[{"_1":2,"_284":-5,"_285":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_16":17,"_282":283},"root",{"_5":6,"_14":15},"fb",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":12,"_13":8},"apiKey","AIzaSyAdxqOaB63feHHqSm_nZCKsSHpSAcxkct8","authDomain","thediplomat.firebaseapp.com","projectId","firebase-thediplomat","appId","ga",true,"routes/$issue",{"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"slug","2015-08","path","/2015-08","issue",{"_24":25,"_26":27,"_28":29,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43},"eid","-JuyMI8-n2R-2jgd6tS2","title","World War II and the Shaping of Modern Asia","description","This month we mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war in the Pacific with a look at how modern Asia was shaped by the end of the conflict. We also consider the non-Chinese claimants to the troubled South China Sea, assess Japan’s active Asia diplomacy under Shinzo Abe, and look at the surprisingly large African community in Guangzhou. All accompanied by reporting, analysis, and opinion from across the region.","masthead","","number",9,"date","August 2015","month",8,"year",2015,"status","rdy","toc",[44,60,77,85,111,135,160,185,210,228,248,265],{"_24":45,"_46":47,"_26":48,"_49":50},"CVRS","priority",0,"Cover Story","pages",[51],{"_24":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":59},"-JzEoH_sCbJI48dqle7p","lead","

How the war’s end brought the end of colonialism, the arrival of communism, and the rise of political dynasties.

","model","story","preview",1,"Lingering Ghosts: World War II and the Shaping of Modern Asia",{"_24":61,"_46":58,"_26":62,"_49":63},"LDS","Leads",[64,68,72],{"_24":65,"_53":66,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":67},"-JzEseKV-WXzIr9lyknk","

Trouble is brewing in the South China Sea and capitals across the region are trying to secure their interests without kicking off a conflict.

","The Other Claimants: Vietnam and Philippines in the South China Sea",{"_24":69,"_53":70,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":71},"-JzEseKZXn273RlKmaXj","

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s regional diplomacy has been dominated by Japan’s past and China’s future.

","Japan and Asia: Dances with the Dragon",{"_24":73,"_53":74,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":76},"-JzEseKfSLF09fhKWwGK","

China’s involvement in Africa is widely discussed. Less talked about are the lives of Africans living in China.

",2,"A Little Africa in China",{"_24":78,"_46":75,"_26":79,"_49":80},"-K2K-r93tj3lhUnW_0eT","Interview",[81],{"_24":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":84},"-K2K1-zOwgwplSpqWgZQ","

“It’s not only Indonesia that hasn’t dealt with this history; the international community also has yet to deal with their connivance in Indonesia’s 1965 massacre.”

","Prodita Sabarini",{"_24":86,"_46":87,"_26":88,"_49":89},"CHN",3,"China",[90,94,98,102,106],{"_24":91,"_53":92,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":93},"-JzEseKxgHQLEm9jf_AA","

Yes, China-Russia relations have blossomed thanks to the Ukraine crisis. But the roots of the relationship run much deeper.

","The China-Russia Honeymoon: Beyond Ukraine",{"_24":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":97},"-JzEseL3Y9vIP7sNIzsy","

The same group of entitled nouveau riche that gives China a bad name abroad is reviled at home as well.

","The Rise of the Tuhao",{"_24":99,"_53":100,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":101},"-JzEseL4ANSFqizBhT-J","

A new “Internet Plus” plan may expand opportunities for China’s rural residents.

","‘Internet Plus’ and the Salvation of China’s Rural Economy",{"_24":103,"_53":104,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":87,"_40":41,"_26":105},"-JzEseL8qoBWfHS90dbz","

A new law allows civil society groups to sue polluters, but the government remains wary of losing control.

","Mixed Verdict on Chinese Environmental Public Interest Lawsuits",{"_24":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":109,"_40":41,"_26":110},"-JzEseLBlixWRGQFalPQ","

How China, as one of the seven main negotiating parties, approached the negotiations.

",4,"What Did China Bring to the Iran Talks?",{"_24":112,"_46":109,"_26":113,"_49":114},"NEA","Northeast Asia",[115,119,123,127,131],{"_24":116,"_53":117,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":118},"-JzEseMsLreYX-9saL8A","

Abe’s purposeful diplomacy with Putin carefully balances Japan’s many interests.

