O.B. Montessori Center, Inc.

HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

School Year 2012-2013
FOURTH QUARTER LECTURE GUIDE
SOCIAL STUDIES II A STUDY OF ASIA

PLACE AND ENVIRONMENT / GEOGRAPHY

Map of Southeast Asia:

Page 2 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Countries

Capital

Official
Language

Main Religion

Form of
Government

Mainland Southeast Asia - known as southern lands by the Chinese

1). Myanmar (Burma)

Yangoon /
Rangoon

Burmese

Buddhist

Military

2). Cambodia

Phnom Penh

Khmer

Theravada
Buddhism

Constitutional
Monarchy

3). Laos

Vientiane

Lao

Buddhist

Communist State

4). Thailand

Bangkok

Thai

Theravada
Buddhism

Constitutional
Monarchy

5). Vietnam

Hanoi

Vietnamese

Mahayana
Buddhism

Socialist
Republic

Island Southeast Asia

Countries

Capital

Official
Language

Main Religion

Form of
Government
Federal
Constitutional
Monarchy

1). Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

Bahasa Malaysia Islam

2). Brunei

Bandar Seri
Begawan

Malay

Islam

Constitutional
Sultanate

3). Singapore

Singapore

Chinese

Folk Religions

Unitary Republic

4). Indonesia

Jakarta

Bahasa
Indonesia

Islam

Republic

5). Philippines

Manila

Filipino

Roman Catholic

Republic

6). East Timor

Dili

Tetum and
Portuguese

Roman Catholic

Parliamentary
Democracy

The Shape of the Land

(Global Mosaic, 249 268)
Objective: Geography has contributed to the immense cultural diversity of Southeast Asia.
Place and environment:
Mainland Southeast Asia: Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Island Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, East Timor
Archipelagos or chains of islands across thousands of miles of ocean and located in the Ring of
Fire, a line of volcano around the Pacific Ocean.

Page 3 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Topography
Southeast Asia has a land area of almost 2.73 million square kilometers.
Insular portion of Southeast Asia: Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore
surrounded by South China Sea, Celebes Sea, Banda and Arafura Sea, Malacca Strait, and the
Pacific Ocean.
River Systems
Vietnam: Red and Mekong Rivers
Myanmar: Irrawady and Salween
Thailand: Chao Phraya
Climate:
Most of SEA lies in the tropics.
Climate is hot and humid.
Monsoons affect climate; it has shaped the patterns of life in SEA e.g., lateen sail which
allowed sailors to take advantage of the seasonal winds.
Wet monsoon to water plants,
Natural Resources
SEA supplies half of the worlds tin; also aluminum and nickel.
Indonesia and Brunei deposits of oil and natural gas.
SEA is also developing its own industries.
Agricultural: Farming is the main economic activity; rice is the most important crop.
Crops include coffee, tea, coconuts and spices.
Relying on one cash crop can be detrimental.
Lumber; forest woods like teak, mahogany and others are exported contrasted to denudation
of forests.
Mt. Kinabalu - highest mountain in Southeast Asia
Diverse Region
Geography has contributed to ethnic and cultural diversity.
Mountains cut groups of people off from one another e.g. Vietnam: the Lao control the
valleys of the Mekong River and its tributaries; they control the government, determine the
official language and set education policies.
Ethnic minorities live in the highlands and they preserve their own cultures, languages and
customs.
Immigrants from China and India also influenced the regional diversity because they brought
their arts, languages, literature and religions.

CULTURE AND HERITAGE

The Importance of Religion
Gunung Agung, volcano spirit in Bali. They leave rice, fruit, flowers and eggs to please the
spirit.
Animism- belief in the spirits in the natural world.
Hinduism and Buddhism
Indian traders spread Hinduism beliefs throughout the region.
SEA accepted reincarnation but rejected the caste system.
Hindus now are found in Bali and parts of Malaysia
Buddhist missionaries carried the religion east of India.
Theravada Buddhism spread in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia; local people built
monasteries, boys entered as monks and girls as nuns.

Page 4 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Chinese Buddhist carried Mahayana Buddhism into Vietnam; less on monastic life, women
cannot reach nirvana.
Blending of Buddhist and animistic beliefs; farmers in Thailand worship the nats, spirits,
instead of Buddha.

