U Nu

Burma's Key Role in the 1955 Asian-African Bandung Conference

The first Asian-African summit was held in Bandung, Indonesia, over 18-24 April 1955. Burma was one of the principal organizers of the Bandung Conference, together with India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Ceylon. The conference brought together 29 leaders of the newly independent non-Western world, representing no fewer than 1.5 billion people, more than half the entire planet. The host, Indonesia's president Sukarno called it "The First inter-continental conference of coloured people - so-called coloured peoples - in the history of mankind"....

Soviet Premier's Burma Trip

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visited Burma as part of a trip around Asia. The country was then under the "Caretaker" government of General Ne Win. Khrushchev wrote in his memoir that he was very impressed with the welcome he received upon arrival. The New York Times, however, reported that Khrushchev was "welcomed cordially but with no great show of enthusiasm on his arrival in Rangoon". President Mahn Win Maung hosted a garden party at Government House and Khrushchev attended as the...

Landmark Visit to Burma of David Ben-Gurion, Founder and First Prime Minister of Israel

On 5 December 1961, the founder and first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion made a landmark visit to Burma. Few remember that Burma in the 1950s and early 60s had particularly close relations - including military relations - with Israel. Both countries had achieved independence from the British Empire at the same time, both found themselves immediately at war, and both were governed (initially) by elected socialist governments. Indeed, Burma was the first country in Asia to recognize the...

The Day Democracy Died in Burma

On 2 March 1962 beginning at 2 am units of the Burma Army seized control of the Secretariat, the Windermere Estate, the guest house at Halpin Road, and other important government sites. President Mahn Win Maung, Prime Minister U Nu, all members of the cabinet and many other senior political figures including leading Shan saophas were arrested over the course of the day. Sao Myee Myee, the 17-year-old son of the first President Sao Shwe Thaik was killed before dawn...