Aung San
Who was Aung San?
Burmese independence leader and founder of the modern Burmese army who negotiated Burma's independence from Britain before being assassinated in 1947.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Aung San (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Aung San was born on February 13, 1915, in Natmauk, a small town in central Burma, into a family known for resisting colonial rule. He studied at the University of Yangon, where he became interested in politics. As a student, he showed a strong ability for leadership and got involved in campus politics and activism. He married Khin Kyi, and they had children, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who would later play a major role in Burmese politics.
Aung San's political career took off in the late 1930s. He joined the Thakin Society in 1938 as its general secretary and helped start the Communist Party of Burma in 1939. However, he left soon after due to disagreements with party leaders. He then co-founded the People's Revolutionary Party, which later became the Burma Socialist Party, with the goal of ending British colonial rule. Just before World War II, he went to China seeking international support for Burmese independence, marking the start of his strategic global engagement.
During World War II, Aung San worked with Imperial Japan, serving as minister of war in the Japanese-backed State of Burma under Dr. Ba Maw. He formed the Burma Independence Army, fighting with the Japanese to push the British out of Burma. But as the war turned against Japan, Aung San switched sides in 1945, aligning with the Allied forces to fight Japan. This move was not driven by loyalty but by his commitment to achieving Burmese independence by any available means.
After the Allies won, Aung San became the leading figure in Burmese politics. He was the 5th Premier of the British Crown Colony of Burma from 1946 to 1947 and led the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League. In January 1947, he went to London and negotiated the Aung San–Attlee Agreement, which promised Burmese independence within a year. He also worked to unite Burma's different ethnic groups, leading to the Panglong Conference of February 1947, where Shan, Kachin, and Chin leaders agreed to seek independence with the Burman majority.
On July 19, 1947, Aung San was assassinated in Yangon along with six cabinet members during a morning meeting, shot by gunmen on the orders of political rival U Saw. He was 32 years old. Burma gained independence on January 4, 1948, just months after his death. He never saw the outcome of his lifelong struggle for independence. Aung San was posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun. He is honored throughout Myanmar as the Father of the Nation, the Father of Independence, and the Father of the Tatmadaw.
Before Fame
Aung San grew up in Natmauk during the peak of British rule in Burma, when many people were frustrated with foreign control and the repression of Burmese political and cultural identity. His family opposed colonial rule, and this shaped his early views. He was an avid reader and a dedicated student, which helped him get to the University of Yangon, where he got involved in student politics.
At university, Aung San was elected to the executive committee of the Rangoon University Students' Union in his first year and edited its newspaper. These experiences gave him a platform and a voice at a time when student movements were among the few places where Burmese people could openly challenge colonial power. During these years, he was introduced to socialist and anti-imperialist ideas that became the intellectual foundation for his future political work.
Key Achievements
- Founded the Burma Independence Army and the modern Tatmadaw (Myanmar's armed forces)
- Negotiated the Aung San–Attlee Agreement in 1947, securing a binding British commitment to Burmese independence
- Organized the Panglong Conference, achieving a historic agreement between Burman and major ethnic minority groups
- Served as Premier of the British Crown Colony of Burma and led the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League to electoral dominance
- Posthumously received the Order of the Rising Sun in recognition of his role in shaping modern Myanmar
Did You Know?
- 01.Aung San helped found the Communist Party of Burma in 1939 but resigned almost immediately due to sharp disagreements with the rest of the party's leadership.
- 02.He trained in Japan as one of the 'Thirty Comrades,' a group of Burmese nationalists who received military instruction from Japanese officers and formed the nucleus of the Burma Independence Army.
- 03.His daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and lead Myanmar's National League for Democracy, continuing his political legacy nearly half a century after his death.
- 04.The Panglong Agreement he brokered in February 1947 with ethnic minority leaders remains a reference point in ongoing debates about federalism and ethnic rights in Myanmar today.
- 05.Aung San was assassinated at the age of 32, meaning he spent fewer than two years as the colony's premier before being killed just months before the independence he had negotiated was formally declared.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the Rising Sun | — | — |