Islam and Christianity

900 AD, Arab traders brought Islam to the Malay peninsula, and islands of Sumatra, Java and
Borneo.
Today, Islam is the official religion of Malaysia and Indonesia.
1500s, Spain conquered the Philippines which converted inhabitants to the Roman Catholic
faith.
Economic Patterns
Most of the inhabitants of SEA are farmers as did their ancestors.
RICE- major food crop.
Wet rice- seedlings are planted in paddies that are wet and remain so until harvest time.
Dry rice- slash and burn where rice is nourished from the burnt fields; usually highlands.
OTHER farm products corn, peanuts, sweet potatoes, coconuts and copra.
FISH- important source of protein; fresh and dried fish; fish sauce to season food.
Village Life
Most in SEA live in villages; homes are built of bamboo, clay bricks or concrete blocks.
Village leaders may inherit their post or may be elected or appointed.
Village life is affected by larger cities; buying patterns also changes.
City Life
Many villagers migrated to the cities in search for jobs and a higher standard of living
JEEPNEYS brightly decorated taxis and an inexpensive transportation throughout the cities
in the Philippines.
CYCLO TAXIS three-wheeled, pedaled cycles with a seat in front for carrying passengers.
Family Life
Much of SEA lives as nuclear families but in Vietnam, extended families are common as
influenced by the Chinese.
RIGHTS of WOMEN Chinese culture, women were inferior to men, but in Vietnam,
women had as much rights as the men.
Women in SEA enjoy many rights that are lacking in traditional Asian womens roles.
DIVISION of LABOR Men plow the paddies, operate rice machinery and harvest the rice
crop; Women plant rice by hand, and husk and cut the rice.
Women take care of the house and children, cook, tend livestock, gather wood, fetch water
and make clothing.
Education
Children help their parents at a young age.
Buddhist countries children learn to read and write at Buddhist temples.
Malaysia and Indonesia children attend schools by Muslim teachers.
Literature and Arts
In Southeast Asia, the arts grew out of religious traditions; Hindu and Buddhist traditions
influenced the arts.
E.g. gamelan the god Sang Hyang Guru was the first king of Java and he made a gong to
summon the other gods to a meeting and since he still has a second message, he made
another Gong, and a third and so on. The three gongs became the basis of modern day
gamelan
Southeast Asians adapted Hindu epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Page 5 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Ramakien Rama epic; Thai version of the Ramayana, singers and dancers perform popular
stories from the work.
Each country has their own oral tradition passed by elders; Buddhist monks and nuns
preserved writings on the life of Buddha.

The Tale of Kieu

Vietnams most famous poem which is a blend of Confucian and Buddhist ideas.
Kieu is a beautiful young woman who falls in love with a student, Kim Trong; while Kim is
away, Kieus brother and father are arrested and she sells herself to slavery to save them.
After 15 years of hardship, Kieu and Kim are reunited.
Many Vietnamese can recite passages of this poem from memory.
Modern Writers
Yudhistira Ardi Noegraha wrote Arjuna Searching for Love which criticized the gap between
the rich and poor.
Arjuna is a rebellious young man who taught a lesson to a rich classmate by leaving her in
the city so she can appreciate the daily struggle for survival of ordinary people.
POPULAR ART / PERFORMING ARTS
Music Dance and Drama are closely linked.
Music
Traditional Southeastern music has a different scale from the Western one.
Southeast Asians mostly use percussion instruments; western relies on strings and wind
instruments.
Gamelan music of Java and Indonesian orchestra consisting of 12 to 40 players of gongs of
various shapes and sizes and pitches, drums, brass kettles and xylophone-like instruments.
Metallophone is a musical instrument consisting of tuned metal barshit with a mallet.
Instruments which belongs to Gamelan: bonang, kayu, suling, gambang, gendang and rebab.
3 Types of Indonesian Music:
1. KEKAWIN songs derived from the letters of the Indian epics Mahabharata and
Ramayana
2. MEDIKUNG songs that date to the middle Java period
3. SANHYANG childrens song accompany that accompany this dance

Southeast Asian Music

2 Forms of Music:
1. Gong chime ensembles
2. Orchestras
Indonesia - Gamelan
Thailand Piphat
Cambodia Pinpeat
Borneo
Sulawesi
Kulintang
Timor
S. Philippines
Philippines- Rondalla (string instrument orchestra)

Dance
Classical dances are performed both for religious and for entertainment.
Southeast Asian dancers move very little and use highly symbolic gestures and facial
expressions to convey meaning.
Khmer Rouge, under Pol Pot, destroyed Cambodian dance groups.
Shadow Plays/Theater

Page 6 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Shadow-puppet plays in Indonesia based on Hindu epics and political events

10th cen. Wayang Kulit, an Indonesian puppet show emerged which usually revolved
around legends and uses puppets that resemble those in a shadow play. Shadows are made to
move by the puppeteers against a white background or cloth where a lamp is lit. The play
begins at 9 PM and ends at 6 AM.

