SEA; BURMA Flashcards
What political structure did Burma adopt upon independence
liberal democracy
What was the decolonisation proces like?
peaceful but traumatic
How did Britain help in the decolonisation process?
Political tutelage present before 1945
they regularly held general elections in Burma (5 elections before independence)
How did the Japanese Occupation affect Burma?
Japanese helped form Burma Independence Army and trained key nationalist leaders (Aung San)
How was the AFPFL formed?
Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League
In 1944 the Japanese were losing and Aung San switched sides to support the British, formed the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL) in 1945 -It was a coalition of nationalist groups including the communists
What happened when the British returned after WW2?
The nationalist leaders resisted and forced the British to decolonise
When did the communist party of Burma (CPB) leave the AFPFL?
1946
When did AFPFL win the general elections?
April 1947
What is the ethnic composition of Burma?
Majority:
Burman People (Buddhists): 34 million
Minority:
Shan people (Buddhists): 4-6 million
Karen people (Christian): 3 million
Kachin people (Christian): 1 million
Chin people (Christian): 500k-1.5million
Mon people (Buddhist): 1 million
Arkanese people (Buddhist): 2 million
most minorities had been given political autonomy during british rule
Majority Burmans were not allowed tp join the British Army in Burma; only minorities allowed
What are some of the efforts taken by Aung San to reconcile with the minorities?
pacify them :)
Feb 1947: signed the Panglong agreement with the Shan, Kachin, Chin people–> gave them full autonomy in internal administration and the right to secede in 10 years
When was the Aung San-Attlee agreement?
Jan 1947
What was the Aung San-Attlee agreement?
To ensure independence for Burma in the following year
When was Aung San and other political elites assassinated ?
July 1947
Implications of the assassinations on the Panglong agreement
spirit of the Panglong agreement violated
other members of the AFPFL not on board with giving minorities so much freedom
British used the minorites to crush nationalist uprisings
this brewed feelings of contempt and resentment towards the minorities
How did the British rule
They followed the principle of ‘Divide and Rule’ they deliberately emphasised the difference in people and purposely used it to sow discord
When did they gain independence?
Jan 1948
Which was ruling party and it was under whose leadership?
AFPFL led by U Nu