The caretaker government of the Union of Burma (1st November 1958 - 4th April 1960)

Abstract

This thesis examines the forgotten short period in the modern history of the Union of Burma which was widely neglected by the international and local scholars who studied the modern history of the Union of Burma. By examining this case with all the resources available and some personal interviews, the researcher clarified the neglected short sub period of the Caretaker Government which was headed by the Army Chief of Staff with his handpicked cabinet members. The researcher also clarified the way that the Caretaker Government discharged the problems concerning with the security and restoring of Rule of Law and Peace during its short period. It also found out the harsh rules could only carry on for a short period and could not be applied in long term. In this study, the major approach is qualitative research methodology with both primary and secondary data. Because the topic is rare and it was not carefully recognized by most of the people, the researcher could not find many books written about that period and that government in details. Thus the researcher could only count on the personal interviews with the former journalists, editors, army officers, student leaders who kindly explained to the researcher about their roles in that Government and their experiences about that government. This thesis mainly argues that the actions of the Caretaker Government and its goals during its time of ruling the Union of Burma. Also to evaluate the achievements of that Caretaker Government. Its impacts on the current political situations of the Union of Burma.