The Bill which would become the Act was approved on 5 November 1947 by a vote of 288 in favour with 114 against. Churchill criticised the character of Burmese leaders calling Aung San a "traitor rebel leader" for having gone over to the Japanese during the recent War. He expressed his government's regret that Burma had chosen not to become a British Dominion and instead would leave the Commonwealth. Aung San also concluded an agreement with the country’s ethnic nationalities for a unified Burma. One such unit was the Indian National Army (INA) that fought for Japan in the Burma Theater 1942-45. It envisaged the drawing up of a constitution by representatives of the Burmese people with a view to full self-government. Further, the Japanese repressed the Rohingya for their pro-British stance. The British governor, Hubert Elvin Rance (left) and Burma’s first president, Sao Shwe Thaik, stand at attention as the new nation’s flag is raised on January 4, 1948. 3) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that conferred independence on Burma, today called Myanmar. The BIA—originally formed in Japan—was re-organized into the Burma Defense Army (BDA), of which Aung San was the head. He reported that the earliest connections with Burma derive from the activities of the East India Company, that Burma at that time was a kingdom, and that the whole country was annexed by the United Kingdom in 1886. On Jan. 4, 1948, Burma (now officially known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) marked an end to 60-years of colonial rule as it formally declared independence from Britain. 1957 The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), an ethnic rebel organization, was founded by Saw Maw Reh. The Burma Independence Act 1947 (1947, 11 Geo. Churchill also said there were "grave doubts that the assent of the frontier tribes has been honestly and genuinely given" to the new constitutional arrangements.[6]. The Japanese left in 1945, and, in 1948, Burma gained its independence from the British. Burma - which had been making increasing demands for independence since their occupation by Japan in World War II - became an independent republic … The Burma Independence Act 1947 (1947, 11 Geo. Churhchill said "the British Empire seems to be running off almost as fast as the American Loan". Britain agreed to the eventual independence of Burma within the British Commonwealth on May 17, 1945. Perhaps more than any other conflict, World War II produced some unusual military formations that defied easy categorization. However, the British were pragmatic about the popular support this 32-year-old man enjoyed and Aung San eventually managed to negotiate Burma’s independence from Britain in January 1947. Russians mark 10th anniversary of independence of Burma in Moscow. HC Deb 5 November 1947 vol 443 cc1836-9611836, Burma independence documents from the Burma Library, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Burma_Independence_Act_1947&oldid=971608452, Independence acts in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning India, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The Burma Independence Army (BIA) was a collaborationist and revolutionary army that fought for the end of British rule in Burma by assisting the Japanese in their conquest of the country in 1942 during World War II. After Myanmar gained independence from the British in 1948, Lord Mountbatten, the governor-general of India, returned the Thihathana Palin—the Lion Throne—to Myanmar. VI, Ch. The Act's most important provisions were:-, Prime Minister Clement Attlee introduced the Bill in Parliament for its second reading. Nonetheless, Burma was separated from the rest of India in 1937 with little opposition from Indian nationalist leaders agitating for independence from Britain, as … Burma Independence. (Wikimedia Commons) Burma was a part of India from 1826 until it became a self-governing unit of the British Commonwealth, complete with a constitution, on April 1, 1937. Massacre Under Japanese Occupation In the 19th century, following three Anglo-Burmese Wars, Burma was colonized by Britain.On 1 April 1937, Burma became a separately administered colony of Great Britain and Ba Maw the first Prime Minister and Premier of Burma. 1947 - Bogyoke Aung San, Burma's ethnic leaders and the British sign the Panglong Agreement to form the Union of Burma. Notably, it declined to join the British Commonwealth. Burma celebrates her independence. [2] He explained that the United Kingdom government had a duty to see to it that "minorities for whom we had a special responsibility were given due position under the new Constitution” and reported that he was satisfied that that was the case. Burma was renamed Myanmar in 1989 by its military government. Allied troops and Japanese troops clashed on July 19-August 4, 1945, resulting in the deaths of some 9,500 Japanese soldiers and 95 Allied soldiers. It was the first post-colonial army in Burmese history. On January 4, 1948, Burma gained independence from Britain and a multi party system was established. Burma fought for independence from Great Britain in the late 1940s under the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League led by Aung San, U Nu, and Ne Win. The Burma Independence Act 1947 (1947, 11 Geo. The Prime Minister reported that one of the most difficult problems in framing any constitution for Burma was the position of the tribes of the hill country, the Chins, the Kachins, the Shans of the Shan States, and the minority community of the Karens, these peoples having been administered under separate administration until they were brought under Burmese administration under the Government of Burma Act 1935. Recognition of Burmese Independence, 1948. The one major factor or enabler of the reach and spread of the British Empire was India. [3], The Prime Minister also provided Parliament with an overview of the historic relationship between the United Kingdom and Burma. The formation of a Burmese government under Aung San followed with elections to a Constituent Assembly in which the party of Aung San won a majority. Effective British rule over the whole of Burma has lasted just over 60 years. Tragically, a political rival assassinated Aung San resulting finally in