Notes Burma Burma was almost completely occupied by the
Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War. Many Burmese fought alongside Japan in the initial stages of the war, though the Burmese Army and most Burmese switched sides in 1945. A transitional government sponsored by the British government was formed in the years following the Second World War, ultimately leading to Burma's independence in January 1948.
Cambodia Following the capitulation of France and the formation of the
Vichy regime, France's Indochinese possessions were given to Japan. While there was some argument that Indochina should not be returned to France, particularly from the United States, Cambodia nevertheless remained under French rule after the end of hostilities. France had placed
Norodom Sihanouk on the throne in 1941 and was hoping for a puppet monarch. They were mistaken. However, the King led the way to Cambodian independence in 1953, taking advantage of the background of the
First Indochina War being fought in
Vietnam.
Ceylon Ceylon was an important base of operations for the
Western Allies during the Second World War. The British gave in to popular pressure for independence and in February 1948, the country won its independence as the
Dominion of Ceylon.
China For some clarification and more detail including the sovereignty status of the
Republic of China, see the following articles:
History of China,
Cross-Strait relations,
One-China policy and
Political status of Taiwan. Hong Kong was returned to the United Kingdom following its
occupation by the Japanese during the Second World War. It was controlled directly by a British governor until the expiry of the ninety-nine-year lease of the
New Territories, which occurred in 1997. From that date, the territory was returned to
People's Republic of China and controlled as a
Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
Philippines Philippine revolutionaries unilaterraly
declared independence from Spain in 1898, during the
Spanish–American War, but sovereignty remained with Spain. Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898
Treaty of Paris that concluded that war. In 1899, Philippine revolutionaries established the
First Philippine Republic. Shortly thereafter, the
Philippine–American War began, ending in 1901 with a U.S. victory, though isolated fighting continued for several years thereafter. In 1902, the Philippines became a
U.S. territory with the ratification of the Treaty of Paris on April 11, 1899, later becoming a
U.S. Commonwealth in 1936. It was
occupied by the Japanese during the Second World War. In 1943, with Japan granting it a short-lived nominal independence. In 1944, the
Allied invasion of the Philippines by combined U.S. and Filipino troops began, which resulted in Americans and Filipinos regaining full control of the nation. In 1946, the United States recognised Philippine independence in the 1946
Treaty of Manila. == Timeline ==