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when did the civil war in burma start

by Casandra Cremin DVM Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Is Burma allies with the US?

The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of Burma.It was part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II and primarily involved forces of the Allies; the British Empire and the Republic of China, with support from the United States.

Is Burma the same country as Myanmar?

You may want a definitive answer as to whether it’s really ‘Burma’ or ‘Myanmar’, but few people will give you one. Officially, on paper, the country’s name is Myanmar. In 1989, the ruling military government changed the name from Burma to Myanmar after thousands were killed in an uprising. The city of Rangoon also became Yangon.

Were there submarines in the Civil War?

You may be surprised to find out that submarines were used during the Civil War. These submarines were very different from the modern nuclear powered versions we know about today. They were cramped and dangerous vehicles powered by the brave men inside using hand cranks. What were submarines used for?

When did Myanmar start?

The country gained independence from Britain in 1948. It was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 until 2011, when a new government began ushering in a return to civilian rule. Why is Myanmar also known as Burma? The ruling military changed the name from Burma to Myanmar in 1989.

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Why did the Burma civil war start?

In February 1948 four hundred thousand Karen in a peaceful demonstration showed their solidarity with the creation of a Karen State. Within three months after independence, the Communist Party Burma began an armed rebellion and similarly some Karen separatist groups started an armed struggle for independence.

When did the civil war start in Myanmar?

Initially there was calm during the transitional period after independence, but on 2 April 1948, the CPB fired the first shots of the conflict in Paukkongyi, Pegu Region (present-day Bago Region). At its peak, the CPB had 15,000 fighters in 1949.

How long was the civil war in Burma?

Abstract. At sixty years plus, the civil war in Burma (Myanmar) is currently the longest ongoing civil war in the world. There are approximately 135 recognized ethnic groups which inhabit Burma. These vast cultural differences and identities play an important role in this protracted civil war.

Did Burma have a civil war?

The military launched a coup in February 2021 and then cracked down on protests. The opposition formed a shadow government and fighting force, leading to a civil war and humanitarian crisis that could spill over Myanmar's borders.

What's the longest war in history?

The Longest Wars Ever To Be Fought In Human HistoryRankWar or conflictsDuration1Reconquista781 years2Anglo-French Wars748 years3Byzantine-Bulgarian wars715 years4Roman–Persian Wars681 years46 more rows•Jul 16, 2020

What is Burma called now?

The official English name was changed by the country's government from the "Union of Burma" to the "Union of Myanmar" in 1989, and still later to the "Republic of the Union of Myanmar". Since then, those name changes have been the subject of controversies and mixed incidences of adoption.

What is the shortest civil war in history?

the Anglo-Zanzibar WarKhālid did not stand down, and the Anglo-Zanzibar War followed. Having lasted less than an hour before Khālid's forces surrendered, it is considered the shortest war in recorded history. After Khālid's defeat, Ḥamud was installed as sultan.

Who won the war in Burma?

Allied victoryBurma campaignDate14 December 1941 – 13 September 1945 (3 years, 11 months, 4 weeks and 1 day)LocationBurma and IndiaResultAllied victoryTerritorial changesDissolution of the State of Burma and restoration of British Rule

Why did the British occupy Burma?

In the early 1800s, the British government, motivated by profit and security, marched into the Southeast Asian nation of Burma, also known today as Myanmar. A Buddhist country rich in natural resources, Burma was an expansionist power that bordered India, one of Great Britain's most prized colonies.

Is Myanmar still at war 2022?

The ACLED estimated that as of 29 July 2022, around 23,521 people in total had been killed in the violence following the 2021 coup....2021–2022 Myanmar insurgency.Date1 February 2021 – present (1 year, 6 months, 3 weeks and 1 day)LocationMyanmarStatusOngoing

Is Myanmar still at war 2022?

The ACLED estimated that as of 29 July 2022, around 23,521 people in total had been killed in the violence following the 2021 coup....2021–2022 Myanmar insurgency.Date1 February 2021 – present (1 year, 6 months, 3 weeks and 1 day)LocationMyanmarStatusOngoing

Who won the civil war?

the United StatesAfter four bloody years of conflict, the United States defeated the Confederate States. In the end, the states that were in rebellion were readmitted to the United States, and the institution of slavery was abolished nation-wide.

When did the military take over Myanmar?

1962 Burmese coup d'étatDate2 March 1962LocationRangoon, BurmaResultCoup successful Parliamentary republic led by a civilian government replaced by a military junta

What was the war in Burma?

