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The Dutch Colonize the East Indies
The Netherlands' United East Indies Company (VOC) was formed in 1602 and indirectly colonized Indonesia. The Dutch were known for frequently trading and the East Indies was a perfect place to meet their needs. The East Indies had many exotic resources and had a good location for trade. The Dutch's indirect control was fueled by their need to dominate trade. The Dutch later began to take direct control of the islands. Along with the colonization, there were social classes and hardships too. -
British Malay
The British at the time were looking for countries they can inhabit and collect new resources from them. They were also looking for bases or stations due to increased trade with China. Malaysia was the perfect country for their needs. The founding of Malaysia and Singapore helped the British empire earn huge profits. Cash crops were also being developed or grown to promote trade. The British also influenced the country by changing and developing a new infrastructure for the country. -
Singapore
The British empire wanted a location to position their merchant fleets. The British also wanted to stop the Dutch advance and they believed that a region around the Strait of Malacca was perfect. Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles and the British East India Company arrived there and wanted to establish a trading post here. Only a few people inhabited the island, so the British decided to purchase the land from them. Singapore became an important trading station and naval base for the British. -
British in Burma
When the British Empire conquered India, They wanted to further their expansion. Called "Further India" the British decided to expand into Burma (today Myanmar). This Expansion leads to three Anglo-Burmese Wars due to never-ending disputes between the nations. When the British did control Burma, they governed the country similar to India. India also participated in ruling Burma. Burmese disliked Indian rule. Not only that, they faced hardships brought upon by the British such as poverty. -
Siam (Thailand) avoids Colonization
King Mongkut was brought to power in 1851. The British and French empires were both conquering Southeast Asian nations. Siam was a country in the middle of this incident. However, Siam was a country with a stable government with able rulers. King Mongkut helped negotiate and played each empire's interest against one another. This diplomacy is what helped Siam keep its independence. The British and the French both finally agreed that Siam should be a buffer state. Siam is now known as Thailand. -
Vietnam under French Rule
French colonization of Vietnam officially started in 1874. France's goal in colonizing Vietnam was to establish business and trading there. Due to Vietnam's extensive amount of resources, The French would make a huge amount of profits in colonizing the country. However, many Vietnamese and Chinese opposed the French, thus conflict arose. The Vietnamese could either work for the French or participate in hard labor at the time. The French did modernize and spread French culture. -
Papa New Guinea
The island of New Guinea was divided amongst the European nations who were competing for areas to imperialize. The Dutch conquered the west, Germany the northeast, and Britain the southeast. They encountered many indigenous people and new resources to profit off. Papa New Guinea wasn't a very modernized country so the Europeans helped it develop into a "proper" nation. The country also faced problems such as forcing people to work and restricting their independence. -
French Indochina
When the French first discovered Vietnam, they were interested in the resources and potential the country had. The French began colonizing the area slowly. Taking Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos resulted from their endeavors. These countries experienced French influence and began to develop better governments and economies. However, the inhabitants strived for independence. The huge amount of profits from exporting resources only benefitted the French, while the natives felt hardships. -
Spanish-American War
The first battle of the Spanish-American War was held in the Philippine islands. In Manila, the Philippine capital, was when the Spanish and the Americans first started to fight. The troops, led by Commodore George Dewey, advanced with ease. The Filipinos were also supporting the U.S. during the war. They wanted independence from Spain and thought this conflict will achieve their goal. The U.S. along with the help of the Filipino rebels caused the Spanish to surrender. -
Philippine-American War
Two days after the Treaty of Paris, there was fighting between the Filipinos and the Americans, Emilio Aguinaldo and the Filipino nationalists disliked the idea of exchanging imperialist rulers. They wanted to be independent. The war consisted of opposing opinions about the annexing of the Philippines and multiple battles on the islands. Even during the war, reforms and such were established for the Philippines. After The U.S. won, they decided to give the nation eventual independence (7/4/1946)