Popular Arts
Batik- dyeing using wax design to paint and design textiles.
Thailand- teak carvings and fine furniture.
Indonesia- specialize in metal works
Industrialization is affecting traditional crafts.
ART AND ARCHITECTURE

a. Ankor Wat
Ancient temple that reflects Hindu influences; Built in 1100s by the Khmer
Three tiers surrounded by rectangular walls.
Along the walls, there are carved thousands of figures.

b. Ananda
Kingdom of Pagan, in Myanmar, Buddhist temple with gilded spires that rise to 163 feet.
Four huge statues of Buddha above the temple.

c. Borubodur many buddhas

Built in the 800s, rises five tiers above ground level; top is a central stupa with an unfinished
statue of Buddha.
More than 400 images of Buddha
RECREATION / SPORTS
SEPAK RAGA an anient game played in the Malay states, Singapore and Brunei (The aim
of the game is for the players standing in a circle to keep the ball in the air for as long as
possible without using their hands.)
Sepak- kick ; Raga rattan ball
SEPAK TAKRAW modern game played like a volleyball that also uses a net.
Muay Thai - the art of eight limbs (hands, shins, elbows, and knees) Thailands national
sports.
SANUK Thai people prize the art of having fun
Arnis A Philippine sports that uses rattan sticks called batton.
FOOD AND DRINKS
PHILIPPINES ADOBO (consists of chicken and pork cooked in soy sauce and vinegar) ;
TUBA (alcoholic beverage which is made from coconut palm tree sap)
VIETNAM PHO (a noodle soup and a national dish of Vietnam) ; TOFU (soybean curd) ;
HUOC MAM (used as seasoning in many dishes) ; Green Tea (faveorite beverage) ;
BAGUETTES (consisting of coffee and long loaves of bread)

TIME CONTINUITY AND CHANGE / HISTORY

RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS
Because of the cultural diversity, no single ruler could conquer the diverse lands and peoples
of SEA.
Leaders built their kingdoms in fertile river valleys and they organized armies to collect taxes
from farmers.

Page 7 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Chinese conquered most of SEA except Vietnam which remained independent from China.

Pagan
Kingdom of Pagan along the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar. The Pagan rulers grew rich and
powerful because of the fertile lands.
King Anawrata ruled Pagan and he brought Buddhism to his people.
Pagan became a tributary state to China because they paid tributes.
Vietnam
Red River delta came under the Chinese but in 39 AD the Trung Sisters, daughters of
Vietnamese nobles, led a rebellion against the invaders but a Chinese general caught them.
But the Vietnamese hailed these sisters for their bravery.
China ruled Vietnam for 1,000 years and their culture influenced the language, poetry,
customs, Confucian philosophy and Mahayana Buddhism.
Khmer Kingdom
Khmer kingdom ruled the Mekong River delta (Cambodia)
Khmers had close contacts with Indians and learned about their literature and philosophy
They also absorbed Hinduism.
King Suravarman (1100s) built Angkor, a vast capital city dedicated to Vishnu.
Tai Kingdom
Thailands roots come from different kingdoms but Thais are descendants of the Tai, a group
that included the Thai, Lao, Shan, Black Tai, and Red Tai.
Tai kingdom of Lanna.
Chakkri family set a dynasty that exists even today and Thais regard them as their royal
family. They are the countrys symbol of unity and solidarity.
An Island Empire
Rulers of Srivijaya controlled the Strait of Malacca, a vital waterway connecting the Indian
Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
SOUTHEAST ASIA IN TRANSITION
(Global mosaic, 265 280)
Chapter 12, Unit 1
EUROPEAN INFLUENCE
Arrival of the Europeans
Arab traders sold spices, silk and other goods from Asia and these merchants made profits to
such an extent that the European sought a route going to these Spice Islands themselves.
Spain and Portugal Christopher Columbus and Vasco de Gama.
Portuguese captured Malacca in 1511, they built trading post in this area which they called
East Indies.
Next Europeans were the Dutch, and they set up a trading post in Java in 1596 and seized
Malacca from the Portuguese.
The Dutch gained control over what is now known as Indonesia.
EUROPEAN POWER GROWS
1700s and 1800s, changes in Europe (1) acquired tropical tastes for sugar, coffee and tea, (2)
increase in population, and (3) Industrial revolution which increased the need for raw
materials.
The Dutch in Java

Page 8 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Dutch set up a Cultural System in Java in which they forced villages to set aside on-fifth of
their land to grow cash crops which they sold to the Dutch for a low price.
Good for the Europeans because they profited but the local farmers made no profit; neglected
rice fields which resulted to famine.

