The rise and fall of general Ne Win

1947 March–The Burma Army led by Ne Win mounts “Operation Flush” to quell a peasant rebellion in the Pyinmana area in Burma’s first counter-insurgency operation 1949 Feb 1—Ne Win replaces Lt-Gen Smith-Dun, the Karen commander in chief of the Burma Army. Apr 1—Ne Win becomes deputy prime minister with charge of the Home and Defence ministries, in addition to his post as supreme commander of the armed forces. 1958 The military, led by Ne Win holds a conference in Mingaladon and reaffirms its “neutral role” and its “complete faith in democracy” while promising to “stand by the constitution.” Sept 26—Ne Win is invited by U Nu to form a military-led Caretaker government. Oct 28—U Nu resigns and the military, led by Ne Win, forms a new government. 1960 Jan 24-29—Ne Win visits China and holds talks with Zhou Enlai. A treaty of mutual nonaggression and a Sino-Burmese boundary agreement are signed. April 4—U Nu becomes prime minister again. 1962 March 2—The Burma Army, led by Ne Win, overthrows U Nu’s government. U Nu and his ministers are jailed along with over thirty Shan and Karenni leaders. The Army dynamites the Students’ Union building. 1963 Feb 15—Ne Win announces state takeover of production, distribution, import, and export of all commodities. No new private industry will be allowed; the private sector is limited to retail trade. A rapid decline of the economy follows. 1965 July 24—August 1—Ne Win visits China. Sept 14-25—Ne Win visits the Soviet Union. 1966 May 7-11—Ne Win visits Pakistan. Sept 8-10 —Ne Win visits the US on a state visit. October 18 —U Nu released from custody. 1967 June 30ญ—Radio Beijing begins to attack the Ne Win government as “counter-revo lutionary, fascist, and reactionary.” 1968 Sept 18 —a Commanding Officers’ conference is held. Ne Win discusses the formation of a people’s militia and the launching of a “people’s war” against the insurgents. June 1ญ—The Internal Unity Advisory Board submits its report, recommending a national coalition government, peace talks with the rebels and the decentralisation of the economy. Twenty-two members want a multi-party system while eleven recommend a socialist system. June 2–Ne Win rejects the proposal. 1972 April 20—Ne Win and twenty other military officers resign from the service. 1973 May 10—Ne Win visits Thailand 1974 Nov 11 —Ne Win visits China 1975 Nov 11-15 ญ—Ne Win visits China and reaches an agreement that there will be no “aggressive acts” between the two nations. Dec 24 –Ne Win storms into Inya Lake Hotel and stops the music as a noisy Christmas party is goingon. 1977 Nov 26—Ne Win arrives in Phnom Penh as the first foreign head of state to visit Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge takeover in April 1975. 1981 June 14—Thakin Ba Thein Tin announces over the CPB’s clandestine radio that “though the Ne Win-San Yu military regime has unilaterally broken up the negotiations, the CPB is prepared to sit down at the table again if the conditions are favorable. Aug 8—The BSPP’s fourth congress concludes in Rangoon. Ne Win announces that he intends to retire from his position as president of Burma, but remain chairman of the BSPP. 1987 August 10—Ne Win admits in a nine and a half minute TV speech that mistakes have been made during his twenty-five years in power, adding that even constitu tional changes must be made “in order to keep abreast with the times.” 1988 July 23–As student protests against the regime gain momentum throughout Burma, Ne Win resigns as BSPP chairman, his last official post. Source: Burma in Revolt—Bertil Lintner.