Latin America, Africa, The Middle East

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Latin America, Africa, The Middle East Asia
after WWII
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I. Latin America

• Theme power corruption, reaction revolution
• Third world continent with western
  social/political structures, economic ties to
  U.S./Europe
• After WWII economic expansion/crisis divided
  Latin Amer. between revolutionaries and
  conservatives
• Mexico Party of Institutionalized Revolution
  (PRI) controlled Mexican politics for more than
  half of 20th century very corrupt
• Zapatistas revolt (1994) intended to highlight
  neglected social issues
• 2000 PRI control ended, election of Vincent Fox
• Guatemala poor nation, mostly illiterate, high
  mortality rate, land distributed unequally
• Juan Jose Arevalo, later Colonel Jacobo Arbenz,
  tried to reform based on land reform and
  nationalization of areas of the economy
• Conflicted with ideas/goals of United Fruit
  Company and landowners
• U.S. feared communist takeover, sponsored
  military coup - leads to guerilla resistance
  movement, brutal military repression on
  population

CHALLENGE QUESTION!
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I. Continued

• Cuba originally, strong ties to U.S. through
  trade, later becomes enemy
• Large middle class, high literacy and health
  rates, but huge gap between rural and urban life
• Fulgencio Batista ruled Cuba from 1934-44 (as
  reformer), 1952-58 (as dictator)
• Opposed by many, including Fidel Castro, who was
  imprisoned after 1953 attack
• After release, teamed with Argentinean, Ernesto
  Che Guevara, spent two years gaining support
  against Batistas government
• Without support from U.S., Batista was driven
  from power
• Castro bases government on Marxist/Leninist ideas
  
• Foreign properties expropriated, farms
  collectivized, socialist economy
• Backing of Soviet Union (Cuba would have failed
  without them)
• Pattern of military takeovers throughout Latin
  America (often with help from U.S.)
• Examples Brazil (1964), Argentina (1966), Chile
  (1973)
• 1980s return to civilian control, but with
  continued U.S. pressure/presence

CHALLENGE QUESTION!
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II. Africa, The Middle East, Asia

• Newly independent nations face harsh reality
  after 1960s
• How do you build a prosperous nation after
  decades/centuries of colonial rule?
• Ethnic/religious divisions become more pronounced
• Economies still strongly tied to Europeans
• Population growth/pollution add to problems
• Nationalist movements made big promises often
  couldnt live up
• Internal rivalries overshadow independence
• India Pakistan and Bangladesh independence due
  to Muslim/Hindu tensions
• Population explosion
• Added to already huge population in Asia Africa
  still rapidly growing
• Colonialism brought new crops, law/order,
  transportation (prevented regional famines)
• BUT, Europe limited industrialization made it
  difficult to deal with population growth
• Few jobs, little economic output, many areas
  still agriculture-based

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II. Continued

• Population explosion (continued)
• Leads to rapid urbanization
• Planning cant keep up rise of slums, poor
  sanitation, spread of disease
• Negative environmental effects soil depletion,
  deforestation, industrial pollution (no money
  for antipollution measures)
• Responses to problems
• Africa rise of dictatorships
• Education reforms, industrialization top
  priorities
• Often faced opposition from rising political
  parties/ethnic rivals
• Political leaders increasingly turn to
  fascist-style policies to squash competition
• Little support from U.S. policies often looked
  socialist
• Military takeover common response to problems
  worldwide Uganda, Congo, Myanmar (worst
  examples)

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II. Continued

• Responses to problems (continued)
• Egypt not just another coup
• Led by Gamal Abdul Nassar (1952)
• Based on Free Officers Movement secret
  organization opposed to British-controlled
  khedives
• Self-rule for first time since 6th century
• Land reforms, state-financed education, govt aid
  for farmers, foreign policy opposed
  Israel/European control of Suez Canal
• Lack of money, population boom produce reform
  failures, lose to Israel (Six Day War, 1967)
• Anwar Sadat forced to dismantle state-run
  programs, stopped fighting Israel, opened Egypt
  to U.S./European investment
• Still a huge gap between rich and poor today (see
  modern revolution)
• India the same but different
• Faced same problems with overpopulation,
  ethnic/religious divisions
• But, larger industrial/scientific sector, better
  communications, more skilled middle class

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II. Continued

• Responses to problems (continued)
• India (continued)
• Early leaders/military dedicated to democratic
  rule
• Mixture of state and private investment leads
  to rapid development in technology
• Green Revolution improved farming, more crops
  more money
• But problems remain
• Cant please everyone religious/ethnic strife
  remains through today
• Huge portion of population still very poor
• Iran rise of the theocracy, rejection of the
  West
• Never a colony, but under sphere of western
  influence
• 1979 revolution, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah
  Khomeini, return to religious fundamentalism
• Islamic law codes become superior veiling,
  limited opportunities for women
• Isolate themselves from Western influence, wealth
  based on oil

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EXIT TICKET!

• Answer the following questions using complete
  sentences
• What common challenges/issues did the people of
  Latin America face after World War II? (at least
  2)
• Describe at least two harsh realities the
  people of Africa, Middle East, and south Asia
  faced after World War II.
• What global problems became prominent after the
  population explosion of the 20th century?

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CHALLENGE QUESTION!

• Listen to the following story and answer the
  questions below, using complete sentences
• http//www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?story
  Id5168219
• What specific issues are at stake in Mexico,
  according the Zapatista leader, Subcommandante
  Marcos?
• What group of people do the Zapatistas seemed to
  be most concerned about, regarding rights?

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CHALLENGE QUESTION!

• Take 4-5 minutes to read your assigned primary
  source text (pgs. 772-773) and discuss the two
  questions at the end with your assigned partner.
  Answer using complete sentences.

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