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World War II #39
The Aftermath: Asia
Book 39 of the Time-Life World War II series.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 11, 2026
This is one of the books ( the last one I think) of the excellent Time-Life series about World War II. It's actually about the aftermath of the war, in Asia. WWII might have ended but new wars began across Asia in the years just after Japan's surrender to the Allies...
The Second World War in Asia shook up the European colonial empires that had dominated much of the Asian continent. The Japanese had marched into Asia, proclaiming "Asia for the Asians." By defeating European forces, such as the British in Singapore, they shattered the European image of invincibility. But the Japanese turned out to be even harsher overlords than the Europeans.
The most important British colony was India, where Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of the Indian independence movement. In 1947, India gained its independence, but so did Pakistan. The British carried out the partition of India, as the Muslims under Ali Jinnah demanded their own Muslim-majority country. The result was horrific violence, as Hindus and Muslims fought each other across the subcontinent. Estimates range that from 200,000 to one million people perished, with one of the victims being Gandhi. He had tried to keep peace between Hindus and Muslims but was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist.
Burma was a British colony that achieved independence in 1948. It was a relatively peaceful transition. The British colony of Malaya did not become independent until 1957. From 1948- 1960, the British forces fought the Malayan Communist Party in a conflict called "the Malayan Emergency." It's considered to be the most successful counter-insurgency ever carried out.
In the case of Indonesia, the Dutch did not want to lose their rich colony of the Dutch East Indies. At the end of WWII, Sukarno proclaimed independence for Indonesia. Dutch troops entered the country and the result was violent revolution, as the Indonesians fought for their independence. In 1949, Indonesia achieved independence, after the US government threatened to cut Marshall Aid money for the Netherlands, if they didn't stop fighting.
Like the Dutch, the French did not want to give up their rich Asian colony, which was French Indochina. However, an underground movement against the Japanese occupation was organized by Ho Chi Minh ( who was both a Communist and a nationalist). Following Japan's surrender, Ho read his proclamation declaring the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with himself as president. Needless to say, France did not accept the independence of Vietnam. By the end of 1946, the French-Indochina War began. This war would last seven years and cost 600,000 lives. Tragically, it would lead to yet another costly war, the American war in Vietnam.
The Philippines gained independence on July 4, 1946, as the US honored its promise to give independence to the Philippine Islands, which it had acquired from Spain in 1898. However, the US had to help the Filipino government fight the Hukbalahaps, or Huks, who were Communist guerrillas that wanted to take over the Philippines. it took two years to defeat the Huk rebellion.
For China, the end of World War II meant the end of Japanese occupation of much of their country. It also meant the resumption of civil war, with the Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek fighting the Communists under Mao Zedong. Despite receiving a massive amount of aid from America, Chiang's Nationalists were defeated and driven from the mainland of China to the island of Taiwan. Mao proclaimed "the People's Republic of China" in 1949.
Korea had been a colony of Japan and became yet another Asian country that would experience war following WWII. Soviet-backed Communist forces of North Korea attacked US-backed South Korea in 1950. This was a war that the United States became involved in ( including my father, serving in the US Navy), under United Nations auspices.
Japan would be the Asian country that would not experience any war or rebellion following WWII. The American occupation of Japan could be termed a "benign invasion" and it lasted from 1945 to 1952. Japan would be able to rebuild its economy with American aid. Their comeback would actually be accelerated with the onset of the Korean War, during which Japan became an essential supply and staging base for US military forces. By 1954, Japanese GNP matched prewar figures--and continued to rise, as the Japanese people continued to enjoy peace ( which has continued until now, 2026, as I write this).
Winds of change had come to Asia, winds that swept away empires. New nations were created that would take their place on the world stage...
The Second World War in Asia shook up the European colonial empires that had dominated much of the Asian continent. The Japanese had marched into Asia, proclaiming "Asia for the Asians." By defeating European forces, such as the British in Singapore, they shattered the European image of invincibility. But the Japanese turned out to be even harsher overlords than the Europeans.
