Historical Narratives and Burmanization (1824–1947)

This chapter describes two types of history developed in colonial Burma and after. The first is the official modern history that government historians who write mass-produced schoolbooks emphasize. This history logically leads to the conclusion that Burmanized military rule is the best type of government today. Second, there is a more critical history told by professional historians that puts the new government in context. This chapter describes how these histories emerged during the British colonial times (1824–1947), during World War II, and up to the time of the U Nu government (1948–1962). The chapter discusses Ne Win’s emergence during this period, and how the Tatmadaw emerged as the central authority in the country.