The British in Malaya

1786, British trading company acquired Penang Island and 9 years after captured Malacca
from the Dutch.
1824, British traders bought Singapore from the sultan who ruled it; British extended their
influence into Malaya and they formed the Federated Malay States.
British promoted production of rubber and tin; British introduced machinery for mining, and
rubber trees from Brazil which increased production;
Also imported Indian and Chinese workers to Malaya.
Singapore had a good location on the Strait of Malacca and it became the busiest trading port
in SEA.
SCRAMBLE FOR COLONIES
Rivalry between France and Britain led to a race for raw materials and bases to increase trade
with China.
From India, British pushed into Burma, 1890 Burma became a province of India.
Vietnam
1800s, empire which became known as French Indochina includes present-day Vietnam,
Cambodia and Laos.
Quoc-ngu western alphabet for Vietnam to replace the existing one based on Chinese
characters; still used today in Vietnam.
Missionaries were thought as threat to their own authority and so Vietnamese officials
expelled the missionaries. Emperor Thieu Tri expelled these missionaries.
1858, French forces invaded Vietnam and made it part of their empire.
Cambodia and Laos
Cambodia resisted efforts by Thailand and Vietnam but the French intimidated the
Cambodian king to sign a treaty making Cambodia a protectorate.
Protectorate a country that has its own government but whose policies are directed by an
outside power.
Laos much of it is under the Thais but when they withdrew, the French moved in.
THAILAND ESCAPES EUROPEAN RULE
Siam, old name of Thailand, lay between British and French influence.
King Mongkut, a realist, saw that he could not defend his country against the imperialist
nations so he made treaties with several different European nations.
Europeans recognized that an independent Thailand would reduce the danger of conflict with
them.
Thailand also hired European experts to help modernize Thailand. (King and I).
THE PHILIPPINES UNDER FOREIGN RULE
Philippines is a cultural crossroads Malays, Chinese, Japanese, Arabs and Indian traders
went here.
Archipelago chain of islands.
1521, Ferdinand Magellan claimed the Philippines for Spain and made it part of its empire.
A Spanish Colony
Encomienda right to demand taxes or labor from the people living in the land.
It was supposed to protect the Filipinos and educate them but in reality the Filipinos were
taken advantaged of.

Page 9 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

1600s, Spanish abandoned the Encomienda system and appointed officials to rule the land.
Spanish missionaries spread Catholicism through schools.

Rebellion and Defeat

1800s, Spanish influence declines in the world but in the Philippines, Catholic religious
orders were growing. Jose Rizal accused the church of abusing its power.
Emilio Aguinaldo led the rebels against Spanish rule, hope arose when US declared war
against Spain in 1898.
Treaty of US and Spain placed the islands under American control.
Filipino nationalists renewed struggle against the US.
American rule
US allowed Filipinos to hold high government office; they built schools, hospitals and roads.
Philippine economy did not change and a few wealthy landowners owned huge estates.
1934, US made promises for freedom.
IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE
Colonial rule altered the economy.
Europeans set up plantations to produce cash crops which came to depend on European
markets.
Europeans sold factory-made good to their colonies, undermining local crafts.
Economies of SEA became dependent on industrialized nations for manufactured goods.
Europeans also built transportation and schools to increase production as well as schools.
But education resulted to a middle class which contributed to the growth of nationalism.
Colonial rule had little impact on the cultures of SEA except in the Philippines and Vietnam.
Europeans brought Chinese and Indians adding to the cultural diversity in the region.
Chapter 12, Unit 2
A NEW POLITICAL MAP from Global Mosaic p. 271.
GROWING NATIONALISM
1900s, Nationalist movements took root throughout SEA.
1905, nationalist hopes surged because Japan beat Russia in the Russo-Japanese War.
1930s, however, Japan conquered much of China and threatened SEA; by WWII, Japan
overran most of SEA from Indochina to the Philippines.
At first, SEA nationalists welcomed the Japanese but Japanese tortured and killed those who
oppose their presence.
Nationalist who opposed Europeans now opposed the Japanese.
Allies supported rebels against the Japanese and by 1945, many SEA were well-armed
guerilla fighters.
THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
After the defeat of Japan, European powers planned to return to SEA.
Peaceful transitions
July 4, 1946, the US gave the Philippines its independence.
After the war, British went back to Burma
Aung San, Burmas main political party leader called for immediate independence; Burma
won its independence in 1948.
Conflict in Malaya
1957, Malaya gained independence from Britain.
Became Malaysia in 1963 when it joined Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak.

Page 10 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Malaysia faced ethnic problems: Malays (50% population) mostly farmers and fishermen;
Chinese and Indians dominated businesses and profession = ethnic unrest.

Indonesia and Indochina

After WWII, Dutch returned to find Sukarno had declared Indonesias independence; and
the Dutch gave up Indonesia except West Irian, western half of New Guinea.
But in 1949, Sukarno became President and regained West Irian.
French sought to regain colonies in Indochina and granted limited independence to Laos.
CHALLENGES FOR THE NEW NATIONS
New nations faced challenges; they had little experience with self-governance and leaders
had to unify diverse groups for a common goal.
Many faced severe economic problems.
Burma become Myanmar
Burma had trouble unifying with ethnic groups (Karen and Sha) fighting.
Problem of developing economy Burma nationalized or placed under state control Britishowned plantations.
These failed and so the Burmese army took over and General Ne Win became dictator and
set up a one-party socialist state.
30 years, Ne Win isolated Burma from the world; Burmese students demanded democratic
elections but they were fired upon.
Burma changed to Myanmar Burmese words for country and the people.
Singapore
1963, Singapore achieved independence from Britain.
It deviated from Malaysia with its Chinese majority.
Singapore fell into the hands of Lee Kuan Yew who ruled the one-party state like a dictator.
He controlled the press, labor unions and rallied against Malaysia and Indonesia.
Lee provided a stable government and kept wages low to attract foreign investments.
1990, Goh Chok Tong replaced Lee as Prime Minister and elections were held in 1991.
VIETNAM WAR
Struggle against France
A young Vietnamese took heed of Woodrow Wilsons words that all people have the right to
determine their future.
He went to Versailles to ask France to grant independence to Vietnam but was denied.
Vietnamese nationalists pushed for changes but France responded with force.
Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh emerged as the leader of the independence movement in Vietnam.
He was a pioneer of the Communist party in France.
Communism appealed to Vietnamese because it rejected colonialism.
Viet Minh founded by Ho Chi Minh after WWII who used guerilla warfare against
Japanese troops.
1945 Viet Minhs occupied North of Vietnam, including Hanoi.
Cold War Issues: Soviet and China supported Hos communist forces;
US did not side with Ho, domino theory if one nation fell to the communist forces,
neighboring nations would also become communists.
1954 Viet Minhs trapped a French army at Diebienphu.
A Divided Nation
Geneva Agreement divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel temporarily.
Ngo Dinh Diem ruled South Vietnam; non-communist.

