Decolonization

Desertification and Deforestation

• Desertification: Climate changes, like global warming, cause frequent droughts.
  • The Sahel region, south of the Sahara Desert, is turning into desert, leading to malnutrition and starvation in Africa.
• Deforestation: Clearing areas by removing trees.
  • Forests provide much of the oxygen needed to breathe.
  • Tropical rainforests have unique plants often with medical uses.

Overpopulation and Pollution

• Overpopulation:
  • The world population has surged from 1 billion to 7.5 billion in 200 years, leading to potential food and resource shortages.
• Environmental Pollution: Industrialization and population growth are leading to:
  • Water Pollution: Dumping sewage into oceans.
  • Air Pollution: Industrialization has led to acid rain and the thinning of the ozone layer.
  • Solid Waste: Millions of tons of garbage are dumped into landfills and surrounding waters.

Conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan

• Radical Islamic ideas have spread through parts of the Middle East, establishing anti-Western regimes.
• Afghanistan:
  • Afghan rebels overthrew a Soviet puppet government.
  • The Taliban came to power, establishing an extreme Islamic government.
  • The Taliban regime was overthrown for protecting al-Qaeda and refusing to give up Osama bin Laden.
• Iraq:
  • After September 11, Iraq under Saddam Hussein was invaded.
  • Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed, leading to a religious war between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
  • When the U.S. withdrew, ISIS took parts of Iraq.

Sunni-Shia Conflict: ISIS

• A historical dispute in Islam concerns the succession to Prophet Mohammad.
• Sunnis:
  • Believe the Islamic leadership should be a community member able to follow in Mohammed's footsteps.
• Shia:
  • Smaller in number, they believe it should be a member of Mohammed's family.
• ISIS:
  • A Sunni Muslim group following Islamic Fundamentalism that emerged in 1999.
  • Seeking a pure Islamic state, they have become a global terrorist organization.
  • Estimated to have 30,000 fighters in the Middle East.

Human Rights: South Africa and Apartheid

• In 1948, Dutch-speaking white Afrikaners created an apartheid policy.
  • This policy persecuted black South Africans and took away their basic rights.
  • Blacks resisted apartheid, both peacefully and violently.
• In 1989, economic sanctions led whites to elect F.W. De Klerk.
  • De Klerk repealed apartheid legislation.
  • De Klerk and Nelson Mandela negotiated a constitution and instituted multiracial elections.
• Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president, serving for two terms.

Tradition vs. Modernization: Islamic Fundamentalism

• A belief that Muslims should strictly follow Islamic law and resist Western influences and customs.
• Iranian Revolution (1979):
  • The pro-Western Shah was overthrown.
  • Ayatollah Khomeini established a religious state based on Islamic law.
  • The U.S. embassy in Tehran was seized, and U.S. personnel were held hostage for over a year.
• Afghanistan:
  • Muslim rebels overthrew the Soviet puppet government.
  • The Taliban set up an extreme Islamic government, which was overthrown for giving al-Qaeda shelter.
• Iraq:
  • ISIS took over much territory in 2014.

International Terrorism

• The Problem: Terrorism is the use of violence against civilians for political purposes.
  • Terrorists hijack planes, bomb buildings, and assassinate people.
  • Examples: September 11 attacks in NYC and Washington.
  • There is a fear that terrorists may use biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons in the future.
• ISIS:
  • One of the most radical terrorist groups.
  • Uses terrorism in Europe and the Middle East.
• Hamas and Hezbollah:
  • Radical groups that use terrorism against Israel.
• Taliban:
  • Sheltered al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

European Union

• Common Market:
  • Formed in 1957, it created a large free-trade zone among its members.
  • Members: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
  • Other Western European nations soon joined.
• European Union:
  • In 1991, members replaced the Common Market with the European Union.
  • It grew to include eight Eastern European countries.
  • Members have merged their national currencies into one monetary unit: the Euro.
• Brexit:
  • In 2016, Great Britain's citizens voted to leave the European Union.

Cold War Asia: Deng Xiaoping

• Deng Xiaoping became China's ruler after Mao Zedong died in 1976.
  • Deng attacked the leaders of the Cultural Revolution
  • He sought gradual change to a free market while holding onto Communist Party power.
  • Deng encouraged private enterprise and passed laws to spur foreign investment, increasing trade with the West.
  • Tiananmen Square (1989): Students protesting corruption demanded reforms, but Deng's government brutally crushed the demonstration.

Cold War Asia: Rise of Mao Zedong in China

• Communists under Mao Zedong drove Nationalist forces led by Chiang Kai-Shek from China to Taiwan in 1949.
  • Once in power, Mao and the Communists controlled all aspects of life.
  • Businessmen and wealthy farmers were executed.
  • Communist beliefs became required learning in all universities and schools.
  • All newspapers and books were controlled by the government and had to promote Communism.
  • Art and music in Mao's China came under the direct supervision of the government.

Cold War Asia: Vietnam War

• After France withdrew, Vietnam was divided.
  • Ho Chi Minh created a Communist state in the north.
  • The South created a pro-Western government.
  • Despite promises, reunification elections were never held as the South believed elections in North Vietnam would be rigged.
• Guerrillas in the South (Viet Cong) began a war with northern help.
  • By 1964, over 500,000 U.S. troops were involved to stop the spread of Communism.
  • Despite advanced technology, the United States could not defeat North Vietnam.
• In 1973, U.S. troops withdrew. Vietnam took over the South and unified the nation under Communist rule.

Cold War Asia: Events under Maoist China

• Great Leap Forward:
  • A Five-Year Plan that failed to industrialize China.
  • Mao had peasant lands collectivized, but the plan failed miserably.
• Cultural Revolution:
  • Mao's disastrous attempt to reinvigorate Communism.
  • Red Guards (students) forced educated people from China's cities to work on farms, using manual labor.
• Korean War (1950-1953):
  • Communist North Korea invaded South Korea.
  • When the U.S. entered the war and approached China's border, China entered the war on the side of North Korea.
  • The war ended in a stalemate with no change in borders.

Decolonization: Gandhi, India, and Independence

• Mohandas Gandhi: Father of non-violent passive resistance.
  • India finally won its independence from British rule in 1947.
  • Salt March: In 1930, Gandhi led a huge march to protest the British tax on salt.
  • Boycotts: Gandhi urged Indians not to buy British goods.
  • Cottage Industries: Gandhi urged a return to homemade goods to raise living standards.
• After World War II, Britain was too weak to resist Indian independence.
• In 1947, the British partitioned the country into two: a Hindu India and a Muslim Pakistan.
  • Thousands died in religious riots following the partition.

Decolonization: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

• Palestine, home to Arabs and Jews, was under British control until the end of World War II.
• In 1948, the U.N. carved Israel out of Palestine as a Jewish nation.
  • Arabs declared war but were defeated.
  • Tens of thousands of Palestinians fled to neighboring countries.
• Arab-Israeli Wars (1948, 1967, 1973):
  • After 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza.
• Camp David Accords (1978):
  • Peace treaty with Egypt; Israel gave Sinai back to Egypt.
• Oslo Accords (1993):
  • Israel agreed to a governing Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.