The Tatmadaw or Sit-Tat is the military of Myanmar. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and composed of the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force. Auxiliary services include the Myanmar Police Force, the Border Guard Forces, the Myanmar Coast Guard, and the People's Militia Units. Since independence in 1948, the Tatmadaw has faced significant ethnic insurgencies, especially in Chin, Kachin, Kayin, Kayah, and Shan states. General Ne Win took control of the country in a 1962 coup d'état, attempting to build an autarkic society called the Burmese Way to Socialism. Following the violent repression of nationwide protests in 1988, the military agreed to free elections in 1990, but ignored the resulting victory of the National League for Democracy and imprisoned its leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The 1990s also saw the escalation of the conflict involving Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State due to RSO attacks on the Tatmadaw forces, which saw the Rohingya minority facing oppression and, starting in 2017, genocide.
Aung San was a Burmese politician, independence activist and revolutionary. He was instrumental in Myanmar's struggle for independence from British rule, but he was assassinated just six months before his goal was realized. Aung San is considered the founder of modern-day Myanmar and the Tatmadaw, and is commonly referred to by the titles "Father of the Nation", "Father of Independence", and "Father of the Tatmadaw".
U Saw, also known as Galon U Saw, was a leading Burmese politician who served as Prime Minister of British Burma during the colonial era before the Second World War. He is also known for his role in the assassination of Burma's national hero Aung San and other independence leaders in July 1947, only months before Burma gained independence from Britain in January 1948. He was executed by hanging for this assassination.
The Japanese occupation of Burma was the period between 1942 and 1945 during World War II, when Burma was occupied by the Empire of Japan. The Japanese had assisted formation of the Burma Independence Army, and trained the Thirty Comrades, who were the founders of the modern Armed Forces (Tatmadaw). The Burmese hoped to gain support of the Japanese in expelling the British, so that Burma could become independent.
This article describes the religious, military and civil orders, decorations and medals of the Union of Myanmar.
Major Aung San Thuirya Aye Cho was the Bamar recipient of Aung San Thuriya Award, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of Myanmar Armed Forces and he is also the first recipient of Aung San Thuriya medal in Myanmar. He won the award at the Battle of Po Tha Aung Gon Bridge during the outbreak of Communists insurgency in Myanmar.
Private Aung San Thuriya Hla Thaung of 3rd Burma Rifles Battalion was a recipient of Aung San Thuriya Award, the highest and most prestigious award in Myanmar (Burma) for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy. He won the award at the Battle of Daik-U during the fight against of Karen insurgency in Myanmar.
Saw Ba Yi is an ethnic Karen and the only civilian to have won the Aung San Thuriya Medal, the highest award for gallantry and bravery in Burma (Myanmar) in 1951. Under normal circumstances, the medal is only awarded to members of the Myanmar Armed Forces.
UBS Mayu was the first flagship of the Burmese Navy. She was commissioned on 25 May 1947 and saw 32 years of active service during which she participated in many counter-insurgency campaigns, safeguarding Myanmar's territorial waters, and also served as a training ship for the officers and ratings of Myanmar (Burma) Navy. The ship had been built as River-class frigate HMS Fal for the Royal Navy during World War II and was transferred to the Burmese government in 1947 on loan, and permanently in 1948. She was decommissioned in 1979 and was converted to a museum ship.
Tin Oo, often referred to as U Tin Oo, is a Burmese politician, activist and retired general in the Armed Forces who was one of the founders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar, the country's largest pro-democracy political party.
Depeyin is a town in the Sagaing Division in Myanmar.
Burmese Gurkhas are a group of Nepali language speaking Burmese people of Khas/Gurkha ethnic group living in Myanmar. While the Gurkhas have lived in Burma for many centuries, it was during the British rule in Burma that the majority of the Gurkha migrated from Nepal.
The Communist Party of Burma (CPB), also known as the Burma Communist Party (BCP), is a clandestine communist party in Myanmar (Burma). It is the oldest existing political party in the country.
Private Aung San Thuriya Suk Bahdur Rai was the only Gurkha to have received Aung San Thuriya medal, the highest and most prestigious award in Myanmar (Burma) for gallantry and bravery in the face of enemy.
The Burmese Resistance Movement of 1885–1895 occurred almost immediately after the fall of Mandalay. Due to the rapidity of British advancement up the Irrawaddy River, the bulk of the Burmese army suffered few casualties. Many had not experienced actual fighting. Nevertheless, the issue of the Hluttaw’s order to surrender on 27 November 1885 meant that Burmese garrisons south of Mandalay had to disarm without putting up a fight. Soon widespread resistance started to break out in Upper Burma, Lower Burma, the Shan Hills, Kachin Hills and Chin Hills which did not die out until 1896.
"To all town and village thugyis, heads of cavalry, heads of the daings, shield bearers, heads of jails, heads of gold and silver revenues, mine workers, settlement officers, heads of forests, and to all royal subjects and inhabitants of the Royal Empire: Those heretics, the English kala barbarians, having most harshly made demands calculated to bring about the impairment and destruction of our religion, the violation of our national traditions and customs, and the degradation of our race, are making a show and preparation as if about to wage war with our State ... The local officials shall not forcibly impress into service anyone who may not wish to serve. To uphold the religion, to uphold the national honour, to uphold the country's interests, will bring about threefold good; good of our religion, good of our master, and good of ourselves; and will gain for us the important result of placing us in the path to the celestial regions and to Nibban. Whoever, therefore, is willing to join and serve zealously will be assisted by His Majesty with royal rewards and royal money, and be made to serve in the capacity for which he may be fit. Loyal officials are to make inquiries for volunteers and others who may wish to serve, and are to submit lists of them to their respective Governments."
The Karen conflict is an armed conflict in Kayin State, Myanmar. It is part of the wider internal conflict in Myanmar between the military government and various minority groups. Karen nationalists have been fighting for an independent state, known as Kawthoolei, since 1949. The Karen National Union (KNU) and its Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) are the most prominent Karen rebel groups. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the conflict, many of whom fled to neighbouring Thailand and survive in refugee camps.
The communist insurgency in Burma was waged primarily by the Communist Party of Burma and the Communist Party (Burma) from 1948 to 1989. The conflict ended when the CPB, severely weakened by an internal mutiny, disbanded its armed wing.
Lance Corporal Za Kaia, was an ethnic Chin and a recipient of Thiha Thura medal, the second highest award in Burma (Myanmar) for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy. Throughout Myanmar Army history, only 46 servicemen have been awarded this prestigious medal.
May Thit was a Burmese actress and singer. She won Best Actress Award for 1960, Best Supporting Actress Award for 1964 and 1976 in Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards. She was famous around between 1950s and 1990s.
Brigadier General Saw Kyar Doe was a Karen military officer who served as the first deputy Chief of Army Staff from 4 January 1948 to 31 July 1948.