Page 11 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Supposed election to unify Vietnam but people merely moved to the area where they feel
politically comfortable.
North Vietnam: Ho limited press and won peasant by giving them land.
South Vietnam: fighting of various groups; communists in the South, called Viet Cong, were
an underground movement.
Diem lost popularity and was assassinated in 1963.

American Involvement
US took a more active role, sending military advisers to South Vietnam because of the
increasing number of Viet Congs.
North Vietnam sent troops via Laos and Cambodia which are called Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
1964, two US patrol ships claimed to have been attacked by North Vietnamese at the Gulf of
Tonkin.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President Lyndon Johnson power to take all necessary
steps including the use of force to help South Vietnam.
Johnson sent combat forces to South Vietnam but failed; Soviet Union and China supported
Viet Congs by giving arms.
War Spreads
American forces spread to Laos and Cambodia because US bombed the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Bombing of Laos increased support for the communist Laotians, the Pathet Lao.
Bombing of bases in Cambodia increased support for the local communist guerillas, the
Khmer Rouge.
A Slow return to Peace: 1970 Vietnam is in war for 30 years.
End of American Involvement
Vietnam war sparked protests and antiwar demonstrations in the US.
Nixon in 1969, started to withdraw American forces.
Vietnam Reunited
1975 Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, was surrounded and the government
surrendered.
Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
Communists took over private businesses and farmlands.
Years of war left Vietnams economy in shambles.
Government control and ban by the US from trading kept foreigners from investing.
1994, US lifted the trade ban and in the mid-1990s, economy surged.
Effects of the War
Fighting killed millions of people and destroyed infrastructures.
US used chemicals making the soil unusable.
Boat People - refugees who used boast to escape political and economic conditions.
Chapter 35: Changing Asia
Unit 4: Conflicts Disrupt Southeast Asia in World History by Perry pp. 771 777.
Ancient Kingdoms become colonial possessions
Khmer and Thai peoples developed as early as 6th to 10th AD.
Vasco de Gama found a way around Africa to SEA making European rivals for colonies.
Siam signed trade treaties with England and France to avoid being colonized.
1863, Napoleon IIIs troops made Cambodia a French protectorate.
Britain bought Singapore; Burma under British also and Philippines under America.

Page 12 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Prosperous plantations of cash crops: rubber, rice, sugar and coffee.

No manufacturers in colonies; colonizers sold goods to colonies.

World War II leads to independence

Dissatisfaction with colonial rule led to nationalist movements.
WWII broke out and Great Britain, France and Netherland left their unprotected colonies.
Japanese then overran SEA.
Japanese were also resented and when they were defeated in WWII, nationalist movements
took over control of their countries.
THE ISLAND NATIONS (EXCLUDING PHILIPPINES)
Indonesia suffers economic problems
Netherlands tried to regain control of East Indies but nationalist movements resisted.
Republic of Indonesia consolidated in 1949 when the Dutch gave up efforts.
Sukarno: first president; he built infrastructures but neglected agriculture and resources.
Since food was imported, inflation set in because of high price of world food market.
Sukarno has communist roots and there became a civil war and army suppressed the revolt.
Suharto, leader of the army, became the president.
Indonesian businesses were foreign-owned so Suharto restricted foreign investments and
encouraged partnerships with Indonesians.
Indonesia then exploited their resources like petroleum, natural gas and minerals.
Malaysia is plagued by ethnic conflicts
After WWII, Malaya became a British protectorate.
Federation of Malaysia: in 1963, Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore which
became part of the British Commonwealth.
Singapore was forced out of the Federation because it was mainly Chinese and they feared
the Chinese would take over their businesses.
Chinese and Indians stayed in the federation which made them wealthy because they were
educated.
Malays protested but govt provided better standards of living for the Malays.
Malaysia became the worlds leading exporter of rubber.
Singapore has a strong economy
Singapores economy prospered after leaving the Federation of Malaysia in 1965.

