Korea

• Cold War keeps Korea divided. Communist north (Russia), Parliamentary south (American).

• North Korea hoping to force national unity on communist terms invades the south in 1950.

• USA organized a UN defense of South Korea that drove back the invading forces.

Korea

• China’s communist government reacted by pushing the Americans southward.

• Fighting stalemated and ended with a 1953 armistice recognizing a divided Korea.

• North Korea became an isolated, dictorial state.• South Korea allied to USA. Economy flourishes.

– Steel and textiles.

Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore

• The nationalist regime (Kuomingtang) under General Chiang Kai-Shek was defeated in China by the communists, it fell back on Taiwan.

• Chinese imposed authoritarian rule over the majority of Taiwanese.

• The USA supported Taiwan against China until tensions lessened in the 1960’s.

Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore

• Taiwan achieved economic prosperity.– Agriculture and industrial production.– As time passes, the Taiwanese feel culturally

independent from China. They are their own entity.

• Hong Kong remained a British colony until it returned to Chinese control in 1997.

• Singapore gains independence in 1959.

Politics and Culture

• Japan’s political approach featured close cooperation between state and business interests.

• Population growth slowed as the government supported birth control and abortion.

• Most elements of traditional culture persisted.– Poetry– Painting– Tea ceremonies– Theater– Flower arrangements

Economic Surge

• By the 1980’s, Japan was one of the two or three top economic world powers.

• Possible by government encouragement, educational expansion and negligible military expenditures.

• Workers organized in company unions that stressed labor-management cooperation.

Economic Surge

• Company policies provided important benefits to employees, including lifetime employment.

• Less class-conscious than the West.• Leisure life limited.• Women’s status remained subject to traditional

influences.• Competitive situations produced stress that could

be relieved by heavy drinking and recourse to geisha houses.