The most important British colony was India, where Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of the Indian independence movement. In 1947, India gained its independence, but so did Pakistan. The British carried out the partition of India, as the Muslims under Ali Jinnah demanded their own Muslim-majority country. The result was horrific violence, as Hindus and Muslims fought each other across the subcontinent. Estimates range that from 200,000 to one million people perished, with one of the victims being Gandhi. He had tried to keep peace between Hindus and Muslims but was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist.
Burma was a British colony that achieved independence in 1948. It was a relatively peaceful transition. The British colony of Malaya did not become independent until 1957. From 1948- 1960, the British forces fought the Malayan Communist Party in a conflict called "the Malayan Emergency." It's considered to be the most successful counter-insurgency ever carried out.
In the case of Indonesia, the Dutch did not want to lose their rich colony of the Dutch East Indies. At the end of WWII, Sukarno proclaimed independence for Indonesia. Dutch troops entered the country and the result was violent revolution, as the Indonesians fought for their independence. In 1949, Indonesia achieved independence, after the US government threatened to cut Marshall Aid money for the Netherlands, if they didn't stop fighting.
Like the Dutch, the French did not want to give up their rich Asian colony, which was French Indochina. However, an underground movement against the Japanese occupation was organized by Ho Chi Minh ( who was both a Communist and a nationalist). Following Japan's surrender, Ho read his proclamation declaring the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, with himself as president. Needless to say, France did not accept the independence of Vietnam. By the end of 1946, the French-Indochina War began. This war would last seven years and cost 600,000 lives. Tragically, it would lead to yet another costly war, the American war in Vietnam.
The Philippines gained independence on July 4, 1946, as the US honored its promise to give independence to the Philippine Islands, which it had acquired from Spain in 1898. However, the US had to help the Filipino government fight the Hukbalahaps, or Huks, who were Communist guerrillas that wanted to take over the Philippines. it took two years to defeat the Huk rebellion.
For China, the end of World War II meant the end of Japanese occupation of much of their country. It also meant the resumption of civil war, with the Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek fighting the Communists under Mao Zedong. Despite receiving a massive amount of aid from America, Chiang's Nationalists were defeated and driven from the mainland of China to the island of Taiwan. Mao proclaimed "the People's Republic of China" in 1949.
Korea had been a colony of Japan and became yet another Asian country that would experience war following WWII. Soviet-backed Communist forces of North Korea attacked US-backed South Korea in 1950. This was a war that the United States became involved in ( including my father, serving in the US Navy), under United Nations auspices.
Japan would be the Asian country that would not experience any war or rebellion following WWII. The American occupation of Japan could be termed a "benign invasion" and it lasted from 1945 to 1952. Japan would be able to rebuild its economy with American aid. Their comeback would actually be accelerated with the onset of the Korean War, during which Japan became an essential supply and staging base for US military forces. By 1954, Japanese GNP matched prewar figures--and continued to rise, as the Japanese people continued to enjoy peace ( which has continued until now, 2026, as I write this).
Winds of change had come to Asia, winds that swept away empires. New nations were created that would take their place on the world stage...
December 11, 2021
Excellent conclusion to this 39-volume series on World War II. Each chapter focuses on various regions throughout Asia. Background on the geopolitical climate for each region is given from the pre-World War II era. Challenges immediately after the end of the war are very apparent and emphasized. Much of the history for each region focuses on the time from 1945 to the early 1950s. The book helps set the stage for much of the major confrontations and political challenges of the second half of the 20th century.
March 4, 2015
Bought this Life Time series in the early 1980's on WWII, a volume came to the house every 2 or 3 months so I could take my reading. It was very informative and enjoyable read, I still use it for reference.
September 9, 2021
A thorough run-down of post-WWII Asia - especially which colonial powers were shrugged off (India, China, Indonesia) and which lingered for a few more decades (Philippines, Vietnam). And I'm done! That was the last volume in the Time-Life WWII series.
April 20, 2012
This book is a quick and easy read from the people at Time Life. There are plenty of pictures and short essays about numerous subjects relating to WWII. This volume is an exceptional time capsule of the events immediately following WWII in the continent of Asia. Any historian wanting to learn about WWII quickly should get this book and the other 38 volumes along with it.
May 5, 2015
Some outstanding photos. I was particularly impressed by the one of Emperor Hirohito visiting farmers in the post-war years; some people are staring, while others look down.
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September 14, 2015Was good.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews