Thirty Comrades
Encyclopedia
The Thirty Comrades constituted the embryo of the modern Burmese
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....

 army called the Burma Independence Army (BIA) which was formed to fight for independence from Britain. This was accomplished just before the majority of the Thirty Comrades returned with the invading Japanese Army initially through Southern Burma
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....

 in December 1941.

In April 1941, small groups of Burmese youth left Burma secretly to obtain military training to fight the British in the struggle for independence. Their leader was Thakin Aung San
Aung San
Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....

 and they were sent by the Dobama Asiayone ("We Burmans Association") with the intention to get assistance from the Chinese Communists. By a quirk of fate, however, they ran into the Japanese instead in Amoy
Amoy
Xiamen, or Amoy, is a city on the southeast coast of China.Amoy may also refer to:*Amoy dialect, a dialect of the Hokkien lects, which are part of the Southern Min group of Chinese languages...

 and arrived in Japan later to be flown to Hainan Island, China, in order to receive military training by the Japanese Army. They were later moved to Formosa for security reasons and subsequently returned to Burma via Vietnam and Thailand with the Japanese army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...

. On 26 December 1941, in a house in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

, about 25 of the Thirty Comrades had their blood drawn from their arms in syringes, then poured into a silver bowl from which each of them drank – thway thauk in time-honoured Burmese military tradition – pledging "eternal loyalty" among themselves and to the cause of Burmese independence. Their average age was just 24 years. A Japanese officer called Colonel Suzuki, better known among the Burmese by his nom de guerre Bo Mogyo (Commander Thunderbolt) and head of a special intelligence unit called Minami Kikan formed in order to support a national uprising in Burma, was the mentor and principal trainer of the Thirty Comrades. The British were driven out of Burma to India during World War II.

The Thirty Comrades, each taking a nom de guerre, were:
No. Nom de guerre Real name Notes
1. Bo Teza Thakin Aung San
Aung San
Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....

Senior Leader, founding member of the Communist Party of Burma
Communist Party of Burma
The Communist Party of Burma is the oldest existing political party in Burma. The party is unrecognised by the Burmese authorities, rendering it illegal; so it operates in a clandestine manner, often associating with insurgent armies along the border of People's Republic of China...

 (CPB) and leader of the group sent by Thakin Kodaw Hmaing
Thakin Kodaw Hmaing
Thakin Kodaw Hmaing is considered one of the greatest Burmese poets, writers and political leaders in the 20th century history of Burma. He is regarded as the Father of Burmese nationalist and peace movements as well as a literary genius...

, he was simply called Bogyoke Aung San by the rest, became War Minister in 1944 before he led the Burma National Army
Burma National Army
The Burma National Army served as the armed forces of the Burmese government created by the Japanese during World War II and fought in the Burma Campaign...

 (BNA) in the Resistance against the Japanese, co-founded the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League
The Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League , or hpa hsa pa la by its Burmese acronym, was the main political party in Burma from 1945 until 1962...

 (AFPFL), and was assassinated along with most of his cabinet on 19 July 1947 at the age of 32 before Burma gained independence on 4 January 1948 (See also Martyrs' Day)
2. Thakin Tun Oke Thakin Tun Oke Senior Leader, a leader of the "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction" (Socialists) of the Dobama Asi-ayone who remained in Japan and never underwent military training in Hainan
3. Bo Let Ya Thakin Hla Pe Senior Leader, founder member of the CPB, became Commander in Chief of the Burma Defence Army (BDA) under Gen. Aung San as War Minister during the Japanese Occupation in 1944, signed the Let Ya-Freeman Defence Agreement in 1947 as an annex to the main Nu
U Nu
For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...

-Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...

 Treaty, served in Thakin Nu's AFPFL government as deputy prime minister till 1952, arrested after the breakdown of the 1963 peace parley, rejoined U Nu and his insurgent Parliamentary Democracy Party (PDP) in 1969, killed in action by the Karen National Union
Karen National Union
The Karen National Union is a political organisation with an armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army that represents the Karen people of Burma. It operates in Eastern Burma, and has underground networks in other areas of Burma where Karen people live. In Karen, this Karen area is called...

 (KNU) on 29 November 1978
4. Bo Setkya Thakin Aung Than Senior Leader, "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction", joined the Socilaist Party and served in the AFPFL government, went underground after Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...

's 1962 coup d'état, died shortly before U Nu arrived in Thailand to form the PDP
5. Bo Zeya Hla Maung Senior Leader, a Dobama student who became a Communist leader of the Army rebellion in 1948, returned from China for the 1963 peace parley between Ne Win's Revolutionary Council government and various insurgent groups as head of the CPB delegation, killed in action on 16 April 1968
6. Bo Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...

Thakin Shu Maung Senior Leader, "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction", became Commander in Chief of the Tatmadaw in 1949 following the Karen
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...

 rebellion and removal of Gen. Smith Dun, took over from U Nu as caretaker government
Caretaker government
Caretaker government is a type of government that rules temporarily. A caretaker government is often set up following a war until stable democratic rule can be restored, or installed, in which case it is often referred to as a provisional government...

 after the AFPFL split and escalating insurgency problem in 1958, staged a coup in 1962 and became military dictator of Burma
7. Bo Yan Naing Tun Shein Leader, a Dobama student, hero of the Battle of Shwedaung in 1942, joined Thakin Nu's insurgent Parliamentary Democracy Party in 1969, returned to Rangoon after the 1980 amnesty
8. Bo La Yaung Thakin Ba Gyan Leader, led the white-band PVO (People's Volunteer Organisation – Aung San's militia formed after disbanding the BNA) or Yèbaw Hpyu underground in 1948, surrendered in 1958, appointed an official in the Trade Ministry by Ne Win's Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party was formed by the Ne Win's military regime that seized power in 1962 and was the sole political party allowed to exist legally in Burma during the period of military rule from 1964 until its demise in the aftermath of the popular uprising of 1988.-History:The BSPP...

 (BSPP) government
9. Bo Hmu Aung
Hmu Aung
Bo Hmu Aung was a member of the Thirty Comrades. Bo Hmu Aung was born in Kyauktaga, Pegu township, Burma in 1910 and died on 9 November 2004 at his residence in Rangoon....

Thakin San Hlaing Leader, led the yellow-band PVO (Yèbaw Wa), served as Defence Minister in U Nu's AFPFL government, attempted a pre-emptive putsch with Bo Min Gaung and arrested after the 1962 coup, released in 1967, joined U Nu's insurgent PDP in Thailand, returned to Rangoon after the 1980 amnesty, formed with U Nu the League for Democracy and Peace (LDP) during the 8888 Uprising
8888 Uprising
The 8888 Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests was a series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots in the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma...

10. Bo Yan Aung Thakin Hla Myaing Leader, the third Communist member of the group and leader of the 1948 Army rebellion, participated in the 1963 peace parley, killed in the CPB purge on 26 December 1967
11. Bo Moe Thakin Aye Maung
12. Bo Min Gaung Thakin Saw Lwin joined the Socialist Party, served in U Nu's AFPFL government, arrested after the failed 1963 peace parley
13. Bo Mya Din Thakin Than Tin "Tharrawaddy" Thakin Than Tin to distinguish from no.29 Bo Than Tin
14. Bo Kyaw Zaw
Kyaw Zaw
Kyaw Zaw is one of the founders of the Tatmadaw and a member of the legendary "Thirty Comrades" who trained in Japan in the struggle for independence from Britain...

