Nationalism in India

and Southwest Asia

By: Lindsay Lee &

Michelle Lim

Nationalism after WWI

• Nationalist activity began in India, Turkey, and some of the Southwest Asian countries

Indian Nationalism Grows

• Indians applies European views of nationalism and democracy

• India Indian National Congress 1885 Muslim League 1906-Even though Hindus and Muslim were

divided, they had the same goal: Independence

Nationalist Activity

• India wanted self-government• Joined the British army

– thought they would gain more rights in governmentBut NO, still treated poorly

– Angered Indians acted violently– British Governments formed

• “Rowlatt Act” : protesters in prison without trial.• Educated Indians denied this law, rebelled

Amritsar Massacre• Hindus and Muslim gathe

r in Amritsar– angered British – British government forbid p

ublic meetings. – British commander told the

army to kill them-> 400 died. 1200 wounded

– Angered India• Loyal Indians revolutionari

es and nationalists

Mohandas K. Gandhi

• Gandhi: Leader of Independence movement

• Politically acted with his religious ideas

• Called Mahatma = “GREAT SOUL”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC-thcJDozQ

Civil Disobedience• Stated principle of satyagraha

= “truth-force,” “civil disobedience” – Disobeying unfair laws– Gandhi required “No Violence”– Purpose: weaken British govern

ment and economy• Don’t do things that will help Britis

h. • Boycott of British cloth

– Dropped British cloth sales

Salt March• Indians could only buy

salt from British government

• walked 240 miles to the seacoast

– > “Salt March”

• Made their own salt• Tried to shut down British

salt works, but failed and were attacked by the Police

• Gandhi and 60,000 people were arrested

India Self-Rule

• Indians gain political power– Government of India Act: providing self-

government• Helped move closer to full independence

– Muslims & Hindus fought for more power• Hindus # > Muslims #

Nationalism Spreads to S.W. Asia

• At the same time, Southwest Asian countries wanted independence

• Each country had separate path• Nationalism grew

– Ottoman Empire fell– Western countries had interest in SW

Asia

Turkey

• Turkey: only part of Ottoman Empire left• Mustafa Kemal (president of Republic of T

urkey)– Modernized the nation:

• Separated laws of Islam & laws of the nation• Gave women more rights/freedom-vote, public offi

ce

Turkey IN and OUT of Ottoman Empire

Persia (Iran)• Before WWI: Great Britain & Russia =sphere of influence

– British wanted all of Persia= irritated Persian nationalists– Persians wanted freedom

• Pahlavi (new leader) modernized Persia– But kept all power– Changed Persia->Iran

Persia

Iran

Before 1935

1935~

Saudi Arabia

• Held firmly to Islamic law (unlike Turkey)• Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud wanted to unify Arabia

– Formed new kingdom: Saudi Arabia• Continued Arab & Islamic traditions

Oil and Economic Development

• Nationalism grows in Southwast Asia• Industrialized countries needed petroleum

products oil interest in Southwest Asia • Huge oil countries: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia,

and Kuwait• Persian Gulf: 2/3 of world’s oil • Westerners try to get those oil regions