Burma's Armed Forces: Power Without Glory

Military Review, May-June, 2004 by Cecil B. Currey

BURMA'S ARMED FORCES: Power Without Glory, Andrew Selth, Eastbridge, Norwalk, CT, 2002, 371 pages, $44.95.

Andrew Selth is a former diplomatic officer who served in Burma, Korea, and New Zealand. Since 1986, he has served as a strategic analyst with the Australian Defense Intelligence Organization.

Although Burma (Myanmar) is not important in overall world affairs, it has powerful regional influence and plays a leading role as the most volatile and largest, if not the strongest, country in mainland Southeast Asia. In past years, Burma was isolated and ignorant of the wider world--a view with which Westerners, whose acquaintance with Burma was partly based on the song, "On the Road to Mandalay," concurred.

Strategically located, Burma borders India, China, Thailand, Laos, and Bangladesh. The country, which is primarily rural with few roads, has been declared by the UN as one of the world's poorest nations. Although Burma is xenophobic and isolation-minded, it is wooed by India and China and feared by Japan and Korea, as it becomes increasingly more important in Southeast Asian affairs.

Since the end of World War II and its emergence as an independent nation in 1948, Burma and its armed forces have played a critical role in its governance. The military sees itself as the most important segment of Burma's political society. While confronting counterinsurgency struggles against several tribes and more than 40 ethnic groups, the military is still able to defend its nation's territorial and maritime claims. With the exception of a failed coup in 1962, the military's rule has never been seriously challenged. Burma's generals have strengthened the kingdom so as to defend against any challenge, and the military keeps a paranoidal grip on the nation. Military leaders take whatever measures are necessary to remain the arbiter of internal power and are willing to punish or silence any dissenters.

Selth describes Burma's internal structure and the organization of its military force, detailing how it recruits, indoctrinates, and trains volunteers and draftees. He describes Burma's history, development, and military growth since its independence and presents Burma's current order of battle. According to Selth, Burma has a fascination with exotic weapons--chemical and biological --although he says Burma has no interest in developing an atomic arsenal.

Well-written, informative, and insightful, this book is worthwhile to those concerned with Southeast Asia. However, unless one is a specialist in Southeast Asia, $44.95 is a high price to pay for the book.

COL Cecil B. Currey, USAR, Retired, Lutz, Florida