Thakin Shwe became a leader of the CPB but decided not to join the Army rebellion in 1948, defeated the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) in 1949 and drove the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...

 out of Burma in 1955, forced to retire from the Tatmadaw in 1957, unsuccessfully ran for parliament in 1960, peace activist with Thakin Kodaw Hmaing during the 1963 peace parley, went underground in 1976 to rejoin the CPB, exiled to Yunnan province, China in 1988
15. Bo Ye Htut Aung Thein a Dobama student who became a Communist leader of the 1948 Army rebellion, surrendered in 1963, appointed instructor at the BSPP training school, arrested after the coup in 1988
16. Bo Lin Yone Thakin Tun Shwe
17. Bo Hpone Myint Thakin Tin Aye
18. Bo Myint Aung Thakin Soe not the Red Flag Communist leader of the same name, beset with drink problem and shot himself in 1945
19. Bo Tauk Htain Thakin San Mya arrested in 1963 after the failed peace parley
20. Bo Taya Thakin Khin Maung Oo became a big game hunter and writer of his exploits
21. Bo Zinyaw Than Nyunt a Dobama student
22. Bo Nyana Maung Maung a Dobama student
23. Bo Bala Thakin Tun Lwin arrested in 1963 after the failed peace parley
24. Bo Min Yaung Hla a Dobama student
25. Bo Myint Swe Thakin Tun Khin "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction"
26. Bo Saw Aung Thakin Ngwe "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction" – Died in battle in 1942 in eastern Burma
27. Bo Saw Naung Thakin Thit "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction"
28. Bo Moe Nyo Thakin Kyaw Sein "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction"
29. Bo Than Tin Thakin Than Tin "Ba Sein – Tun Oke faction", no training in Hainan, died in Formosa
30. Bo Htein Win Saung a student who was studying weaving in Japan at the time, no training in Hainan, died of malaria in Thailand


According to a historian of Burma Professor Gordon H Luce
Gordon H Luce
Gordon Hannington Luce was a colonial scholar in Burma. He was born on 20 January 1889 and died on 3 May 1979. His outstanding library containing books, manuscripts, maps and photographs - The Luce Collection - was acquired by the National Library of Australia in 1980, as part of its major research...

, who in the pre-war years taught at Rangoon University, the Thirty Comrades led by General Aung San helped establish the 4th Burmese State in history (the 1st by King Anawrahta
Anawrahta
Anawrahta Minsaw was the founder of the Pagan Empire. Considered the father of the Burmese nation, Anawrahta turned a small principality in the dry zone of Upper Burma into the first Burmese Empire that formed the basis of modern-day Burma...

 (1044–1077), the 2nd by King Tabinshwehti
Tabinshwehti
Tabinshwehti was a king who unified Burma in 1539 and known as the founder of the Second Burmese Empire.Tabinshwehti succeeded his father Mingyinyo as ruler of the Toungoo dynasty in 1530...

 (1531–1550), the 3rd by King Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya was king of Burma from 1752 to 1760, and the founder of the Konbaung Dynasty. By his death in 1760, the former chief of a small village in Upper Burma had reunified all of Burma, subdued Manipur, recovered Lan Na, and driven out the French and the English who had given help to the...

 (1752–1760).

Dr Ba Maw
Ba Maw
Dr. Ba Maw was a Burmese political leader, active during the interwar and World War II period.-Early life and education:Ba Maw was born in Maubin. Ba Maw came from a distinguished family of mixed Mon-Burmese parentage which bred many scholars and lawyers...

 who was the Head of State and "Paramount Leader' (in Burmese Adipadi Gyi) from August 1943 to about March 1945, during the administration established by the Japanese, had somewhat different opinions on the role of the Thirty Comrades. (See Ba Maw, Breakthrough in Burma: Memoirs of a Revolution 1939–1946, Yale University Press, 1968).

As of late August 2006, only two among the Thirty Comrades are still alive. They are Bo Kyaw Zaw (No. 14 on the list) who currently lives in exile in Yunnan Province, China, and Bo Ye Htut (No. 15) who is believed to be living in his hometown Pyinmana
Pyinmana
Pyinmana ) is a logging town and sugarcane refinery center in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. The administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a militarized greenfield site two miles west of Pyinmana on November 6, 2005. Pyinmana is approximately north of Yangon...

. Among the prominent leaders of the Thirty Comrades who had died in recent years were Bo Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...

 (No. 6) who died on 5 December 2002, and who from March 1962 to about ten years beyond his "retirement" in late July 1988 was the ruler, and in later years the "puppet master", of Burma, and Bohmu Aung (No. 9) who died in 2004.

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