External Events That Took Place in Asia

External events that took place in Asia is an important factor of the rise of SEA nationalism as they were a source of inspiration for a modernist reform.

External event in Asia refers to event that arise out of the colonial and indigenous situation in the region itself. With the opening up of their colonies to international events, people became increasingly aware of nationalist movements taking place worldwide, and thus, were encouraged to do the same. It also exerted a direct influence on contemporary nationalists in Southeast Asia who were seeking to free their countries from colonial domination, as it increased self-confidence of Southeast Asia’s people.

External events such as the Japanese victory in the Russo-Japanese War from 1904-1905 helped to destroy the myth of European invincibility, thus increasing confidence among the nationalist leaders, leading them to believe that they had to ability to overcome their colonial powers. It was the first time an Asian power had defeated a Western power and it boosted the confidence of the nationalist leaders in Southeast Asia. For example, Phan Boi Chau started a movement called “Dong Du” in 1908, which meant ‘eastern travel’ where he went to Japan with the aim of analysing the secrets of Japanese power. He had also as a result managed to smuggle Cuong De out of the Vietnamese court to Japan to provide royal leadership for the Vietnamese resistance against the French.

Another example will be the struggle for freedom in British India, Nationalist such as Tilak, Gokhale and Gandhi were more that mere protagonists of Indian liberty. They were regarded as models for all patriots in the region,while the structural set-up of the All-Indian Congress and its non-cooperative tactics were occasionally copied by Southeast Asia’s nationalist organisations. Passive resistance campaign of Mohandas Gandhi where many Indians protested the British tax on salt by marching to the sea to make their own salt, became a model of strategic action for many social movements in the decades to come.

Both examples proof that the European colonialists were not superior to Asians which gave confidence to the colonies under the colonial masters to break free from their rule. Thus, the nationalist leaders gained confidence in the cause of getting rid of the colonial powers, and hence, fostering the emergence of nationalism within Southeast Asian states.

Qn. To what extent was USSR at fault for causing the outbreak of the Cold War?

This question suggests that the Soviet Union (USSR) was to blame for the start of the Cold War. To a certain extent, the USSR’s responsibility of the Cold War cannot be underestimated as their policies following the Second World War may have been seen as aggressive by USA. However, this essay will also consider mistakes that USA made as both were suspicious of each other. This essay will prove that USSR was more to blame for the start of the Cold War.

Stalin’s ruthless defense of Eastern Europe in aftermath of Yalta Conference infuriated USA and worsen the relationship of both countries.

Stalin imposed his own Communist system on every country he liberated and did not withdraw his troops as agreed although It was agreed that the USSR would permit free elections to set up new governments in the countries of Eastern Europe. Also, Stalin wanted to keep Germany weak so that it could not be a the threat to the USSR.

      In the Yalta Conference, attended by Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill split Germany into four zones of occupation, the conference adopted a “Declaration in Liberated Europe” in which agreed to have free elections in the countries of Eastern Europe which they will liberate. After Yalta, Stalin began to consolidate the Soviet hold over Eastern Europe by arrested 16 leaders of the Polish underground movement and forced communist government on Romania. Stalin’s subjugating of Eastern Europe was described by a Hungarian communist as “salami tactics”: beginning with a broad alliance of anti-fascists parties, Stalin gradually took away governmental power one party after another, until all that remained was the communist core.