A post from the archives
1946 - 1989
The embers of the Cold War
The past as prologue?
Burma became independent during the early years of the Cold War. In 1946, the United Kingdom decided to quit Burma. In 1947, the British government encouraged the Shan saophas (hereditary leaders) and other minority leaders to join and support a new Union of Burma. They did this in the hope that a unified Burma might fare better in the face of possible communist aggression. Over late 1949, the Chinese civil war ended with a communist under Mao...
Explore Myanmar History through a Timeline
About this project
The aim of this website is to promote interest in Myanmar's amazing history.Our hope is to challenge the often two-dimensional and uncritical views of history taught in Myanmar by reexamining key periods in the country's past. We would like as well to reveal the rich multicultural nature of Myanmar's history and its deep and ongoing ties to global events and trends.Finally, this website will also delve into the history of neighbouring regions, such as Yunnan in China and the Northeast in India, in the hope of introducing these places to a Myanmar audience.We believe that meeting Myanmar's many challenges today will require fresh imaginative thinking. This is turn will only be possible with a clear and critical understanding of Myanmar and global history.