Burma was seized by the Japanese in World War Two , and became a major battleground as British, Indian, American, and Chinese forces battled against the Japanese. Three year after the defeat of Japan, Burma once again became an independent nation, but almost immediately plunged into civil war, as Karen ethnic group rebelled ...

What was the Burmese Civil War?

Burmese Civil War (1948-Present)--Long and complex civil war involving several different uprisings and rebellions against the Burmese government. This long-running war includes government warfare against the Karen, Kachin, Shan and other ethnic groups, Communist rebels, and pro-democracy protesters and rebels (these last two in 1988 and 2007).

What wars did Burma and Myanmar have?

Below is a listing of the wars and conflicts of Burma and Myanmar since the first war with the British Empire in the early 1800s . First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826) Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852) Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885) Burmese Resistance to British Conquest (1885-1889)

What is the history of Myanmar?

The South East Asian nation of Myanmar (also known as Burma), has a long history as an independent nation, punctuated by over sixty years of conquest and occupation as a colonial possession of the expansionist British Empire. Burma was seized by the Japanese in World War Two, and became a major battleground as British, Indian, American, ...

What was the cause of the 2007 protests in Burma?

It should be noted that the current involvement of the Buddhist monks in the 2007 protests harkens back to the long-running resistance to the British conquest and occupation of Burma in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Many of the protests against British rule were led by Buddhist monks, so the current monk-led protests are part of a tradition of Burmese/Myanmar popular action to unpopular and repressive regimes.

When did the CBP end the rebellion?

The CBP signed a peace agreement with the government ending its rebellion in 1989. Active opposition to the Myanmar/Burmese government dates from March, 1948 to 1989 . The CPB formed in 1939. Karen National Union (KNU) -- The main Karen insurgent force. Active opposition to the Myanmar/Burmese government dates from 1948 to the Present.

When did the civil war start?

The civil war began in 1948, and has continued with varying degrees of intensity ever since. In 1988, a pro-democracy movement was crushed violently by the military dictatorship, which also renamed the nation "Myanmar.".

What was the Chinese Civil War?

The Chinese Civil War was a civil war in China fought between the Kuomintang (KMT)-led government of the Republic of China (ROC) and forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) lasting intermittently between 1927 and 1949. The war is generally divided into two phases with an interlude: from August 1927 to 1937, ...

What was the name of the civil war between the Communist Party and the Nationalist government in China?

This stage of war is referred to in mainland China and Communist historiography as the "War of Liberation" (Chinese: 解放战争; pinyin: Jiěfàng Zhànzhēng ).

What was the Kuomintang's response to the land reform campaign?

In response to the aforementioned land reform campaign; the Kuomintang helped establish the "Huanxiang Tuan" ( 還鄉團 ), or Homecoming Legion, which was composed of landlords who sought the return of their redistributed land and property from peasants and CCP guerrillas, as well as forcibly conscripted peasants and communist POWs. The Homecoming legion conducted its guerrilla warfare campaign against CCP forces and purported collaborators up until the end of the civil war in 1949.

How many people died in the Chinese Civil War?

Benjamin Valentino has estimated atrocities in the Chinese Civil War resulted in the death of between 1.8 million and 3.5 million people between 1927 and 1949.

How long did the Huaihai campaign last?

The Pingjin Campaign resulted in the Communist conquest of northern China. It lasted 64 days, from 21 November 1948 to 31 January 1949.

How many people were in the Long March?

Of the 90,000–100,000 people who began the Long March from the Soviet Chinese Republic, only around 7,000–8,000 made it to Shaanxi.

How long did the Long March last?

The massive military retreat of Communist forces lasted a year and covered what Mao estimated as 12,500 km (25,000 Li ); it became known as the Long March. The Long March was a military retreat taken on by the Chinese Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong to evade the pursuit or attack of the Kuomintang army.

When did Burma become part of India?

TIMELINE: 1824-1886 – Burma becomes part of British India after fighting three wars with Great Britain over 62 years. 1941-1945 – World War II; ethnics fight on the Allied side, while the Burmans fight on the Japanese side.

When did Burma invade Karen?

1997 – Major Burma Army offensives displace more than 500,000 people in Karen, Karenni and Shan states. Free Burma Rangers is begun by Dave Eubank and Eliya, in response.

When did the Burma Army attack Rohingya?

1972-1974 – Major Burma Army offensives and the beginning of implementation of the “4 Cuts” policy. February 1978 – Burma Army attacks muslim Rohingya in Arakan State. 250,000 people flee to Bangladesh.

What is the law that isolates ethnic groups in Burma?

