India Independence and Beyond

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to India's independence, partition, and subsequent developments, as well as related topics in Asia.

Partition (India)

The division of British India in 1947 into two independent nations: India and Pakistan.

Jinnah, Muhammad Ali

Leader of the Muslim League who advocated for a separate Muslim nation, which ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan.

Lord Mountbatten

British official sent to India in 1947 to oversee the details of independence and partition.

Kashmiri Conflict

Dispute over the princely state of Kashmir, which had a Muslim majority population but was ruled by a Hindu leader, leading to ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan.

East Pakistan

The eastern part of Pakistan (formerly East Bengal) that later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971.

Bhutto

Pakistani political family who were part of the parliamentary government, strengthened ties with the US, and pursued nuclear weapons development.

Sri Lanka

Formerly known as Ceylon, transitioned to independence in 1948, experienced ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamil populations.

Tamil Tigers

A militant organization in Sri Lanka that fought for a separate Tamil state, leading to prolonged conflict with the Sinhalese majority.

Nehru

Became the first Prime Minister of India in 1948 and served until 1964, advocating for a non-alignment policy during the Cold War.

Indira Gandhi

Daughter of Nehru, served as Prime Minister of India and faced challenges including the Sikh separatist movement, leading to her assassination.

Flying Tigers

A volunteer air force of American pilots who provided support to China against Japanese aggression during World War II.

Mao Zedong Thought

The ideology developed by Mao Zedong that guided the Chinese Communist Party, emphasizing peasant mobilization and land reform.

Shanghai Communique

A diplomatic agreement between the United States and the People's Republic of China in 1972 that recognized Taiwan as part of China but cautioned against the use of force.

Great Leap Forward

An economic and social campaign by the Communist Party of China that resulted in widespread famine due to overly ambitious industrial and agricultural targets.

Cultural Revolution

A sociopolitical movement in China from 1966-1976 launched by Mao Zedong to preserve Chinese communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society.

Deng Xiaoping

Paramount leader of China after Mao's death who initiated economic reforms, introduced the profit motive, and opened up China to foreign investment.

Camp David Accords

peace treaty signed in 1978 between Egypt and Israel that was brokered by the United States.

Intifadas

Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Ayatollah Khomeini

The conservative theocrat who came to power in Iran in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution.

Glasnost

A policy of 'openness' introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union during the late 1980s, which promoted increased transparency and freedom of expression.

Perestroika

A policy of 'restructuring' the Soviet economy, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s, which aimed to decentralize economic decision-making and introduce market-oriented reforms.

Zaibatsu

Large Japanese business conglomerates that held significant economic and political power before and during World War II.

MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Technology)

Japanese government agency that played a key role in promoting economic growth and international competitiveness.