Nation-Building in East Asia and the Pacific Rim

1. Nation-Building in East Asia and the Pacific Rim

2. I. Postwar Settlements • Divisions and decolonization after WWII • Korea divided between Russian/U.S. zones • Taiwan returned to China - ruled by Nationalist leader, Chiang Kai-Shek, emerges as separate republic • U.S. regained Philippines, quickly grants independence (with military presence) • Europeans retook control of Vietnam, Malay and Indonesia • Japan occupied by U.S. forces • By 1980s, Pacific Rim nations considered developed nations • Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia • Defined by economic growth, political stability • China, Vietnam join ranks later, once turmoil and instability decreased

3. II. Japan • Recovered from WWII quickly (with plenty of aid from U.S.) • New political scene, run by Gen. Douglas MacArthur (until 1952) • Rid Japan of wartime political structure • Military disbanded, police decentralized, officials removed, political prisoners released • Democratization • New constitution - reintroduced parliamentary system, stripped emperor of power • Vote for women, encouraged labor unions, abolished Shintoism as state religion • Reduced teaching of nationalism, introduced rigid examination systems at all levels • Economy • By 1983, only behind U.S. and Germany in terms of growth • Automobiles/electronics – high quality, mass quantity • Why so successful? • Active gov’t encouragement – limit imports, very small • military budget • Education system – highly skilled middle class

4. II. Continued… • Why so successful? (continued…) • Labor policies favored union/business cooperation • Group activities encouraged loyalty • Lifetime employment to many workers • Individuals highly motivated – few vacations, dedication to particular firm

5. III. Korea • Pre-WWII: Korea was subjected to Japanese imperialism • Post-WWII: split at 38th parallel • North Korea - People's Democratic Republic of Korea • Soviet-backed communist totalitarian state • South Korea - Republic of Korea • U.S.-backed parliamentary system • Korean War • 1950-1953 - N. Korea invades, S. Korea w/ U.N. pushes toward China • China gets involved, pushes back to original borders (38th parallel) • Result: Two divergent paths since then • N. Korea - isolated one-man rule • Power to one political party + military, essentially cut off from world • S. Korea - help from U.S. economic aid + military bases • Economy surges – large corporations aided by gov’t • Tensions continued between two nations with occasional border clashes

6. SURPRISECHALLENGE QUESTION! What political and social changes took place in China after the fall of the Qing dynasty in the early 20th century? -Complete sentences!

7. IV. China • Pre-WWII: Chiang Kai-shek’s (Nationalist) attacks on communists halted by Japanese imperialism (1930s) • Communists’ guerilla tactics better able to resist Japanese, win public favor • Communist propaganda attack wins converts • Ensuing civil war – Communists win (1949) • Many switch sides – Communists treated soldiers better • Kai-shek retreats to Taiwan, Mao proclaims People’s Republic of China • Post-WWII: Communists in power • People’s Liberation Army– administered local politics • Elimination of landlord class (3 million executed), China became land of peasant farmers • Early 1960s – defeat India in brief war, first nonindustrial nation to develop working nuclear device

8. IV. Continued… • 1955 – push the Mass Line approach • Form large agricultural collectives, 90% of China’s peasant population • 1958 – Great Leap Forward • Industrialization push at the farms, not cities/factories • Production of steel in “backyard furnaces” • Human-labor intensive, rather than machine based • Initiative failed, forced to import grain, other resources • Result: Mao faced opposition from his own party • Many opposed Great Leap Forward • 1960s, 70s – Cultural Revolution • After Mao’s death, China firmly in hands of pragmatists – more open to West, individual enterprise, set on path to modern economic superpower

9. V. Vietnam • Pre-WWII: Long history of resisting colonization • China, France • Rise of Vietnamese Nationalist party (1920s) – committed to violent revolution against French • Communist party of Vietnamrises from original nationalist movement • Led by Ho Chi Minh– educated in France and Russia during/after WWI • Similar problem as China – no large urban work force to rally, becomes peasant revolution • Post-WWII: Viet Mihn (communist-nationalist movement) take over north after WWII (southern counterparts called Viet Cong) • Embarrass the French at battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954) • Land, education reforms gain supporters, scares Western powers • Result: United States sees Vietnam as first “domino” – if it falls, all of SE Asia falls • Fail to contain/eliminate communist threat – N. & S. Vietnam unite (1975)

10. EXIT TICKET! Answer the following question using complete sentences: - What similarities and differences are there in regards to Korea, China, and Vietnam after World War II?