Asia After WWII Rebuilding Japan After World War

Asia After WWII

Rebuilding Japan After World War II

Japan Surrenders • 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities- Hiroshima and Nagasaki. • The Japanese finally admitted defeat and surrendered. • Japanese farms, factories and government was destroyed.

Japan’s Post-War Infrastructure • infrastructure- the basic structures or features of a city or nation – transportation – communication – sewage – water – electric systems

• Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U. S. in August 1945.

Hiroshima Before the Bomb

Hiroshima After the Bomb

• Nagasaki before and after the atomic bomb

U. S. Occupation of Japan • The U. S. was put in charge of helping to rebuild Japan. • Japan was now controlled by a U. S. army General Douglas Mac. Arthur. • Mac. Arthur’s job was to rebuild Japan in a way that would guarantee that it would not pose a military threat to other countries in the future.

U. S. Occupation of Japan • Japanese society had been heavily focused on the military and warring. • The U. S. wanted Japan to become a peaceful, democratic nation. • Transportation systems, industry, urban infrastructure, and businesses had to be rebuilt.

Japan’s New Constitution • The constitution created a – two-house parliament called The Diet. – a Bill of Rights and guaranteed basic freedoms. – The emperor remained as a symbol of the country, but was stripped of his power. – The constitution stated that Japan could never again declare war on another country.

Nagasaki Today

Hiroshima Today

Tokyo, Japan

American Involvement • Containment– The US policy to stop Communism from spreading to other countries • Domino Theory– The belief that if one country fell to Communism, other countries would follow

This map is from an American magazine from 1950. This shows how much the US feared communism in the far east.

The Truman Doctrine • The Truman Doctrine stated that the USA would lend aid to any country not wishing to be suppressed by the political ideals (communism) of any other country.

Korean War North Korea-Communist and supported by Soviet Union and China South Korea- Democratic and supported by United Nations and the United States

The Korean War Armistice • End the fighting until a permanent peace treaty • It was signed 1953 • Covered issues such as - exchange of prisoners of war - location of a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) • Intended as a temporary measure, but the 38 th parallel remains standing even today.

Map of Korea

Korea Today • Korea is still split up into North Korea (communist) and South Korea (democratic) • The border between the two countries (DMZ) has remained one of the most heavily-armed stretches of land on Earth

Vietnam War

American Involvement Divided Vietnam into North and South • North: Communist, controlled by Ho Chi Minh [Supported by China and the USSR] • South: non-Communist, [Supported by the US]

American Involvement • US sends troops into Vietnam to stop the spread of Communism • The US could not win the war.

US Difficulties in Vietnam • Ho Chi Minh Trail– The supply line used by Ho Chi Minh and his troops – The US was never able to stop the supply line • Viet Cong– The Communist forces in South Vietnam that fought against the US and the South Vietnamese government • The CNN Effect – For the first time Americans could watch news cover of the war from their homes, caused a loss of support from the general public

The End of US Involvement • Lost the support of the American public • Vietnamization– The process of the US turning over control to the South Vietnamese Government while the US withdrew

The End of US Involvement – US troops pulled out of Vietnam

End of the War • The war ended in 1975 when the South Vietnamese surrendered to the North • 1976 - North and South Vietnam were united into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam COMMUNIST!!

Summary • What was the role of the United States in the rebuilding of Japan after WWII? • What are the reasons foreign involvement in Korea and Vietnam in terms of containment of Communism? • What were the results of the Korean and Vietnam War?