, military government.  In 1965, the government stopped what looked like a communist uprising and massacred many of the rebels.  Mobs also killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese who moved to Indonesia.

Developing Nations of Southeast Asia  Under authoritarian rule, Indonesia made great economic progress.  It benefited from exporting oil, tin, rubber, spices, and coffee.  The government increased literacy, and introduced economic reforms that attracted more foreign capitol.  The 1997 Asian financial crisis shook Indonesia to it’s roots.  Rioters protested massive government corruption.  President Suharto was forced to resign after 32 years in power.  The government struggled to revive the economy, and confidence in the government and had to deal with separatist demands.

Developing Nations of Southeast Asia  A struggle erupted in East Timor, which Indonesia had seized from Portugal in  For years the government battled the mostly Catholic people, who finally won independence in  Religious and ethnic conflicts fueled violence and separatist movements elsewhere.  In the Moluccan Islands, fighting between the Muslims and Christians cost thousands of lives.  Discrimination against Chinese, led to vicious attacks on their businesses.  In response the government gave police and military additional powers.

Developing Nations of Southeast Asia Mynmar (Burma)  Ethnic tensions also plagued Burma.  For years, repressive military rulers battled rebel ethnic minorities who wanted autonomy.  In 1962, the military government isolated the country, thus limiting trade and foreign investment.  It imposed state socialism modeled on Mao’s system in Chine.  These policies brought little improvement in the standard of living.  In 1989 they renamed the country Myanmar, meaning “the People’s Country,” which recognized that other groups besides Burmans lived there.

Developing Nations of Southeast Asia  Under mounting pressure, the government held elections in  The opposition party won.  It was led by Aung San Suu Kyi, whose father had helped Burma win independence.  The military rejected the election results and jailed, killed, or exiled many opponents.  Suu Kyi was held under house arrest.  While still a prisoner, she won a Nobel Peace Prize for her “nonviolent struggle for democracy and human rights.”  In 1995 she was released, but was back in house arrest again in 2003 after a new crackdown by the military government.

Developing Nations of Southeast Asia  Regional Cooperation  Demands for political freedom and social justice remained an issue in Southeast Asia.  To achieve prosperity and improve regional self- reliance, six Southeast Asian countries formed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)  It has expanded to include most Southeast Asian nations.  They have worked to promote economic and cultural cooperation.

The Pacific Rim  Southeast Asia and east Asia are part of a vast region known as the Pacific Rim.  It first became an artery for world trade in the 1500’s.  Countries on the Asian Pacific Rim formed huge market that lured investors, especially multinational corporations.  Since the 1960’s, Japan has dominated the Asian Pacific Rim economically.  By the 1990’s, however, China was challenging Japan’s economic empire.

The Pacific Rim  Pacific Rim countries are very diverse.  Indian, Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions helped shape Southeast Asian cultures.  Later Islam took root in some areas, while the Age of Imperialism brought western and Christian influences.  Today, cultural exchanges occur rapidly as radio and television programs are beamed by satellite across Asia.  Businesses and tourists aid the exchange of technology and ideas.

Vocab  Ho Chi Minh  A nationalist and communist who fought the Japanese.  Khmer Rouge  Communist guerillas who overthrew the government in Cambodia.  Corazon Aquino  Widow of Benign Aquino, who was elected President of the Philippines.  Aung San Suu Kyi  Was held under house arrest and received a Nobel Peace Prize.

Vocab  ASEAN  Association of Southeast Asian Nations  Domino Theory  Stated that if one state in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow.  Cease-Fire  A halt in the fighting.  Embargo  A blockage of trade.