South Asia After Empire

1
South Asia After Empire

• India gained its independence from Great Britain,
  but the region entered an era of conflict and
  challenges

2
India - Review

• Which country controlled India in the early part
  of the 20th century?
• Who was the leader of the Indian independence
  movement?
• Which groups were important in the Indian
  independence movement?
• What do you think might happen if India gets
  independence?

3
Britain demands that Indians fight in WWII

• Indians say NO!
• No democracy at homewont fight for Britain
• Quit India! campaign to get British to leave

4
Increasing Indian nationalism

• Riots, protests lead to British decision to leave
  India
• Britain no longer has the money (after WWII) to
  spend on India

5
India is a free country!

• 1947the British leave India
• It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all
  Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the
  star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes
  into being, a vision long cherished
  materializes. Nehru

6
India partitioned into India and Pakistan

• 255 Hindus and 92 million Muslims live here
• Muslims migrate to PakistanHindus migrate to
  India
• Violent fighting
• Gandhi heartbroken

7
Violent fighting

• Over 1 million killed in fighting

8
Gandhi Assassinated

• Hindu nationalist blames Gandhi for partition and
  for protecting Muslims
• 1948 - shot and killed

9
War Over Kashmir

• Major conflict erupts between India and Pakistan
  who controls border area of Kashmir?
• India given control of Muslim dominated
  areaPakistan fights this
• War in 1947-49 and in 1965

10
India/Pakistan Conflict

• Both sides have nuclear weapons
• Cross-border attacks
• Recipe for nuclear disaster

11
India After Independence

• Worlds largest democracy
• During Cold War refused to side with US or with
  USSR.a non-aligned nation
• Nehru Prime Minister from 1947-64

12
Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister

• Nehrus daughterserves four terms
• Sikhs want independence
• She drives them from Amritsar
• Later assassinated by own Sikh body guards

13
Indian economy grows!

• In 1990s India changes economic philosophy from
  socialism to capitalism
• Indian people beginning to lift themselves from
  poverty

14
Civil War in Pakistan

• East Pakistan and West Pakistan separated by
  India
• West Pakistan controls government
• Civil War in 1971
• East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh

15
Bangladesh -Geographic Nightmare

• Below sea-level
• Ripe for floods and earthquakes
• May be poorest country on earth

16
Instability in Pakistan

• Constant turnover in Pakistans government
• Haven for al Qaeda and the Taliban
• Osama Bin Laden found here
• US friend or foe???