Myanmar Spring Chronicle – March 2: A Perspective
MoeMaKa, March 3, 2025
63 Years After Myanmar’s First Military Coup
If we were to officially define Myanmar’s first military coup, it would be the March 2, 1962, takeover by the military under the name of the Revolutionary Council. Some historical records also consider the 1958 transfer of power to a caretaker government, led by the military at the request of Prime Minister U Nu’s government, as an early form of a military takeover. However, U Nu’s decision to hand over power was seen as an attempt to avoid an outright military coup and to ensure elections were held. Since the caretaker government was a temporary arrangement that returned power after elections, it is difficult to define it as a full-fledged coup. Nevertheless, the military had already harbored intentions of ending multi-party politics as early as 1958. This was not just the perspective of General Ne Win alone but was shared by several military commanders who had joined the army during the independence struggle.
On March 2, 1962, while ethnic political groups were discussing federalism at a conference in Yangon’s Broadcasting House, the military staged a coup, justifying it with claims that the country was at risk of disintegration and chaos.
Even though U Nu had sought to avoid a coup in 1958 by forming the caretaker government, he seemingly did not anticipate Ne Win’s military takeover in 1962. Historical records suggest that when military officers arrived at his residence to arrest him, U Nu asked whether Ne Win was aware of the situation. On that same day, the military raided the residence of then-President Sao Shwe Thaik, during which his son was shot and killed by soldiers. While the 1962 coup is often described as a relatively bloodless takeover, this incident remains a notable exception.
Before the 1958 transfer of power, tensions had been escalating within the AFPFL (Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League), the ruling party since independence. A deep division had formed, with one faction led by U Nu and another by Kyaw Nyein and Ba Swe. This split led to fierce competition in the 1960 elections, with military officers allegedly siding with the “Stable Faction” of Kyaw Nyein and Ba Swe. After the elections, Ne Win removed several military officers who were accused of political interference.
Less than two years later, using federalism discussions as a pretext, the military staged the 1962 coup. The ruling body that emerged from the coup was named the Revolutionary Council. Some media outlets at the time referred to it simply as the “Military Council,” a term that reappeared in 2021 when the military took power again under the name “State Administration Council,” but was widely referred to as the “Military Council” by the media.
During the 1962 coup, the Cold War was at its peak. The United States and Western capitalist nations, while opposing communism, were not particularly resistant to military rulers as long as they were not communist-aligned. In Southeast Asia, military dictatorships were not uncommon, and as long as a country did not ally with the Soviet Union or China, the West did not actively oppose military takeovers.
Unlike later Myanmar governments that leaned toward China, the 1962 military regime did not have strong ties with Beijing or the Soviet Union. This allowed the United States and Western countries to maintain diplomatic relations with Myanmar despite the coup. However, domestically, the coup led to the abolition of political parties and preparations for a one-party socialist system, which was fully implemented by 1966.
The most significant opposition to the coup came from student unions. In response, the military bombed the Rangoon University Student Union building in July 1962, killing dozens of students. This “July 7 Incident” marked the beginning of military suppression of students. Ethnic armed groups also resisted the coup, but the broader political factions did not immediately oppose it. Some political figures even believed the military would genuinely implement socialism, a miscalculation that later proved costly.
Following the coup, nationalization efforts rapidly took place, with foreign-owned businesses and private enterprises being seized by the state. The military’s 1962 coup not only prolonged internal conflicts in Myanmar but also entrenched military dominance in politics, setting a precedent for future coups.