MYANMAR HISTORY

Bring a Rod and let us argue about History

The first identifiable civilization was probably the Mon. The ethnic origins of modern Myanmar are a mixture of Indo-Aryans, who began pushing into the area in the early beginning. The Mon people probably began migrating and founded their first kingdom Suwarnabhumi at what is now known as Thaton in about 300 BC.

Then the Pyu arrived in the 7th century and built cities like Sri Ksetra and Halingyi. Around AD 849, the Burmans had founded the city of Bagan. King Anawrahta (ruled1044 - 77) took the Mon city of Thaton in 1057. The last true ruler of Bagan, Narathihapate (ruled 1254-87) lost the battle in Yunnan (China) in 1277. He was assassinated by his own son. Kublai Khan ransacked Bagan and it collapsed in 1289.

The Burmans restablished the city of Ava (Inwa) around 1364. The Mons reestablished themselves at Bago under King Dhammazedi (ruled1472-92). A new Myanmar kingdom appeared in Taungoo in 1531 and the leader was King Tabin Shwehti (ruled 1531-50), who once again unified most of Myanmar. His brother-in-law, Bayinnaung (ruled 1551-81) acquired several states, including Manipur (1560) and Ayutthaya in Siam (1569). King Alaungpaya conquered Pegu and southern Myanmar in 1759. He established his capital at Rangoon, now known as Yangon. His son Hsinbyushin (ruled 1763-76) conquered Ayutthaya again in 1766. The Alaungpaya's son, Bodawpaya (ruled1781-1819), lost Ayutthaya, but added Arakan (1784) and Tenasserim (1793) to the kingdom. In Jaunary 1824, during the reign of King Bagyidaw (ruled 1819-37), General Maha Bandula defeated Assam.

Britain retaliated and invaded Myanmar. The First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-26) ended in a British victory and Myanmar lost Assam, Manipur, Arakan, and Tenasserim.

After the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, the lower Burma was lost. General Maha Bandoola died in the battle. In Upper Burma King Mindon (ruled 1853-78) still continued , as a sovereign monarch and established a new capital at Mandalay.

His son Thibaw Min (ruled 1878-85) was taken to India after the Third Anglo-Burmese War in 1885 and the whole country became part of the British empire as a province of India in 1886 with the administrative capital at Rangoon.

A peasant rebellion led by Saya San started in 1930 and he was killed. During World War II the Japanese invaded the country in December 1941, and in six months, had occupied most of the country. Student leader Aung San began negotitations with Lord Mountbatten in October 1943. The Allied forces liberated most of Burma prior to the Japanese surrender in August 1945. Negotiations began for Burmese independence with British rulers and Burma became independent on 4th January, 1948.

In July 1947 General Aung San and most of his cabinet members were assassinated. U Nu became the Prime Minister.

In 1962, General Ne Win took over power and introduced the “Burmese way of Socialism” without real benefit to the contry. He step down and retired in July 1988 and the the military government , also known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) took over. In 1989, the military government officially changed the name of the country to Myanmar.

In May 1990 elections, the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) won. But the ruling army refused to recognize the election results.

In 1997, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) changed name to State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)

The Government began moving government ministries from Yangon toNaypyidaw (Nay Pyi Taw) approximately 320 kilometers north of Yangon from November 2005.

Myanmar life goes on.