a military government in Burma … He deplored that the legislation would "cut Burma out of the Empire altogether, and ... make her a foreign Power". [1] He explained that its purpose was to give effect to the will of the peoples of Burma as expressed by their elected representatives that their country should become an independent State, should cease to be part of the British Commonwealth of Nations and should no longer form part of the King's Dominions. Japan declared independence for Myanmar from the British, but the Burmese continued to struggle for freedom from foreign domination, this time by the Japanese. The Union of Burma came into being on 4 January 1948 as an independent republic outside the Commonwealth. Traditional Burmese society was drastically altered by the demise of the monarchy and the separation of religion and state. [4], He reported too that in May, 1945, a statement of United Kingdom government policy concerning Burma was issued. Independence of Burma The British departure from India in 1947 made their remaining colonies in South Asia redundant. A foreign policy of neutrality was decided upon, but, because of internal strife, no peace resulted. The Act received the royal assent on 10 December 1947. The Union of Burma came into being on 4 January 1948 as an independent republic outside the Commonwealth. The throne, which represents Myanmar’s sovereignty, is also on display at the National Museum. VI, Ch. that Burma would become an independent country on 4 January 1948. that the suzerainty of the British King over the part of Burma at the time known as the. He deplored the "extraordinary haste". It was the first post-colonial army in Burmese history. On Jan. 4, 1948, Burma ended 60 years of colonial rule when it officially declared independence from Britain. Traditional activities and festivals are held throughout the country to celebrate the season. He criticized U Saw, who had been interned during the War, in similar terms. Thousands of soldiers from Britain’s “Jewel in the Crown” colony fought for the Japanese against British forces. He explained that in the future, the relationship between Burma and the United Kingdom would be based on a Treaty and on friendship. Ba Maw was an outspoken advocate for Burmese self-rule, and he opposed the participation of Great Britain, and by extension Burma, in World War II. Burma’s Struggle for Autonomy In June 1945, Burmese soldiers fought with the British to expel Japanese invaders from Burma during World War II. Though war officially ended after only a couple of weeks, resistance continued in northern Burma until 1890, with the British finally resorting to a systematic destruction of vil… Aung San, (born Feb. 13, 1915, Natmauk, Burma [now Myanmar]—died July 19, 1947, Rangoon [now Yangon]), Burmese nationalist leader and assassinated hero who was instrumental in securing Burma’s independence from Great Britain. Shan National Sao Shwe Taik became the new country’s first President and U Nu its first Prime Minister. He pointed out that the aim outlined in the United Kingdom government White Paper of May, 1945 was for Burma to attain Dominion status, subject to its prior attainment of certain political milestones. The Act received the royal assent on 10 December 1947. Burmese nationalists allied themselves with Japan during World War II, and Burma gained its independence from Britain in 1948. The independent Union of Burma came into being on 4 January 1948. 3) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that conferred independence on Burma, today called Myanmar. He concluded his remarks by remarking that he believed the future of Burma "should be bright". Since independence The unsettled early years, 1948–62. The Burma Independence Army (BIA) was a collaborationist and revolutionary army that fought for the end of British rule in Burma by assisting the Japanese in their conquest of the country in 1942 during World War II. To make matters worse, the British also armed the Muslim Rohingya to create a buffer against the Japanese, which contributed to the violence. Winter 2020 Intersession: Final Date to.. UCA dedicates itself to academic vitality, integrity, and diversity. Majesty's dominions and not entitled to His Majesty's protection, and for consequential and connected matters. He resigned from the Legislative Assembly and was arrested for sedition. VI, Ch. Governor-General Dorman-Smith created the Executive Council on June 20, 1945. It achieved full independence as the Union of Burma on January 4, 1948, and in 1989 officially changed its name to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Pyidaunzu Thanmăda… A series of meetings between UK and the Burmese leaders followed too. He believed there would have been no difficulty in carrying out that programme in an orderly and careful manner. With its economy shattered and its towns and villages destroyed during the war, Burma needed peace. How did Burma gain independence? In 1940, before Japan formally entered the war, Aung San formed the Burma Independence Army in Japan. Because India gained Independence. A pious Buddhist and a former schoolteacher, U Nu (both words are pronounced to rhyme with "woo") was prominent in the movement that led to Burma's independence from Britain in 1948. He argued that British Dominion status was an indispensable stage in any policy which ought to have been pursued. All Rights Reserved, Alpha Delta Theta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, UCA Model United Nations (MUN) Organization. Because of Aung San's ability to reason with the British, they left without a revolution like ours against the British in 1776. Burma was declared a province of India in November 1885 on the orders of the Secretary of State for India, Lord Randolph Churchill,with its capital at Rangoon, a move that ushered in a new period of economic growth. Myanmar - Myanmar - The initial impact of colonialism: The chain of events following the Third Anglo-Burmese War dealt a bitter blow to Myanmar. Britain's connections to Burma go a long way back, especially in the little villages and towns of the Irrawaddy delta now wrecked by Cyclone Nargis. The Burmese celebrate their Independence Day on January 4, 1948. 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