American Politics in South East Asia

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Dear Student,
This is a text-guide to discuss each particular issues through the slides. If you think that each text is a little too long for each slide (I grouped them according to topic of discussion), feel free to cut them in half and present them as another slide. I have suggested images to use to present the issues better with each slide. If you have questions, just send me a message. Attached is a folder of images you can use as well as the word version of this solution.

OTA 105878

Slide 1
Title: American Cold War Policies

Text:

The Cold War was a period of Conflict & Tension due to the clash of ideologies between the remaining Superpowers - USSR & the USA when the dust finally settled on WW2. While the main disagreement started on the issue of rebuilding Europe & the World way before the Yalta Conference, the geopolitical tension, suspicion, between said countries led to Wars by proxy & influence beyond Europe. The US wanted to rebuild Germany, Japan & the affected nations by allowing for capitalist democracy & free markets while supporting the economy in the beginning with an infusion of technology, business & creation of markets, among others. USSR saw this is a veiled effort by the US to 'Americanize' the world and pushed for a Socialist make-over in their 'areas of responsibility' after the division of rebuilding responsibilities. The ultimate expression of this conflict between American Democracy & Russian Communism was the erection of the Berlin Wall that became the frontline in the war. As such, Germany today is rife with American, British, & NATO military bases. Russia still maintains presence but the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 90's pretty much shut down Soviet military activities within Germany.

At the height of the Cold War though - half a century of intense political & military confrontation between Russia & the US various 'Fronts' for it emerged. Technology-wise there was the Race for Space that eventually led the first Human Landing on the Moon. It was the 'Containment Policy' of then US President Harry S. Truman through an appeal from UK PM Winston Churchill re: the Communist insurgency in Greece in 1947, who were of course backed by the Kremlin. Truman's aid to help Greece weed out communist insurgency later on became the policy model for the 'War-against-Communism-by-proxy' front. This is the very reason that brought the Americans to the aid of South Korea, a democratic nation against rival North Korea, a communist nation led by a secretive & suspicious military tyrant & backed of course by the USSR. The Success of the American Military intervention led by Gen. Douglas McArthur who managed to secure South Korea from North Korean invasion elicited a warning from Communist Giant China. President Truman & NATO as well as the UN however were elated at the results despite the troop loses. While Russia closed down talks with the rest of the world except other communist nations, the UN, NATO & the US became all the more worried at what Russia would do to 'turn' the world towards communism. The US therefore took to the creation of an American Democratic presence in Asia, particularly in the South East Region as it is a good launching pad for the Cold War efforts geographically.

Images: Cold War, Truman, WW2, Yalta Conference

Slide 2

Title: The Philippines - an American 'Colony'

Text:

The Treaty of Paris in 1898 after the Spanish American War allowed the US to Annex the Philippine archipelago, a former Spanish colony situated ...