South Asia After Empire India gained its independence from Great Britain, but the region entered an era of conflict and challenges.

South Asia After Empire

India gained its independence from Great Britain, but the

region entered an era of conflict and challenges

India - ReviewWhich 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?

Britain demands that Indians fight in WWII

Indians say “NO!”No democracy at home…won’t fight for Britain“Quit India!” campaign to get British to leave

Increasing Indian nationalism

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

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

India is a free country!

1947…the 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

India: partitioned into India and Pakistan

255 Hindus and 92 million Muslims live hereMuslims migrate to Pakistan…Hindus migrate to IndiaViolent fightingGandhi heartbroken

Violent fighting

Over 1 million killed in fighting

Gandhi Assassinated

Hindu nationalist blames Gandhi for partition and for protecting Muslims1948 - shot and killed

War Over Kashmir

Major conflict erupts between India and Pakistan: who controls border area of Kashmir?India given control of Muslim dominated area…Pakistan fights thisWar in 1947-49 and in 1965

India/Pakistan Conflict

Both sides have nuclear weaponsCross-border attacksRecipe for nuclear disaster

India After Independence

World’s largest democracyDuring Cold War refused to side with US or with USSR….a non-aligned nationNehru Prime Minister from 1947-64

Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister

Nehru’s daughter…serves four termsSikhs want independence…She drives them from AmritsarLater assassinated by own Sikh body guards

Indian economy grows!

In 1990s India changes economic philosophy from socialism to capitalismIndian people beginning to lift themselves from poverty

Civil War in Pakistan

East Pakistan and West Pakistan separated by IndiaWest Pakistan controls governmentCivil War in 1971East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh

Bangladesh -Geographic Nightmare

Below sea-levelRipe for floods and earthquakesMay be poorest country on earth

Instability in Pakistan

Constant turnover in Pakistan’s governmentHaven for al Qaeda and the TalibanOsama Bin Laden found hereUS friend or foe???