1982 -The Burmese Citizenship Law is adopted. This law isolates ethnic groups such as the Kachin, Karen, Chin and Rohyinga as “associate citizens” denied the rights/relief offered to full citizens, including the right to serve in public office. 1984 – Burma Army begins “Four-Cuts” policy to destroy the Karen resistance.

How many people died in the 1988 Burma protests?

August-October 1988 – Mass anti-government demonstrations take place throughout Burma. The official Radio Rangoon figure is 450 dead; the actual number is believed to be into the thousands.

What countries borders Myanmar?

Myanmar shares borders with China, India, Laos, Bangladesh and Thailand. The United States officially still calls the country Burma. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are 1.5 million stateless and internally displaced people in Myanmar.

Who won the 2015 Myanmar elections?

November 8, 2015 – The 2015 Myanmar elections end with a landslide victory for Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy.

What was the Burma campaign?

The Burma Campaign 1941 - 1945. Neither side wanted this fight at the start, but there were many remarkable feats of arms as the war progressed. Michael Hickey describes the highs and lows of the campaign, the personalities involved, and the effect it had on East-West politics once World War Two was over.

How did the Burma campaign affect the war?

The Burma campaign had no decisive effect on the war as a whole; but it did a great deal to restore respect for British arms following the humiliations of Hong Kong , Malaya and Singapore. The re-opening of the Burma Road permitted the resumption of supplies to Nationalist China, but there was to be no long-term benefit here, and American dreams of establishing an All-China trade zone after the war evaporated when Mao Tse Tung's Communist forces thrashed the corrupt regime of America's client, Chiang Kai Shek, within four years of the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Why did the Japanese invade Burma?

Firstly the Japanese knew it would serve them well if they cut overland access to China from Burma via the famed Burma Road . Along this road a steady stream of military aid was being transported from Rangoon, over the mountains of the 'Hump' and into Nationalist China, but if this supply route was closed, the Japanese could deprive Chiang Kai Shek's Kuomintang (Nationalist Chinese) armies of their life-blood, permitting the Japanese to conquer all China.

What was the main goal of the Japanese in the war in Burma?

When Japan entered the war on the side of the Axis powers in December 1941, her main aims were to acquire raw materials , particularly oil, rubber and tin and, through expansion of the so-called Greater ...

What were the key towns of the Japanese attack on the Arakan?

The Japanese, aware that the defenders had gained strength, resolved to end the campaign at a blow with an assault into Assam, aimed at capturing the key towns of Imphal, capital of the hill state of Manipur , and Kohima. Another Japanese attack was made simultaneously in the Arakan. For the first time the defenders stood firm, confident in their air support.

Who captured Rangoon?

Entering Burma from Thailand, the Japanese quickly captured Rangoon, cutting off the Burma Road at source, and depriving the Chinese of their only convenient supply base and port of entry. In response, General Sir Archibald Wavell, in supreme command of the Far Eastern theatre, formed two scratch divisions, the 1st Burma and 17th Indian, into Burma corps (Burcorps).

Who was the commander of Burcorps?

Operating a scorched-earth policy as it went, Burcorps, now under command of Lieutenant General William Slim, fell back up the Irrawaddy river, accompanied by tens of thousands of wretched Indian refugees, harassed and murdered by the Burmese population as they struggled to gain Indian soil.

When did Burma secede from the Union?

In 1961 , he held a series of meetings with leaders of the Shan, Kachin and Chin nationalities, which had the constitutional rights to secede from the Union of Burma, after ten years of independence. U Nu reached agreement with the leaders of the said nationalities for establishing the country as a federal union.

How many dynasties did Burma have?

The recorded history of feudal Burma has three dynasties. With myths and legends, the Burman historians claimed the dynasties to be three Burman empires encompassing vast areas of land of the non-Burman peoples and neighboring countries. The instrument of empire building by the Burman dynastic kings was brutal wars.

Why was Burman assassinated?

Most unfortunately for the country, he was assassinated by Burman racial supremacists in his own party, the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL), before independence, because he was against the racial supremacists’ agenda of establishing the 4th Burman Empire, or Burman hegemony over the non-Burman nationalities of the country.

What did the non-Burmans view the Burmans as?

Naturally, as a result of historical experiences, the non-Burman nationalities, who had been victims of the Burman imperial wars and domination, view the Burmans as aggressive, greedy, treacherous, deceitful, racist and militant warmongers, up to this day.

Why did the Burman military use trickery?

Again, the Burman military used all kinds of trickery to divide the unity of the resistance forces, with bribery and rosy promises for investments, development and huge business opportunities. This time it was to isolate the northern forces for annihilation.

Which kingdom suffered the same fate as Alaungpaya?

