Military cooperation of the countries of the West and post-colonial elite of Burma/Myanmar in the second half of XX – early XXI century
Abstract
After the independence of Burma/Myanmar in 1948, the country's development was accompanied by intense interaction between the local post-colonial elite and Western countries. The article examines an important aspect of this cooperation – contacts in the military sphere (the procurement of weapons and military equipment, the training of the Burmese army, the establishment in Burma of an Autonomous military production, etc.). It is emphasized that the main role in the rearmament of the National armed forces in the postwar years was played by the German the state arms company Fitz Werner GmbH (FWG), the cooperation with which the Burmese side noted the «Memorial to Relations with Love», erected in Germany. As the author concludes, the military cooperation of the countries of the West and the post-colonial elite of Burma/Myanmar facilitated the victory in the intra-Birmingian civil confrontation of the local ruling elite and contributed to the achievement of a long-term compromise between the modern and conservative wings of the latter. It is concluded that the skilful use of the factor of military-political cooperation with the West by the national elite of Burma/Myanmar by the beginning of the 21st century, without exaggeration, opened up new prospects for the country.
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