Editing 1950s (section)

====Asia====
* The U.S. ended its occupation of Japan, which became fully independent. Japan held democratic elections and recovered economically.
* Within a year of its establishment, the People's Republic of China had reclaimed Tibet and intervened in the Korean War, causing years of hostility and estrangement from the United States. Mao admired Stalin and rejected the changes in Moscow after Stalin's death in 1953, leading to growing tension with the Soviet Union.
* In 1950–1953, France tried to contain a growing communist insurgency led by [[Ho Chi Minh]]. After their defeat in the [[Battle of Dien Bien Phu]] in 1954 France granted independence to the nations of [[Cambodia]], [[Laos]], and [[Vietnam]]. At the [[Geneva Conference of 1954]] France and the Communists agreed to divide Vietnam and hold elections in 1956. The U.S. and South Vietnam rejected the Geneva accords and the division became permanent.
* The [[Chinese Civil War]], which had started officially in 1927 and continued until the [[Second World War]] had ended on May 7, 1950. It resulted in the previous incumbent government in China, the [[Republic of China]], retreating to the islands of Taiwan and [[Hainan]] until the [[Landing Operation on Hainan Island]].