Impact of WWII on SE Asia Flashcards
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
The imperialist concept developed by the Empire of Japan and propagated to Asian countries that were largely occupied by Western colonizers. The concept was sold as a way to embrace the ‘Asia for Asians’ cooperative spirit.
The Japanese takeover of this Asian nation marked one of the worst defeats in British military history
Singapore
After WWII there was a push for European Colonial Powers to ____ which led to the rise of nationalist and independence based movements.
Decolonize
Some said that Indonesia’s nationalist leader Sukarno, given the assistance he provided the Japanese occupation force, was guilty of ___________ with the enemy.
Collaboration
A nationalist group in Indonesia was responsible for the rise of Sukarno on the Indonesian independence scene
Sarekat Islam
The Nazi establishment of Vichy France granted Japan control of this region.
Indochina
The Japanese term for forced labour
romusha
American occupation of Japan led to a rise in __ rights
women’s
Significance/impact of Japanese occupation/Japan’s initial victory in 1942
— marked a point of return for both European powers and Southeast Asian countries
— a reminder that old pattern of European colonial dominance could never rise again
— “The fact that once-proud colonial overlords could be humbled by the Japanese during their conquest of Southeast Asia was a major factor in making the Second World War period the turning point in modern Southeast Asian history.”
— “The swift Japanese advance into Southeast Asia had shattered myths of white supremacy and opened the prospect, briefly, to Southeast Asians of participating something close to independence.”
— “The Japanese surrender meant the victory of the colonial powers that had controlled Southeast Asia before the Second World War, but the defeat those powers suffered in 1942 ensured that the colonial era could never again be reinstituted without challenge.”
The military police unit of the Japanese Imperial Army. They were a brutal force in occupied SE Asian countries, arresting and killing those who resisted Japanese rule or expressed anti-Japanese sentiments.
Kempeitai
Consequences of the invasion of Malaya
Japanese occupation led to anti-Chinese antagonism that led to fighting between the Chinese and Malays.
Unemployment and poverty leading to social disorder. The MPAJA began running Malaya and punishing people who had connections to the Japanese.
Serious economic problems: rubber and tin industries were closed by Japanese policies
The emergence of Sukarno in relations to the Japanese occupation of Indonesia
Indonesia – the overthrow of Dutch colonial regime led to release of Indonesian nationalists
— some of them had been in colonial prison for a decade or more (including Sukarno)
— led many Indonesians to be well disposed towards the Japanese
— Sukarno and Hatta = decided to pursue true goal of Indonesian independence by working with the Japanese
Japan gave Indonesian youth (including Sukarno) the freedom to organise political organisations/activites etc.. and allowed them to broadcast their nationalist views on radio etc. This is how Sukarno was able to get national support/popularity
