Asia and the Middle East to the Present Regents Review

Early Japanese Influence and Occupation:
- Korea was initially occupied by the Japanese Empire beginning in 1905, following the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War.
- Japan officially annexed the entire country in 1910.
Post-World War II Settlement (1945):
- Following the Japanese surrender in 1945, the peninsula was divided.
- South Korea (Republic of Korea): Established as a democratic-based government in the southern half of the peninsula.
- North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea): Established as a communist-style government in the northern half of the peninsula.

Conflict and Intervention:
- United States and United Nations troops fought alongside South Korea to defend the nation against an invasion launched by North Korea.
Outcome and Armistice (1953):
- An armistice was reached in 1953, though a formal peace treaty was not signed.
- The agreement divided Korea along a demilitarized zone (DMZ) situated at the 38th parallel.
Developmental Paths Post-War:
- South Korea: Maintains an anti-communist stance and has developed into an economic powerhouse. It is globally recognized for exporting higher-priced manufactured goods, specifically automobiles and computers.
- North Korea: Remains under the leadership of communist leader Kim Jong-un. The nation allocates massive sums of money toward its military and maintains one of the largest standing armies in the world.

Historical Context and Early Resistance:
- Vietnam was under French rule since the mid-1800s.
- During World War II, the Vietminh (a communist group) fought against Japanese occupation.
- Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Vietminh and a prominent communist, declared Vietnam free following the war.
Division and Escalation:
- The 1954 Geneva Convention led to the formal division of Vietnam into a communist north and a non-communist south.
United States Involvement:
- The U.S. sent troops and advisors to support South Vietnam and its leader, Ngo Dinh Diem.
- The primary motivation for U.S. intervention was the domino theory—the fear that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring nations would follow.
- At the height of the conflict, the U.S. deployed hundreds of thousands of troops.
Conclusion of the War:
- South Vietnam was ultimately unable to defeat the communist forces despite U.S. support.
- In 1975, the war ended with Vietnam being reunited under communist control.

Early Revolts and Reform:
- China's weakness was exposed by its defeat in the Sino-Japanese War.
- The Boxer Rebellion occurred as a popular push to expel westerners from China.
Sun Yat-sen (Sun Yixian):
- Rose to power with the goals of ending foreign domination, forming a representative government, and creating economic security for the Chinese people.
- Named president of the Chinese Republic in 1911.
- Three Principles of the People: Nationalism, democracy, and economic security for everyone.
- He stepped down in 1913, leading to an economic collapse and a period of great hardship for peasants.
The Rise of Communism:
- A civil war broke out between the Guomintang (Nationalists) and the Communists.
- Mao Zedong gained power and prominence following the Long March.
- Communism appealed to the masses by promising land reform to peasants, increasing literacy rates, and providing healthcare.
Mao's Major Initiatives:
- Great Leap Forward: A call to increase agricultural production and industrial output simultaneously. It created communes with high production quotas but ultimately failed.
- Cultural Revolution: An effort to reestablish revolutionary fervor and loyalty to communism.
- Red Guards: Groups of students who attacked perceived enemies of the revolution, including professors, government officials, factory managers, and skilled workers. This movement also failed and caused widespread chaos.

The Four Modernizations:
- Farming: Modernizing and mechanizing agricultural methods.
- Industry: Upgrading and expanding industrial capacity.
- Science and Technology: Promoting and developing advanced research.
- Defense: Improving military forces and defense systems.
Market Reforms:
- Deng allowed for elements of capitalism and welcomed foreign technology and capital.
Tiananmen Square (1989):
- While the government granted economic reforms, it refused political reforms.
- Demonstrators gathered in Tiananmen Square to demand more rights and freedoms.
- The government responded by sending in troops and tanks; thousands of Chinese citizens were killed or wounded.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Defined as the total value of all goods and services produced in a country.
Nominal GDP Trends (in billions of RMB yuan):
- 1952 GDP: $67.9$ billion RMB.
- A massive spike in GDP followed the 1978 market-based economic reforms.
- 2005 GDP: $18232.1$ billion RMB.
Key Economic Milestones Noted on Timeline:
- Korean War.
- Great Leap Forward.
- Cultural Revolution.
- Deng Xiaoping’s Market-based economic reforms (Commencing 1978).
- Farm privatization.
- Establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in Shenzhen and Shanghai.
- 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.
- WTO (World Trade Organization) entry.
Point of View (Wasserman/Boston Globe Cartoon):
- The document implies a critique of the Chinese government under Deng, using the phrase "Free markets, not people!" to suggest that economic liberalization has not been matched by political or human rights liberalization.

British Imperialism:
- Great Britain imperialized India to exploit natural resources like gems and cotton.
- Britain maintained control because of the immense wealth generated from the colony.
Mohandas Gandhi and Nonviolence:
- Utilized civil disobedience, passive resistance, and nonviolent protests to oppose British rule.
- Salt March: Gandhi and his followers marched to the sea to pick up salt, an act that was illegal because the British claimed all natural resources belonged to them.
The Partition of India:
- As independence approached, tensions rose between the Hindu majority and the Muslim minority.
- The Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, demanded a separate state for Muslims.
- The result was the creation of Pakistan (for Muslims) and India (for Hindus), which led to mass migrations and widespread violence.

Turkey and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk:
- Ataturk sought to westernize Turkey to prevent it from being overtaken by European powers.
- Reforms included westernizing schools, the language, and traditional clothing.
Iran and the Islamic Revolution:
- Reza Shah Pahlavi initially tried to modernize and westernize Iran in a manner similar to Ataturk.
- Westernization efforts ended with the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini.
- Iranian Revolution: Replaced the monarchy with a theocracy rooted in Islamic Fundamentalism.
The Arab-Israeli Conflict:
- Historical Claims: Jews claimed the right to return to land they ruled 3,000 years ago; Palestinian Arabs claimed the right to land they had lived on since Roman times.
- Creation of Israel (1947): The United Nations proposed a partition of Palestine into an Arab state and a Jewish state. Jewish leaders accepted, but Arab leaders did not.
- Ongoing Conflict: Between 1948 and the 1980s, two million Jews migrated to Israel. Arab nations vowed to drive the Jews out, leading to numerous wars and persistent regional instability.