THE MAINLAND NATIONS

French withdraw from Indochina
French returned to Indochina to find the Viet Minhs founded by Ho Chi Minh, a communist.
Peasants helped the nationalist movements and opposed the imperialist French.
Vietminhs defeated the French in Dien Bien Phu and the French left Indochina.
Geneva Accords: granted independence to Laos and Cambodia; Vietnam was divided at the
17th parallel of latitude.
Vietnam is engulfed in war
South Vietnam refused to sign the Geneva Accords because the North was rich in natural
resources.
Vietcongs: Ho Chi Minh crossed the 17th parallel to recruit Southern Vietnamese soldiers and
became sympathetic to the Norths cause.
Ngo Dinh Diem in the South tried to restore order but lost support and was murdered in
1963.

Page 13 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

The United States sends troops

SEATO (Southeast Asian Treaty Organization) was set up by the US to pledge aid against
aggression in the region.
US added advisers to South Vietnam.
The Communists launch a major offensive
Tet Offensive: January 1968 Vietcongs and Vietminhs attacked cities in the South.
US started to question whether the war in Vietnam can be won.
United States forces slowly leave Vietnam
Peace talks began in Paris in 1968.
Nixon of the US withdrew forces in 1969.
1973, all US troops left Vietnam.
North Vietnam takes control
War continued for two more years but without US support, Saigon was captured and was
later renamed as Ho Chi Minh City.
South Vietnam was re-educated into the communist paradigm and non-communists left
Vietnam via the boat people.
Cambodia becomes the Communist nation of Kampuchea
Cambodia, independent since 1953, under the leadership of Norodom Sihanouk.
US bombed air bases of the Viet Minhs in Cambodia and the US supported Lon Nol, a strong
anti-communist.
Khmer Rouge communist group in Cambodia overthrew Lon Nol under Pol Pot and
renamed it Kampuchea.
Pol Pots reign was one of the most brutal in the 20th century; people were indoctrinated at
the hands of fanatic revolutionaries.
Mass executions were common.
Around a million died and millions more died due to starvation.
Vietnam invades Kampuchea
Pol Pot did not go well with Vietnam and so Vietnamese troops invaded Kampuchea.
1979, Pol Pot was overthrown and replaced by Heng Samrin.
Civil war followed and Vietnamese Communists fought against backers of Pol Pot, Prince
Sihanouk and Son Sann.
Communists take control in Laos
Laos became independent in 1954 but civil war among pro-Western forces, neutralists and
the Pathet Lao (communists).
Souvanna Phouma, neutralists leader in the early 1960s, but did not end the fighting.
Pathet Lao took over the country in 1975 and Vietnamese communists helped expel anticommunists.
Well to do classes left Laos and millions of people fled because of poor economic conditions
and lack of individual freedom.
Thailand tries to maintain peace with its neighbors
Pro-Western in outlook and allowed US troops to set up bases within its territory.
Thailand was surrounded by Communist countries but they established good relations with
Laos and Cambodia and sought to protect itself from neighboring countries meddling in its
internal affairs.
Vietnams invasion of Kampuchea inundated Thailand with refugees thereby being accused
by the Vietnamese of helping its Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge.
Thailand helped anti-communist rebels in Kampuchea.

Page 14 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Dislocation continues in Southeast Asia

Many fled their homes in Laos, Kampuchea and Vietnam.
Probably 1.5 million people fled their homes in boats either to be rescued or to die at sea.
THE STRUGGLE OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN LIBERATION MOVEMENTS
Asian History and Civilization pp.183 - 198
Liberation Movements in Southeast Asia
Started out as reaction against western colonizers.
First movement of national liberation started in the Philippines.
THAILAND
Portugal was the first to come to Thailand; Thais recognized extraterritoriality and allowed
foreigners to live in Thailand with being subjected to their laws.
1600s, foreigners tried to intervene but Thailand expelled them.

Ram Dynasty
General Phrya Taksin became king of Thailand after defeating the Burmese; capital at
Thomburi.
Phrya Chakri replaced Thaksin and took the title Rama I and established the Chakri Dynasty.
Thailand was renamed Siam in 1872 and capital was moved to Bangkok.
Mongkut or Rama IV appointed foreign advisers and adopted western language and science.
Siam signs Bowring Treaty which gave Britain free trade, extraterritoriality and special
privileges.
Unequal treaties because it placed Thailand in an inferior diplomatic position.
Mongkut did not undergo any fundamental reforms.
Chulalongkorn or Rama V abolished slavery and started a public school system.
Nationalism takes root in Siam
Colonialism was not introduced to Thailand because leaders revoked rights of
extraterritoriality given to western countries.
Western influence filtered through even if the Thais resisted colonialism.
Sovereignty helped the country progress to modernity.
Vajiravudh or Rama VI promoted nationalist ideas and popularized sacrificing for Siam.
Joined WWI for the Allies and won a seat in the Versailles peace Conference.
1920s, Westerners and Japan ended unequal treaties with Thailand.
King Prajadhipok or Rama VII: students who studied in Europe asked him to change
absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy. He abdicated his throne to his 10-year old
nephew, Prince Ananda Mahidol, who later became Rama VIII.
Military took control of the country and changed the govt to constitutional monarchy in a
bloodless coup; renamed it Thailand.
1937, Thailand regained control of external and internal affairs.