The Rakhine kingdom, Ayutthaya kingdom of Siam, the Manipuri, Assam, Lan Na, Luang Prabang etc. suffered a similar fate at the hands of Alaungpaya’s descendants, whose followers were equally heinous and ruthless psychopaths.

Is Burma a country?

Burma, a name of the country which has been used in the English language, is also known as Myanmar, after the military junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), changed the name to the Burmanized form, and insisted on the use of it in the English language as well. The name “Burma” will be used in this commentary, ...

Who opened fire on Fort Sumter?

The bloodiest four years in American history begin when Confederate shore batteries under General P.G.T. Beauregard open fire on Union-held Fort Sumter in South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor. During the next 34 hours, 50 Confederate guns and mortars launched more than 4,000 rounds at the poorly supplied fort. On April 13, U.S. Major Robert Anderson surrendered the fort. Two days later, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to quell the Southern “insurrection.”

Who was the first president of the Confederate States?

In February 1861, delegates from those states convened to establish a unified government. Jefferson Davis of Mississippi was subsequently elected the first president of the Confederate States of America. When Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, a total of seven states ( Texas had joined the pack) had seceded from the Union, ...

Who was the President of the United States during the Civil War?

Two days later, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to quell the Southern “insurrection.”. As early as 1858, the ongoing conflict between North and South over the issue of slavery had led Southern leadership to discuss a unified separation from the United States.

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Overview

Conflict by region

The Mizo people of Mizoram, India, and the Chin people of Myanmar, as well as the Kuki people, are all Zo people who share a common culture and history.
In 1960, the Chin Liberation Army was founded by Tun Kho Pum Baite to unify the Chin-inhabited areas, while the Mizo National Front (MNF) fought for Mizo independence. The Chin National Army (CNF) was formed in 1988. It signed a c…

Background

In 1940, during World War II, a group of young Burmese intellectuals left for Japan to receive military training in preparation for an anti-colonial struggle against the British. This group came to be known as the Thirty Comrades, and upon returning to Burma in 1941 they established the Burma Independence Army (BIA) to fight against the Allies. Upon their capture of Rangoon in 1942, the Japanese established a puppet state, the State of Burma, and reorganised the BIA as its arme…

Course of the conflict

Following Burma's independence from the United Kingdom on 4 January 1948, the two largest opposition groups in the country were the communists, led by the Communist Party of Burma (CPB), and the Karen nationalists, led by the Karen National Union (KNU).
Initially there was calm during the transitional period after independence, but o…

Foreign support

The People's Republic of China has long been accused of having a multifaceted role in the conflict, given its close relations with both the Myanmar government and insurgent groups active along the China–Myanmar border.
China openly supported the Communist Party of Burma (CPB) and its pursuit of Mao Zedong Thought during the 1960s and 1970s. After the CPB's armed wing agreed to disarm in 1988, Chin…

Ceasefire attempts

A number of insurgent groups have negotiated ceasefires and peace agreements with successive governments, but most have since fallen apart.
Under the new constitutional reforms in 2011, state level and union level ceasefire agreements were made with a number of insurgent groups. Fourteen of the 17 largest rebel factions signed a ceasefire agreement with the new reformed government. All of the 14 signatories wanted negoti…

Human rights violations

The government of Myanmar has been accused of using "scorched earth" tactics against civilians, most notably in Kayin State. The accusations included burning down entire villages, planting landmines, using civilians as slave labour, using civilians as minesweepers and the rape and murder of Karen women. According to a report by legal firm DLA Piper, whose report was presented to the United Nations Security Council, these tactics against the Karen have been iden…

Casualties and displacement of civilians

An estimated 130,000 people died in the conflict from 1948 to 2011. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) has recorded over 30,000 deaths since 2011.
The conflict has also resulted in the displacement of a large number of civilians, many of whom have fled to neighbouring countries such as Thailand, China, In…

Overview

The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang (KMT)-led government of the Republic of China (ROC) and forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), lasting intermittently after 1927.
The war is generally divided into two phases with an interlude: from August 1927 to 1937, the KMT-CCP Alliance collapsed during the Northern Expedition, …

Aftermath and unsolved issues (1949–present)

Most observers expected Chiang's government to eventually fall to the imminent invasion of Taiwan by the People's Liberation Army, and the US was initially reluctant in offering full support for Chiang in their final stand. US President Harry S. Truman announced on 5 January 1950 that the United States would not engage in any dispute involving the Taiwan Strait, and that he would not interv…