","The Great Russo-Japanese Detente",{"_24":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":122},"-JzEseMyXtmIu-sKPVOK","

Why two Korean business elites may get a pardon on Liberation Day.

","Presidential Pardons and Economic Nostalgia in South Korea",{"_24":124,"_53":125,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":126},"-JzEseN1fFz6e27IK8Os","

As the nation grapples with a shrinking workforce, are robots the solution?

","Japan’s Robot Revolution",{"_24":128,"_53":129,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":87,"_40":41,"_26":130},"-JzEseN4EjqKAaqJlskQ","

Pyongyang’s defense ties in Africa have been overlooked by the West.

","North Korea’s African Strategy",{"_24":132,"_53":133,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":109,"_40":41,"_26":134},"-JzEseNCeIGVs32tD-Vu","

The response to a U.S. hedge fund’s stance on a merger reveals a deeper problem with how Korea’s media approaches race.

","South Korean Media’s Anti-Semitism Problem",{"_24":136,"_46":137,"_26":138,"_49":139},"SOA",5,"South Asia",[140,144,148,152,156],{"_24":141,"_53":142,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":143},"-JzEseO-vut-yGB26Aji","

India is one of the few remaining liberal democracies that criminalizes homosexual activity, but the seeds of change are already in place.

","There Is Hope for Gay Rights in India",{"_24":145,"_53":146,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":147},"-JzEseO3COZNN4jNAmly","

The start of talks is a positive step, but much could still go wrong.

","Afghanistan’s Peace Process: A Long Road Ahead",{"_24":149,"_53":150,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":151},"-JzEseO714eoKcTjUWEu","

Karachi’s blackouts underscore the severity of the country’s energy problems.

","Pakistan’s Energy Crisis",{"_24":153,"_53":154,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":87,"_40":41,"_26":155},"-JzEseO90VUJMWQUJ087","

The government proposes new legislation that would enable it to target dissidents at will.

","Maldives ‘Islamic’ Anti-Terror Bill Targets Dissidents",{"_24":157,"_53":158,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":109,"_40":41,"_26":159},"-JzEseODAtsPYtLf0HZc","

Dhaka University continues to endure as the heart of progressive liberalism in Bangladesh.

","Liberal Voices Assertive as Ever in Bangladesh",{"_24":161,"_46":162,"_26":163,"_49":164},"SEA",6,"Southeast Asia",[165,169,173,177,181],{"_24":166,"_53":167,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":168},"-JzEseOHm3hOt3gp1Ttu","

A date for Myanmar’s historic elections has finally been set, but question marks remain.

","Doomed Before Election Day?",{"_24":170,"_53":171,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":172},"-JzEseOLJHBqitEIURUH","

The pro-China faction is ailing and the pro-U.S. faction seems poised to seize the opportunity.

","Inside Vietnam’s Communist Party",{"_24":174,"_53":175,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":176},"-JzEseOSafhwv0rhg0uX","

Southeast Asian naval capabilities are surging. But how meaningful is that?

","Naval Buildups in the South China Sea",{"_24":178,"_53":179,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":87,"_40":41,"_26":180},"-JzEseOTFGnRqJPFzqI5","

A look at some of the faces in the region’s new generation of change seekers.

","Southeast Asia’s Unlikely Young Dissidents",{"_24":182,"_53":183,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":109,"_40":41,"_26":184},"-JzEseOWZtrGFxz0FexV","

A new proposal exposes the inconsistency in Jakarta’s worldview.

","Indonesia’s Asian Fulcrum Idea",{"_24":186,"_46":187,"_26":188,"_49":189},"CEA",7,"Central Asia",[190,194,198,202,206],{"_24":191,"_53":192,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":193},"-JzEseOZ9bk2_OmtCKng","

Not much, according to a new Lowy Institute poll.

","What Do Australians Know About Asia?",{"_24":195,"_53":196,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":197},"-JzEseOa5FbsCmpXNIh-","

Bishkek was once Washington’s favored capital in Central Asia. What went wrong?

","The Kyrgyz Pendulum",{"_24":199,"_53":200,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":201},"-JzEseOcQQzKviK-wBG3","

Dushanbe is dismantling the Islamic Renaissance Party, hewing to the letter, but not the spirit, of the law.

