Throughout the human history, wars have always been a defining attribute as to the existence of national and empires. The wars were a means of resolving disputes, extending territories or even acquiring resources. Consequently, the politics of the warring nations were greatly influenced by the wars they engaged. Examples include the Roman Empire and even Genghis Khan Empire, the political institutions ended up being influenced by the wars such nations involved themselves. The rise of successful war generals to power such as Julius Caesar further clarifies the point. In the present day, wars on the scale of the previous eras have reduced but the reverberations of the wars in some countries can still be observed in their political institutions today. The focus and analysis of this essay lies in two countries, India and Korea and the impact of wars on their political institutions.
In India, the struggle for independence from Britain is the first among the wars that define it present day political institutions. The fact that although Britain had been among the winners of World War II the cost had left her unable and unwilling to expend resources to maintain dominion over an unwilling people aided the Indian struggle for independence significantly. Rebellions such as “Quit India” movements demonstrated the Indians desire for freedom. The negotiations for independence occurred at a hurried pace because both the British government wanted to exit and that the Indians themselves sought their freedom.
However, the independence came with its ramifications. The most important war that defines both India and Pakistani presently was the confused and chaotic fighting between the Muslims and the Hindus. The fighting occurred at the height of independence mainly because the Muslim minority sought independence while Indian leaders intended to have a united India. Here the Muslim-majority north and Hindu majority south ended up killing and expelling their minority counterparts. Horrific massacres such as the Great Calcutta Killings only solidified the view that people were only safe among their fellow Muslims or Hindus. The result is the present day separated India and Pakistani.
The countries and their political institutions in the Korean Peninsula presently are also a result of various wars. However, the war that is paramount in that it formed them was the Second World War. The war in the region was by Allies against Japan. United States in an attempt to ease their war effort asked Stalin (the Soviets) to join the war offered them influence in the Korean peninsula along with Manchuria region of China. When the Soviets declared war against Japan, the Allies became concerned with the potential ramification of increased Soviet influence in South-east Asia. With the view that if unchecked Korea would only be the first country to fall to its power followed by China and Japan. As such, United States rebuffed Soviet attempts to take Japanese Islands with proposing the Korean Peninsula division into two spheres of influence along the 38th Parallel. The Northern part was to fall under the Soviet control while the southern part would be under American control. With that simple decision out of a wartime convenience, the two Koreas and their political institutions emerged.
In conclusion, war does make nations. From defining their borders to their political institutions, war plays a significant role in making the countries of India, Pakistani, North and South Korea. Pakistani presently is an Islamic republic, a testament to its Muslim majority founders. North Korea is still a communist nation; this is as the direct result of having fallen under the Soviet sphere of influence earlier on in 1945.
Works Cited
Barry, Mark P. "The U.S. and the 1945 Division of Korea: Mismanaging the 'Big Decisions'." International Journal on World Peace (2013): 37-56. Print.
Metcalf, Barbara D and Thomas R Metcalf. A Concise History of Mordern India. London: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Print.