MYANMAR
1824, Burmese General Bangula penetrated Bengal when it was under British rule but the
British overpowered them.
British took over Rangoon and most of Burma and profited from its vast natural resources.
Burmese hated the British for using their resources and interference with internal affairs (e.g.
replacing the myothugyi or local leaders with those in British payroll.)
Burma became a province of India until 1937.
Nationalist movement started in the Young Mens Buddhist Association (YMBA) in 1906.
YMBA sought to protect their temples and instill nationalist consciousness.
During WWI, YMBA was renamed General Council of Burmese Associations (GCBA)
which also included non-Buddhists.

Page 15 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

Nationalism prompted the British to provide better services to the Burmese.

Students on the University of Rangoon protested to have autonomy in Dec. 1, 1920.
Saya San, former pongyi (monk) and GCBA member, led a massacre of government officials
demanding a return to the monarchy; he was arrested, tried and executed by the British
Political Parties in Burma
1. Thakin (Master) Party from Dohbama Asiayone (We Burmans Association) vis a vis
protest of student from the University of Rangoon; thakin is used to emphasize they were
equal to British.
2. Sinyetha (Poor Mens Party) Ba Maw, Saya Sans lawyer, founded the party and allied
with the Thakin Party.
3. Myochit (Patriotic) Party leader: U Saw, was appointed as Prime Minister and sought
land reform and others and asked Britain to grant Dominion Status to Burma but was arrested
for treason.
Thakins helped the Japanese during WWI but was maltreated afterwards and so after WWII,
Burma won its independence.
Aung San founded the Anti-Fascists Peoples Freedom League (AFPFL) which sought to ask
Burmas independence.
Elections in April 1947, AFPFL won majority seats in the constitutional assembly and U Nu
was asked to head the government.
U Nu, Jawaharlala Nehru of India, Sukarno of Indonesia and Pres. Josip Broz Tito of
Yugoslavia established the Non-Aligned Movement that refused alliance with the US or the
USSR.

VIETNAM
Vietnam resisted foreign influences and were in conflict with Vietnam monarchy until France
invaded it in 1883 under the pretense that their missionaries were arrested and sent to prison.
Vietnamese nationalist leaders: De Tham Tiger of Yen Tre; peasants also supported the
Coung De (Mandarin scholar class)
Coung De divided into three: 1) unite with French; 2) disappear and 3) engage France in
combat via cuuc quoc (ethnic salvation) to bring back monarchy in Vietnam.
Phan Boi Chau and Phan Thau Trinh rallied the people that restoration of monarchy was not
enough but to democratize Vietnam.
Nationalists founded the Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang (VNQDD): principle patterned after
Kuomintang nationalism, democracy and peoples livelihood.

Ho Chi Minh
Nguyen Al Quoc a.k.a. Ho Chi Minh believed in Marxism as influenced by the October
Russian Revolution.
Born in a Mandarin family, worked as cook and cabin boy in a merchant ship and as a
pamphleteer in France distributing leftist writings.
Went to Versailles Conference asking for Vietnams independence.
He founded the Tranh Nien or Vietnamese Revolutionary League in 1925 and by 1930, he
had 1,500 party members and 100,000 allied peasants organizations.
VNQDD was encouraged to fight against French but VNQDD was easily crushed.
Communists founded the Viet Minh or the league for Vietnams Independence in 1941.

Page 16 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

INDONESIA
Dutch East India Company controlled Indonesias trade and major ports because of spices,
coffee and indigo.
Dutch harsh policies and exploitation led nationalists to liberate the country.
Java Wars by Javanese Prince Diponegoro took place from 1825 to 1930.
Budi Otomo High Endeavor first nationalist organization established in 1908; mainly a
cultural rather than political organization.
Sarekat Islam (Islamic Union aka SI) first anti-Dutch nationalist movement mainly from
batik merchants.
SI sought to improve peoples lives and considered capitalism evil and embodied the
gotong rohong or Indonesian group spirit.
Dutch were initially conciliatory to SI and established Volksraad (Peoples Council) to offer
advice to the Dutch government but later became tyrannical after several communist
insurrections.
Small groups inside SI; one of which is the Indies Social Democratic Action (ISDA) by
Henri Sneevliet, a Dutch communist, also includes Semaun and Tan Malaka.
Semaun broke from SI and founded Partai Komunis Indonesia (Communist Party of
Indonesia) and became a strong and influential political organization.
Dutch easily overpowered these uprisings.

