Anglo-Burmese wars

History of Myanmar

Prehistory of Myanmar 11,000–200 BCE Pyu city-states 200 BCE–1050 CE (Sri Ksetra Kingdom, Tagaung Kingdom) Mon kingdoms 825?–1057 Arakanese kingdoms 788?–1406
Pagan Kingdom 849–1297 Early Pagan Kingdom 849–1044 Warring states period Upper Burma 1297–1555 Myinsaing and Pinya Kingdoms 1297–1364 Sagaing Kingdom 1315–64 Kingdom of Ava 1364–1555 Prome Kingdom 1482–1542 Hanthawaddy Kingdom 1287–1539, 1550–52 Shan States 1215–1563 Kingdom of Mrauk U 1429–1785 Toungoo Dynasty 1510–1752 First Toungoo Empire 1510–99 Nyaungyan Restoration 1599–1752 Restored Hanthawaddy 1740–57 Konbaung Dynasty 1752–1885
British colonial period 1824–1948 Anglo-Burmese wars 1824–85 Nationalist movement 1900–48 Japanese occupation 1942–45
Modern era 1948–present Union of Burma 1948–62 Socialist Republic 1962–88 Union of Myanmar 1988–2010 Political reforms 2011–12
Timeline List of capitals Leaders Royal chronicles Military history

There have been three Burmese Wars or Anglo-Burmese Wars:

First Anglo-Burmese War (1824 to 1826)^[1]
Second Anglo-Burmese War (1842 to 1853)
Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885)

War with Britain and the fall of Burma

The expansion of Burma had consequences along its frontiers. As those frontiers moved ever closer to British East India Company and later British India, there were problems both with refugees and military operations spilling over ill-defined borders.^[1]

First Anglo-Burmese War

Main article: First Anglo-Burmese War

The First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826) ended in a British East India Company victory, and by the Treaty of Yandabo, Burma lost territory previously conquered in Assam, Manipur, and Arakan.^[2] The British also took possession of Tenasserim with the intention to use it as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with either Burma or Siam.^[3] As the century wore on, the British East India Company began to covet the resources and main part of Burma during an era of great territorial expansion.^[4]

Second Anglo-Burmese War

Main article: Second Anglo-Burmese War

In 1852, Commodore Lambert was dispatched to Burma by Lord Dalhousie over a number of minor issues related to the previous treaty.^[2] The Burmese immediately made concessions including the removal of a governor whom the British had made their casus belli. Lambert eventually provoked a naval confrontation in extremely questionable circumstances and thus started the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, which ended in the British annexation of Pegu province,^[1] renamed Lower Burma. The war resulted in a palace revolution in Burma, with King Pagan Min (1846–1852) being replaced by his half brother, Mindon Min (1853–1878).^[2]

Third Anglo-Burmese War

Main article: Third Anglo-Burmese War

King Mindon tried to modernise the Burmese state and economy to resist British encroachments, and he established a new capital at Mandalay, which he proceeded to fortify.^[1]^[5] This was not enough to stop the British, however, who claimed that Mindon's son Thibaw Min (ruled 1878–1885) was a tyrant intending to side with the French,^[6] that he had lost control of the country, thus allowing for disorder at the frontiers, and that he was reneging on a treaty signed by his father.^[1] The British declared war once again in 1885, conquering the remainder of the country in the Third Anglo-Burmese War resulting in total annexation of Burma.^[1]^[7]

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 San Beck Org.
1 2 3 Lt. Gen. Sir Arthur P. Phayre (1967). History of Burma (2 ed.). London: Susil Gupta. pp. 236–247.
↑ D.G.E. Hall (1960). Burma (PDF). Hutchinson University Library. pp. 109–113.
↑ Thant Myint-U (2008). The River of Lost Footsteps (1 paperback ed.). USA: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 113–127.
↑ German Language Institute
↑ www.enotes.com
↑ Thant Myint-U (2008). The River of Lost Footsteps (1 paperback ed.). USA: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 161–162 + photo.