Background

Following the collapse of the Qing dynasty and the 1911 Revolution, Sun Yat-sen assumed the presidency of the newly formed Republic of China, and was shortly thereafter succeeded by Yuan Shikai. Yuan was frustrated in a short-lived attempt to restore monarchy in China, and China fell into power struggle after his death in 1916.
The Kuomintang (KMT), led by Sun Yat-sen, created a new government in Guangzhou to rival the w…

Communist insurgency (1927–1937)

On 1 August 1927, the Communist Party launched an uprising in Nanchang against the Nationalist government in Wuhan. This conflict led to the creation of the Red Army. On 4 August, the main forces of the Red Army left Nanchang and headed southwards for an assault on Guangdong. Nationalist forces quickly reoccupied Nanchang while the remaining members of the CCP in Nanchang went into hiding. A CCP meeting on 7 August confirmed the objective of the party wa…

Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945)

During Japan's invasion and occupation of Manchuria, Chiang Kai-shek saw the CCP as the greater threat. Chiang refused to ally with the CCP, preferring to unite China by eliminating the warlord and CCP forces first. He believed his forces were too weak to face the Japanese Imperial Army; only after unification could the KMT mobilize against Japan. He ignored the Chinese people's disco…

Immediate post-war clashes (1945–1946)

Under the terms of the Japanese unconditional surrender dictated by the Allies, Japanese troops were to surrender to KMT troops but not to the CCP, which was present in some of the occupied areas. In Manchuria, however, where the KMT had no forces, the Japanese surrendered to the Soviet Union. Chiang Kai-shek reminded Japanese troops to remain at their posts to receive the KMT, b…

Resumed fighting (1946–1949)

By the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the power of the Communist Party grew considerably. Their main force grew to 1.2 million troops, backed with additional militia of 2 million, totalling 3.2 million troops. Their "Liberated Zone" in 1945 contained 19 base areas, including one-quarter of the country's territory and one-third of its population; this included many important towns and cities. …

Reasons for the Communist victory

The historian Rana Mitter concluded that the Nationalist government in 1945 had been "fundamentally destroyed by the war with Japan."
Historian Odd Arne Westad says the Communists won the Civil War because they made fewer military mistakes than Chiang Kai-shek and also because in his search for a powerful centralized government, Chiang antagonized too many interest groups in China. Furthermore, his party was …

1.Internal conflict in Myanmar - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_conflict_in_Myanmar

3 hours ago  · Date. 14 December 1941 – 13 September 1945 (3 years, 11 months, 4 weeks and 1 day) Location. Burma and India. Result. Allied victory. Territorial changes. Dissolution of the State of Burma and restoration of British Rule.

2.The Wars of Burma/Myanmar - The History Guy

Url:https://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_burma_myanmar.htm

27 hours ago  · When Did The Burmese Civil War Start? Across much of Myanmar, Muslim mobs took to the streets in 2013. The violence occurred amid the rise of the 969 movement spearheaded by U Wirathu, a leader of Buddhism’s nationalist movement. Peace conferences have been held in an effort to end the conflict after political reforms ended in 2015.

3.Chinese Civil War - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Civil_War

26 hours ago The civil war began in 1948, and has continued with varying degrees of intensity ever since. In 1988, a pro-democracy movement was crushed violently by the military dictatorship, which also renamed the nation "Myanmar." ... Second World War: Burma Campaign (1942-1945) Burmese Civil War (1948-Present)--Long and complex civil war involving ...

4.Timeline | Free Burma Rangers

Url:https://www.freeburmarangers.org/home-page/situation/timeline/

25 hours ago January 4, 1948 – Burma gains independence from the United Kingdom. January 31, 1949 – Rising tensions between the Burman and Karen erupt in full blown conflict. This date marks the start of the civil war in Burma.

5.BBC - History - World Wars: The Burma Campaign 1941

Url:https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/burma_campaign_01.shtml

16 hours ago  · The raid at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 was a devastating blow to the Americans. It failed, however, in its main aim, that of sinking the American fleet's aircraft carriers. This was because ...

6.A Brief Commentary on Burma’s/Myanmar’s Civil War

Url:https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/brief-commentary-burmasmyanmars-civil-war

5 hours ago  · He can be considered as the father of Burma’s civil war. ... This perfidious act made China start questioning the sincerity and trustworthiness of the SPDC junta. When the Burman generals resumed war against the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in June 2011, after nearly 18 years of ceasefire and natural resources looting, China started ...

7.U.S. Civil War Begins - HISTORY

Url:https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-civil-war-begins

21 hours ago  · As early as 1858, the ongoing conflict between North and South over the issue of slavery had led Southern leadership to discuss a unified separation from the United States.

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