Asian Imperialism

How Western Nations Forced Change

Why did European Nations Imperialize Asia and Africa?

• Industrialization• Militarism• Nationalism• Capitalism– Marxist Theory – Capitalists need to expand at all

times.• Racism• Social Darwinism / White Burden• Missionaries• Out of Room in Europe – there is no place for

expansion here

Britain’s Spheres of Influence

• Sphere of Influence:–Area in which an outside power

claims exclusive trading and governing privileges

• Britain attempted to create a “sphere of influence” in many places as possible–More land = More Power = More

Wealth

India – The Crown Jewel of the British Empire

• 1700’s – Mughal Empire• 1600’s – 1700’s – British East India Company • By the early 1800’s in fighting gave the British

a chance to step in• 1857 – Sepoy Rebellion – Cartridges of

weapons dipped in beef and pork fat – Sepoy Soldiers

• 1858 – 1945 – The Raj – Oppressive time

The Sepoy Rebellion

The Raj

• Queen Victoria known as Empress of India• Takes government power away from private

companies and directly regulate them.• Oppressive – had to buy British goods and sell

to British merchants.• Faced famine in 1876 and 1900 – estimates

put the death at 10 million or more.

Indian Nationalism

• 1880’s – Indian National Congress – Hindu’s

• 1906 – Muslim League• 1914 – WWI• 1919 – Amritsar

Massacre• Gandhi and Satygraha

Gandhi – Nationalist Hero• 1890’s – South Africa• Satygraha• Swadeshi – Boycott

Policy• Homespun• 1930 – Salt March• After WWII – 1946

given independence• Partition of India• Assasination – Jan. 1948

China – The Great Carving

Spheres of Influence

• 1644-1912 – Qing Dynasty – started off isolated • By 1800’s Britain decided to get involve• 1832-1842 – Opium War• Treaty of Nanking – Extraterritoriality • Open Door Policy – US• 1900 – Righteous Harmonious Fist – The Boxer

Rebellion• 1911 – Sun Yixian

Japan

• Commodore Matthew Perry – Invasion of Tokyo Harbor

• Forces the change to Emperor Meiji and centralization of power.

• Japan modernizes, industrializes, westernizes and imperializes themselves.

• Sino-Japanese war - 1894• Russo-Japanese War – 1904• Washington Naval Conference - 1921

Commodore Matthew Perry - 1852

Emperor Meiji – First Emperor to be more powerful than Shogun

Japanese Zaibatsu’s – Companies supported by the government.

Sino-Japanese War – Korea and Manchuria ceded to Japan.

Washington DC Naval Conference – 9 Powers Treaty

The Middle East• 1900-1916 – Most of the Middle East in

Ottoman Emp.• 1916-1918 – Arab Revolt – pushed by Brits

and French• 1919 – Sykes-Picot Treaty – Divided between

Britain and France• 1920-1923 – British and French randomly

draw lines between countries – including Iraq. – T.E. Lawrence

T. E. Lawrence

Ali of Hajez – Leader of the Arab Revolt

Conflicting Promises

• The British had promised the holy land to three different groups – TH Lawrence – Independent Arab State– Hussein-McMahon Correspondence – Land to

Hashemite– Balfour Declaration – British promised homeland

to Israel.• Zionism an influence

The Modern Arab World