Sukarno
Engineer and student leader at the Bangung Technical University.
Founded Indonesian Nationalist Party (Partai Nasional Indonesia, or PNI) together with
Djipto Kusumey.
Sought to unite all nationalist movements under one umbrella organizarion.
Reforms for Bahasa Indonesia as language and Indonesia Raya as national anthem.
PNI lacked support and the government arrested Sukarno.
Mohammed Hatta, Sultan Sjahir and Sukarno set up Partai Indonesia but they were soon
exiled.
Nationalist movements did not succeed because of lack of support from masses.
Indonesian nationalism became prevalent only after 1942 when the Japanese occupied
Indonesia and allowed leaders like Sukarno to come back.
Japanese order Sukarno to head the Center of Peoples Power which gave him the chance to
influence masses.
Japanese had vested interests in Japans resources and Indonesians became more agitated
over Japans harsh treatment of the Indonesians.
Aug. 17, 1945 when the Allied forces won, Sukarno and Hatta declared an independent
Republic of Indonesia but the Dutch did not recognize this.
1949, Dutch gave Indonesia its sovereignty except West Irian (now Irian Jaya).

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION / GOVERNMENT

Country
1). Myanmar (Burma)
2). Cambodia
3). Laos
4). Thailand
5). Vietnam
6). Malaysia
7). Brunei
8). Singapore
9). Indonesia
10). Philippines

Form of Government
Military
Constitutional Monarchy
Communist State
Constitutional Monarchy
Socialist Republic
Federal Constitutional Monarchy
Constitutional Sultanate
Unitary Republic
Republic
Republic

Page 17 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

11). East Timor

Parliamentary Democracy

RESOURCES AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

Economic Choices

Political independence from foreigners but dependent on their economies.

SEA countries export raw materials (cash crops) and import manufactured goods; to reduce
dependence, they built factories and improved transportation and communication.

Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos set up command economies where the govt
decides what to produce, how much to produce and what prices to charge.

Philippines market economy where private individuals own factories and farms, govt
promotes economic growth but does not control economy directly.

Singapore and Indonesia are mixed economies where the govt owns major industries and
has a strong role in the economy but private individuals may put small businesses.

Developing Industry

SEA nations develop industry for these reasons:

o Manufactured goods sell at a higher price
o Factory workers earn more
o Extra income means more goods to buy which in turn encourages factories to produce
more.
o Reduces dependence on foreign imports

Singapores Economic Success

Produced manufactured goods because they lack natural resources.

Lee Kuan Yew enacted law favorable to foreign investors.

Cheap labor, attracted high-tech companies and provided a modern system of education for
skilled workers.

Singapores workers are the highest paid in Asia.

New Directions in Vietnam

After the wars, Vietnam sought to rebuild its economy.

Vietnam has reduced its government controls to attract foreign investors.

CHANGES IN AGRICULTURE

Many SEA people still use farming to produce enough food for families but the government
encourages commercial farming for added income.

Page 18 Social Studies II

4TH Quarter Lecture Notes
S.Y. 2012-2013

The Green Revolution

This involves the use of new seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation to increase harvests.
Philippines developed a new kind of high-yield rice seed.

Most farmers used this new seed but they needed to borrow money to buy pesticide and
fertilizers but they earned enough to repay debts.

Unforeseen Effects

Green revolution helped food production but it has upset traditional patterns of rural life.
Farmers are now relying heavily on tractors and paid laborers.

Issue also of rising cost of fertilizer and if they cannot repay debts, they sell their lands.

Commercial fertilizers and pesticides also damage the environment.

Urbanization

Increase in population and commercial farming drove people to go to cities to find work.
Middle class people increased people who work in stores, banks, offices and hospitals.

Urban poor is also increasing rapidly than the middle class.

ASEAN

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), regional alliance of ten independent

countries that promotes stability and economic growth in southeast Asia.
The organization also encourages cultural exchanges between its members. ASEAN was
founded in August 1967 by Malaysia, Thailand, and the republics of Indonesia, Singapore,
and the Philippines. Brunei joined the alliance after attaining independence from the United
Kingdom in 1984. Vietnam was admitted as the first communist member in 1995. Laos and
Myanmar (formerly Burma) joined ASEAN in 1997, and Cambodia became part of the
alliance in 1999.

The ASEAN secretariat, a central office that administers the organizations activities, is
located in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Established during the Vietnam War, ASEAN was originally intended as a bulwark against
the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.

Its principal objectives, outlined in the Bangkok Declaration (1967), were to accelerate
economic growth and promote regional peace and stability.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, ASEAN played an important role in mediating the
civil war in Cambodia. In January 1992 ASEAN members agreed to establish a free-trade
area and to cut tariffs on nonagricultural goods over a 15-year period beginning in 1993.
However, different regulations and tariffs among member countries have made that task
difficult. Even so, ASEAN hoped to achieve economic integration by 2015.