Aung San (Myanmar)

Introduction

Aung San, the father of modern Myanmar, led the anti-colonial movement in the 1940s, securing independence for his country through post-war negotiations with the UK. A revolutionary student and Japanese-sponsored rebel, Aung San managed to unite the Burmans and the disparate ethic nationalities in a common struggle. Using both peaceful and military means, he forced the British administration to negotiate an organized transfer of power. His assassination the year before independence created a hero’s cult. Aung San Sui Kyi, his third child with Daw Khin Kyi, has been associated with his achievements.

Early Life

Aung San was born on 13th Feb. 1915 at Natmauk in the central Burmese district of Magwe. His father, U Pha, a lawyer, and his mother, Daw Su, came from prosperous gentry families with a pedigree of resistance to colonial rule. He received his education in a monastic establishment and at the Vernacular High School in Natmauk and after at the National High School,...