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Call to Divide India
The Muslim League of India calls for a opartition of Indian domain to separate the Muslims from the Hindus. Muhammad Ali Jinnah is the head of the Muslim League and pushed for the partition. Gandhi strongly opposes it but can do little to stop it. -
An Independent Philippines
The Uited States granted independence to the Philippines after World War II in order to step back from having a colonial presence in Southeast Asia. -
The partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan
British colonial rule decides the violence must be stopped. The only way to accomplish this is to grant the partition and set a deadline of midnight to enforce the division of the two newly separated countries. -
The Future Prime Minister Speaks
Jawaharlal Nehru, the future prime minister of India, speaks about the long awaited independence from British colonial rule. This marks the creation of two new nations in the world, Muslim East and West Pakistan and Hindu India. -
Indecision over the Rights to Kashmir
A cease fire took effect between the fight over control of Kashmir. The Muslim Pakistan people believed that the region of mostly Muslims should be apart of Pakistan. India, though believes that they should control the region because the King of Kashmir agreed to join Hindu India. -
The End of French Indochina
Vietminh led by Ho Chi Minh finally defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu. However, since Ho Chi Minh is communist the Western nations are wary of allowing that to spread to the rest of Vietnam.
Representative from France, Vietnam, the United States, and the Soviet Union met in Switzerland to plan for Vietnam's future. They cut it into a north and south, allowing the north to remain communist and the south to be led by Ngo Dinh Diem, a brutal and corrupt ruler. -
Great Leap Forward
Mao Zedong announced a new program for economic progress in China. This was designed to increase China's industrial and agricultural output. The planned created collective farms that produced food and had its own small-scale industry. -
A Long Road to Independence
Britain allows Singapore to be self-governing while still maintaining a foothold in their country. -
The Fighting Escalates
Two navy ships are supposedly shot on by Northern Vientnamese gunboats. President Johnson asks for Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which expands his military involvement in Vietnam without officially declaring war. -
Independence at last
Britain finally grants Singapore their independence. -
Female Prime Minister in India
After Nehru dies, his daughter, Indira Gandhi, is elected prime minister of India. This shows the improvement women's status in India has seen in the short time span they have been independent. She served four terms as prime minister. -
Tet Offensive
The North Vietnamese and the Vietcong, guerilla fighter in South Vietnam, attack major cities and other targets in South Vietnam on the Vietnamese New Year. This military strike greatly weakened the public support for this war in the United States. -
Civil War and the Creation of Bangladesh
After the division of Pakistan and India, Pakistan was separated into West, that controlled the government, and East, that was extremely poor and underrepresented. East Pakistan decided to seek independence and started a civil war with West Pakistan. Once India stepped in and supported East Pakistan, they were granted their independence and renamed themselves Bangladesh. -
The United States Backs Out of Vietnam
After heavy casualties and no progress in the war, the U.S. and North Vietnam reached a peace agreement and the U.S. withdrew their military support. -
South Vietnam falls and Vietnam is officially reunited
Without the aide of the U.S., the government and the military of South Vietnam loses ground and is eventually taken over by communist North Vietnam. -
An Assassination and the Spread of Anti-Sikh sentiment
One challenge faced by Gandhi was a movement for independence from the Sikh dominated region of Punjab. She ordered the militants out of a shrine they were occupying and sent troops to remove them resulting in the slaughter of hundreds of people, many of which had nothing to do with the militants.
The attack on the holy shrine enraged many Sikhs and led to Indira Gandhi being assassinated by her Sikh body guards. This event led to a wave of Anti-Sikh violence that killed thousands. -
Abandoning Soviet Economics
Vietnam slowly abandons its Soviet styled economic plans and moves more toward economic expansion and reform that slowly produces economic growth. -
Political Instability and Coup de'etats in Pakistan
AFter the civil war, Pakistan suffered from instability and ethnic and religious conflicts. Their government shifted hands several times through elections or military coups. General Pervez Musharraf took over in 1999 and is accused of violating human rights but is supported by the U.S. because of the help he lends us fighting al Qaeda and the Taliban.
