• Burmese
Sunday, May 25, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
26 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home Specials On This Day

The Day Myanmar’s Modern Military First Took Shape

Wei Yan Aung by Wei Yan Aung
December 26, 2019
in On This Day
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
The Burma Independence Army  enters Yangon, then known as Rangoon, in 1942.

The Burma Independence Army enters Yangon, then known as Rangoon, in 1942.

7.9k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Yangon—On this day 78 years ago, the Burma Independence Army (BIA)—the first national army to be formed since the abdication of Myanmar’s last monarch, King Thibaw, and the predecessor of Myanmar’s modern military—was founded in Bangkok, Thailand.

Established to fight British colonial rule in Myanmar, the ethnically diverse army was formed by the “30 Comrades” including Aung San (later to become Myanmar independence hero General Aung San) and Ne Win (later military dictator General Ne Win). With the help of the Japanese Army, the BIA managed to drive the British out of the country.

During Japanese rule, the structure of the BIA changed, and it was renamed, at various times, the Burma Defense Army (BDA), the Burma National Army (BNA), and the Patriotic Burmese Forces (PBF). The army finally freed the country from the yoke of Japanese fascist rule through armed struggle.

RelatedPosts

Myanmar Military’s Proxy Party ‘Living in Fear’ Ahead of Junta’s December Poll

Myanmar Military’s Proxy Party ‘Living in Fear’ Ahead of Junta’s December Poll

May 20, 2025
984
Breaking the 60-Year Political Cycle in Myanmar

Breaking the 60-Year Political Cycle in Myanmar

May 12, 2025
1.3k
Myanmar Junta Boss’s Moscow Visits Deepens Russia Ties

Myanmar Junta Boss’s Moscow Visits Deepens Russia Ties

May 9, 2025
855

The military was reconstituted after World War II. Gen. Aung San resigned as military leader to lead the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL) on the political front. He was assassinated before Myanmar regained independence in 1948.

The power struggle within the AFPFL government paved the way for the military to intervene in politics.

The military toppled the democratically elected government led by Prime Minister U Nu in a coup in 1962, after which Gen. Ne Win, a founding member of the BIA, ruled the country for 26 years under a single-party dictatorship. To this day, the military retains the tight grip on politics it established at that time.

You may also like these stories:

‘The Ugly American’: A Remembrance

Lunch with a Myanmar Princess

The Day Gen Aung San Established the Myanmar Army

The Day Three Myanmar Banknotes Suddenly Became Worthless

Your Thoughts …
Tags: 30 ComradesAFPFLAnti-Fascist People’s Freedom LeagueBIABritish BurmaBurma Independence Armycolonial ruledictatorshipfascist JapanGen Aung SanGen. Ne WinImperial JapanIndependenceMilitaryPrime Minister U NuTatmadawWorld War II
Wei Yan Aung

Wei Yan Aung

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

AA Urges Myanmar Junta Troops to Surrender as Western Command Burns
War Against the Junta

AA Urges Myanmar Junta Troops to Surrender as Western Command Burns

by The Irrawaddy
December 18, 2024
25.2k

Ethnic army reportedly poised to capture regime’s last stronghold in Rakhine State.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar General in Charge of Shan State Disaster Handed Surprise Promotion
Burma

Myanmar General in Charge of Shan State Disaster Handed Surprise Promotion

by The Irrawaddy
February 5, 2024
24.4k

Naing Naing Oo elevated to Lieutenant-General and made chief of powerful Bureau of Special Operations No. 2, in a reshuffle...

Read moreDetails
Myanmar’s Chief of Eastern Command Purged After Karenni Defeats
Burma

Myanmar’s Chief of Eastern Command Purged After Karenni Defeats

by The Irrawaddy
January 12, 2024
20k

Major-General Hla Moe is reportedly the latest junta commander to pay the price for sweeping gains made by resistance forces. 

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Counteroffensives Failing Across Country: Analysts
Analysis

Myanmar Junta Counteroffensives Failing Across Country: Analysts

by Hein Htoo Zan
September 20, 2024
16.7k

Three major operations to retake territory from ethnic armies and their allies are being hampered by troop shortages, experts say.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Orders All Security Personnel to Frontline as Losses Mount in Hard-Hit Regional Commands
Burma

Myanmar Junta Orders All Security Personnel to Frontline as Losses Mount in Hard-Hit Regional Commands

by The Irrawaddy
May 31, 2024
13.5k

Full-time military service order covers soldiers, personnel, police and border guards in eight regional commands.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Begins Forced Conscription of Women in Some Areas, Residents Say
Burma

Myanmar Junta Begins Forced Conscription of Women in Some Areas, Residents Say

by Hein Htoo Zan
May 31, 2024
13.4k

The regime is selecting women from lists of eligible conscripts and building barracks for them in Ayeyarwady; in Bago, women...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Bangkok on July 31, 2019. / Kyodo News

Political, Economic Challenges to Test Thai Government in 2020

--

Japanese Govt Hid Knowledge of 2 Abductees Living in N.Korea

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

‘Indian Troops Killed Myanmar Resistance Fighters to Send a Message’

‘Indian Troops Killed Myanmar Resistance Fighters to Send a Message’

3 days ago
2.4k
China’s Two-Faced Diplomacy in Myanmar

China’s Two-Faced Diplomacy in Myanmar

6 days ago
2.4k

Most Read

  • Dead or Alive: Min Aung Hlaing’s Final Gamble

    Dead or Alive: Min Aung Hlaing’s Final Gamble

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Has the Revolutionary Spirit Gone? Shan Armed Forces in Crisis as Public Doubts Grow

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Assassination Rocks Yangon; Junta Boss Rewrites History; and More

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Adidas Shoe Factory Agrees to Striking Workers’ Demands

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ‘Indian Troops Killed Myanmar Resistance Fighters to Send a Message’

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.