Union of Burma (1948–1962)
Myanmar, 1948–1962. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Union of Burma was the official name, from 1948 to 1962, of the country in Southeast Asia now known as Myanmar. The first 14 years of independent Burma were marred by several communist and ethnic insurgencies. Burma generally strove to be impartial in world affairs and was one of the first countries in the world to recognise Israel and China. Ne Win staged a coup d'état on 2 March 1962, arrested U Nu, Sao Shwe Thaik and several others, and declared a socialist state run by the Union Revolutionary Council.
Seat of power: Yangon
Rulers
Sao Shwe Thaik
President of Myanmar, 1948–1952
He served as the first president of the Union of Burma and the last Saopha of Yawnghwe. He was a well-respected Shan political figure in Burma.
Portrait of Sao Shwe Thaik: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Ba U
President of Myanmar, 1952–1957
He served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Burma from 1948 to 1952, and the second president of Burma from 16 March 1952 to 13 March 1957.
Portrait of Ba U: Unnamed photographers, uploader User:Zenwort, Public domain, file
Win Maung
President of Myanmar, 1957–1962
He served as the third president of Burma. He was selected by Prime Minister U Nu for the presidency in March 1957. He served for five years until 2 March 1962, when General Ne Win's military coup d'état ousted Nu's government.
Portrait of Win Maung: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Culture
- By 1958, the country was largely beginning to recover economically, but was beginning to fall apart politically due to a split in the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League into two factions.
- Remote areas of northern Burma were for many years controlled by an army of Kuomintang forces after the Communist victory in China in 1949.
- Ne Win's caretaker government successfully stabilised the situation and paved the way for new general elections in 1960 that returned U Nu's Union Party with a large majority.
Picture
Aung San, a Burmese politician and independence activist, was assassinated just six months before his goal of independence from British rule was realized.
Image: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.