Asian Society and

MYANMAR Economics
 BECOMING A BRITISH COLONY

Having colonized India, Britain continues to move east into Myanmar.

The first Anglo-Burmes e war started in 1824, where Burma lost 2
years later ceded coastal areas between Myanmar and India to the
British.
Britain pushed on and colonized Southern Burma in 1852 after the
second Anglo Burmese war.
Britain move north and is able to capture Mandalay in 1885 and
Burma becomes part of British India in 1886.
In 1937, Britain makes Burma a separate crown colony from India .
 W ORLD WAR II

In 1942, after starting to invade Southeas t Asia in the previous year,

Japan invades Burma.
The Burma Independenc e Army, who was initially trained by the
Japanes e and initially helped the Japanes e invade the country, later
became the Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League (AFPFL) and
started to resist the Japanes e.
In 1945, Britain reclaims Burma with the help of AFPFL. The AFPFL
was led my general Aung San who was seen as the favorite to lead
the soon to be independent Burma but he was assassinated two years
later.
 INDEPENDENCE

1948 Burma became independent with U Nu as prime minister

instead. The country is organized in a federal system because of the
different ethnic groups.
U Nu was one of five leaders who founded the non -alignment
movement. The others included Indian Prime Minister Nehru,
Indonesian president Sukarno, Yugoslav president Tito, and Egyptian
president Nasser.
 POST-INDEPENDENCE

1958-1960 - The AFPFL start to split with different

opinions and ideas on how to lead the nation so the
military sets up a caretaker government so that an
election between the two factions can be held.

U Nus side wins the election again but the military

did not want to support him becaus e he was too
lenient with separatist groups .
 GEN NE W IN COMES TO POW ER

In 1962, General Ne W in takes over the government, abolishes the

federal system and introduc es the Burmese W ay to Socialis m. He
started to heavily nationalize and formed a single party state under
the Socialist Programme Party.
Minority groups formed opposition parties and carried out guerilla
attacks in respons e.
A series of discriminating laws were created to ensure that only
people of indigenous background were given rights. For example,
others were banned from politics.
In addition, the currency starts to devalue and people in the country
start protesting against the government .
 ENTERS AUNG SAN SUU KYI

1988 Thousands of people are killed in

anti-government protests. This is also the
year General Aung Sans daughter returns
to Burma becaus e of her mother falling ill.
Aung San Suu Kyi starting to advoc ate for
democrac y in Burma, as she saw the
atrocities being carried out in the country.
1989 The government declares martial
law and puts Aung San Suu Kyi under
house arrest.
 THE NLD ENTERS POLITICS

1990 Elections are held with Aung San Suu Kyis party, the National
League for Democrac y (NLD) in the run. The NLD wins by a landslide
but the military ignores the results.

1991 Aung San Suu Kyi is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
 OPENING UP THE COUNTRY

1992 The military government starts to releas e politic al prisoners

becaus e of pressure from international community. Aung San Suu Kyi
is releas ed from house arrest three years later, spending a total of six
years under house arrest. However, Aung San and her top NLD
officials have their movements restricted by the military.

1997 Burma joins ASEAN

2005 Capital changed to Nay Pyi Taw(Daw).

 MOVING AWAY FROM MILITARY RULE

2008 Government announc es new constitution that gives a quarter

of parliament seats to the military but also bans Aung San Suu Kyi
from being able to serve in government .

2010 Aung San Suu Kyi finally releas ed from house arrest after 20
years. Government also holds an open election this year but the
military backed party wins and most suspect election fraud. Some
consider this as a civilian government even though the military still
has a lot of influenc e.

2012 NLD candidates wins most seats in parliament and Aung San
Suu Kyi wins the election.