Transcript The Indian Sub-Continent Since 1947

The Indian Sub-Continent Since
1947
Pakistan
& India
Independence
• The sub-continent was “partitioned” prior to
independence to avoid a civil war between the
Hindus & the Muslims
• The areas with a Hindu majority became India
with Jawaharlal Nehru serving as the first
Prime Minister beginning August 15, 1947
• The 2 areas with Muslim majorities became
Pakistan with Muhammad Ali Jinnah as Prime
Minister August 15, 1947
India
• India is the world’s largest democracy, 2nd most
populous country in the world
• After independence the nation had many problems
to deal with
1. Angry Hindus felt that too much had been given up
to Pakistan, led to the assassination of the Mahatma
2. Border disagreements with Pakistan- last to this day
in Kashmir & the Siachen Glacier-both nations have
nuclear weapons now
India Cont’d
3. Developing a strong economy- The Green
Revolution of the 1960s helped India
develop stronger crops & feed the
population with fewer farmers
4. Terrorism- Several groups have operated
within India, Sikhs (religious minority) & the
Tamil Tigers in Southern India fought until
recently, Al Qaida & the Taliban have
launched attacks in the last 5 years
1st Prime Minister
• Jawaharlal Nehru served
as Prime Minister from
1948-1964
• His leadership stressed
democracy, unity, &
economic modernization
• The 1950 Constitution
outlawed the
untouchables within the
Caste System
Indian Leadership
• Indira Gandhi-Nehru’s
daughter- served four
terms as Prime Minister
between 1966-1984
• She was assassinated by
her Sikh body guards in
retaliation for an attack
on the Golden Temple
at Amritsar
Indian Leadership Cont’d
• Rajiv Gandhi took over as
Prime Minister after his
mother’s assassination in
1984
• Lost power in 1989 after
accusations of corruption
• Killed by a car bomb while
campaigning in 1991
Pakistan
• Muhammad Ali Jinnah
serves as first Prime
Minister of Pakistan from
1947-1948
Pakistan Cont’d
• West Pakistan had
the capitol,
Islamabad & all
government offices
• East Pakistan had a
majority of the
population but was
virtually ignored by
the central
government
• The only link
between the 2
regions was religion
Pakistan Leadership
•Ali Bhutto
took power
after the civil
war
• He was deposed & then
executed by Gen. Zia in
1977
• Zia dies in a plane crash
in 1988
•The death of Jinnah
within a year of
independence left
Pakistan without
strong leadership
•There have been
multiple military
coups the first in
1958
Pakistan
in
Disarray
•General Parvez
Musharraf takes power in
a military coup in 1999
•He resigned in August
2008 during impeachment
movements by the 2
leading parties
• Benazir Bhutto-Ali
Bhutto’s daughtertook power after
Gen. Zia’s death
• She was removed
from office in 1996
after corruption
charges
• Killed by a car bomb
in December 2008
while campaigning
after returning to
Pakistan
Pakistan Today
• Benazir Bhutto’s party won the
general elections in February
2009
• Her husband Asif Ali Zardari
serves as Prime Minister today
• Pakistan is a hot bed of terrorist
activity, especially Waziristan
along the Afghan border
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
•Tamil Tigers just
surrendered in 2009 ending
the civil war
•The Sri Lankan government
is trying to figure out how to
reintegrate the rebel fighters
into society
• Sri Lanka gained
independence in
February 1948
• 75% of the population
are Buddhist Sinhalese
• 25% are Hindu Tamils
Nepal
• The one of the newest democratic
republics in the world
• June 1, 2001 Crown Prince Dipendra
killed most of the royal family in a
drunken rage
• The King’s brother Gyanendra
became king
• He abolished the parliament in 2005
• Parliament was re-established in
2006
• The monarchy was abolished in May
2008
• Dominated by Britain &
Russia during the 19th
century
• Became an
independent nation
with a monarchy in
1919 after the British
left
• 1964 attempted to
develop a democratic
government but groups
could not agree on
reforms
Afghanistan
Afghanistan cont’d
•
•
•
•
1973 Military coup overthrows the king
1978 Communists overthrow the military
Afghanis felt communism conflicted with Islam
1979 USSR invades Afghanistan to support
communists
• U.S. supports the mujahedeen fighting against
the USSR & communists
• 1989 USSR pulls out of Afghanistan
Civil War
• 1989-1998 Several groups fight for control of
Afghanistan
• 1998 Conservative Islamic extremists the
Taliban control 90% of the country
• Northern Alliance is the only rival left to fight
them
• Society changed overnight- women no longer
allowed to work or go to school, women must
wear burkas in public, music, dancing, TV, &
movies are outlawed