Myanmar Merdeka Dari Inggris Dalam Sejarah Hari Ini, 4 Januari 1948

Myanmar independence fighter Aung San gave a speech around the 1940s. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA History today, 76 years ago, January 4, 1948, Burma (now: Myanmar) officially holds the status of an independent and bardaulat country. Independence was obtained because the whole of Myanmar did not want to live under British colonialism anymore.

Previously, access to education for young people made the national movement even more burning. Myanmar independence fighters also appeared. Aung San and U Nu became the figures. The struggle brought the whole of Myanmar to strongly oppose colonialism.

Education is often a powerful 'gun' of resistance. that is what can be seen in the struggle of the people of Myanmar to achieve independence. Access to more open education makes the sensitivity of young people even more honed.

This sensitivity made them feel that England's colonialism did not bring profit. Colonialization has many disadvantages, rather than benefits. The radical student group called itself Thakin in the 1930s. Aung San and U Nu became the big figures.

Every day the ideas of independence were shared by them. British authorities who harm the people are trying to be undermined. This condition made the British colonialists angry. The radical youths began to be hunted. Aung San, who is the father of Aung San Suu Kyi and his friends, was forced to flee abroad.

Aung San tried to flee to China. He felt that China could help Myanmar's struggle for independence. Aung San's allegation missed. Instead of getting help from China, Aung San changed his tactics by pretending to support Japan in the Pacific War.

All because Japan managed to arrest Aung San and his friends while in China. Aung San's strategy was successful. Japan also invited Aung San and his troops, the Burmese Independence Army to attack the British colonialists in 1942.

England was able to be expelled and Japan became a new colonialist. Aung San then played a strategy again so he didn't have to sweat or sacrifice many lives. Japan, which began to lose in the Pacific War, was the reason Aung San pretended to approach England to fight Japan. The strategy brings results. Even though Britain tried to colonize Myanmar a second time.

The Japanese occupation took Burmese nationalism to a new, relatively important stage. In the 1930s a group of radical students who called themselves Thakin fled to China for fear of being arrested by the colonialists. There they met Japanese agents who convinced them to form the Burma Independence Army (The Burmese Independence Army).

Carrying the names of 30men, these young men left for Japan and received training in intelligence, military strategies, political organizations and guerrilla warfare. Their leader Thakin Aung San secretly left Burma in 1940, hoping to get help from the Chinese Communists. However, he was arrested by Japan in Amoy (Xiamen) and because he had no other choice, he was forced to cooperate with Japan even though he himself basically did not like Japanese-style fascism," explained MC historian Ricklefs and his friends in the book History of Southeast Asia: From Prehistoric Period to Contemporary (2013).

The second time British colonialism has been difficult in Myanmar. The people of Myanmar began to rise up against England. Moreover, Aung San's movement, which is increasingly threatening British colonialism. The position of Myanmar already understands that independence is the best way compared to being colonized by England.

At its peak, Aung San managed to force England to the negotiating table in 1947. This condition made Myanmar win big. England managed to be pressured so that it was willing to recognize Myanmar's independence.

Myanmar's independence was widely known to occur on January 4, 1948. Even though Aung San has passed away. U Nu then continued Aung San's mission to build Myanmar as a new country.

In July Aung San and most of his cabinet members were killed by gunmen sent by U Saw, a former British-era prime minister and now a conservative. U Nu then moved to form a new cabinet. A new constitution was created, and on January 4, 1948, Burma became a sovereign and independent republic, "is written on the Britannica page.