","Tajikistan Uses Laws to Crush Islamist Opposition",{"_24":203,"_53":204,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":87,"_40":41,"_26":205},"-JzEseOhO2549u95Yvz_","

The U.S. is latest to join in seizing millions in assets related to a global Uzbek bribery scandal.

","New Bribery Cases Tarnish Uzbekistan’s Reputation",{"_24":207,"_53":208,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":109,"_40":41,"_26":209},"-JzEseOmyWyzO1GveYlf","

Shared styles of government and pipeline interests bridge the Caspian, bringing Azerbaijan and Central Asia together.

","What Azerbaijan and Central Asia Have in Common",{"_24":211,"_46":37,"_26":212,"_49":213},"OCE","Oceania",[214,216,220,224],{"_24":215,"_53":192,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":193},"-JzEseOnv201jQyfT8H2",{"_24":217,"_53":218,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":219},"-JzEseOp6h2PIfy4xshn","

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is making liberal use of Australian flags.

","Flags Symbolize Canberra’s Terror Focus",{"_24":221,"_53":222,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":223},"-JzEseOqS9ApFb3md0yq","

China’s new draft law for foreign NGOs could undermine engagement in the South Pacific.

","The Pacific Implications of China’s Proposed NGO Law",{"_24":225,"_53":226,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":87,"_40":41,"_26":227},"-JzEseOs8YZECvm5UsIm","

A fragile political situation could be derailed over a new law.

","Politics of Polarization in New Caledonia",{"_24":229,"_46":33,"_26":230,"_49":231},"SCR","Security",[232,236,240,244],{"_24":233,"_53":234,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":235},"-JzEseOuxL1S-En6yP__","

Could “archipelagic defense” compensate for the risks associated with forward deploying expensive military assets?

","The Dilemma of Forward Deployment",{"_24":237,"_53":238,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":239},"-JzEseOwIj1i9r_HKAYS","

Halfway through the fighting season, Afghan security forces are struggling to hold their ground.

","Is the Afghan Army Losing the War in Afghanistan?",{"_24":241,"_53":242,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":243},"-JzEseOzICqY0QtzIVid","

The People’s Liberation Army Navy has accepted India’s invitation to its 2016 International Fleet Review.

","A First: Chinese Navy Will Head to India’s International Fleet Review",{"_24":245,"_53":246,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":87,"_40":41,"_26":247},"-JzEseP0m6reuYLwExuE","

Super humans and killer robots. This is how the U.S. Army envisions warfare 35 years from now.

","2050, the Year Terminator Meets Universal Soldier",{"_24":249,"_46":250,"_26":251,"_49":252},"DPL",10,"Diplomacy",[253,257,261],{"_24":254,"_53":255,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":256},"-JzEseP4I9tsCQQw-KLv","

The nuclear accord with Iran is a deal with potentially profound consequences.

","A Deal of Great Consequence",{"_24":258,"_53":259,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":260},"-JzEseP6-srfgHjgUxuB","

The Indian prime minister makes his opening move in a mini “Great Game.”

","Narendra Modi and the Sino-Indian Race for Iranian Gas",{"_24":262,"_53":263,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":264},"-JzEseP8OnEdxJLMVqBv","

The Asia-Pacific may be racing ahead economically, but it still lags the West in soft power, according to new research.

","Asia’s Soft Power Deficit",{"_24":266,"_46":267,"_26":268,"_49":269},"ASL",11,"Asia Life",[270,274,278],{"_24":271,"_53":272,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":47,"_40":41,"_26":273},"-JzEsePDtS840uRTmWAB","

After the devastation of Cyclone Nargis, he was ousted from his government job – but　Facebook has given this weatherman a second life forecasting.

","Meet U Tun Lwin: Myanmar’s Favorite Weatherman",{"_24":275,"_53":276,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":58,"_40":41,"_26":277},"-JzEsePFN45RFTr1WZ10","

Poland is becoming increasingly popular with India’s film and advertising industries.

","Kracowood: Bollywood’s New-Found Love Affair With Poland",{"_24":279,"_53":280,"_55":56,"_57":47,"_46":75,"_40":41,"_26":281},"-JzEsePHKlNHTw5jXkve","

Poet Marianne Moore had a fascination with China that found expression in her work.

","An American Poet’s Love of China","routes/$issue.masthead",{"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":23},"actionData","errors"]

Masthead