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Political impact of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific, The Cold…
Political impact of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific
The Cold War
USA and Soviet Union are the major powers
Korea was divided into Northern and Southern part
US oversaw the implementation of democratic institutions and capitalism in the south.
The Soviets set up a communist government in the north
Both governments claimed to be the legitimate ruler of the whole Korean peninsula.
China was involved, heavily supporting the northern war effort
UN supported the south, although it was effectively a US-led operation.
Supporting government that were friendly to each other
Ideological
War by proxy
Using other forces to fight with each other (USSR & the USA)
Defeat of Japan left a power vacuum in much of Asia
Korea
Institutions and culture had been heavily suppressed after it was annexed by Japan in 1910
Many Japanese had been settled there
United Nations divided the peninsula into northern and southern
In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea
Returned to nominal independence in August 1945.
Japan
The USA wrote a new constitution for Japan in 1946
a parliamentary system of government
democratic elections with the franchise extended to men and women
freedom of religion, speech, press and political association
discrimination on the basis of gender, race, social status or family origin outlawed
the emperor was to be head of state, but with no practical power
Japan was banned from going to war under Article 9, and from maintaining land, sea or air forces,
The country continues to function as a liberal democracy to this day.
China
Gave advantage to the CCP which led them to win the Chinese Civil War
The Soviet Union had taken over Manchuria and gave the CCP access to Japanese arms depots
e.g one at Shenyang which contained over 100,000 guns and artillery pieces.
The Soviets transferred 200,000 Chinese troops from the Manchukuo regime who had surrendered to the Soviets over to the CCP and stopped Nationalist troops from entering some of the key cities in Manchuria.
CCP highlighted how the Nationalist was initially reluctant to fight the Japanese in their propaganda which led to a loss of popular support for the Nationalists
Major Nationalists cities were taken by the Japanese and the Nationalists had been forced to retreat to Chongqing to set up a new capital there.
They had little support and relied on coercion
The CPP derived its strength from rural areas, which the Japanese were not concerned with occupying
The Communists maintained their loyal rural support throughout the war with the Japanese.