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Third Anglo-Burmese War

From Wikipedia,
Third Anglo-Burmese War
-
The nominal surrender of the Burmese Army,
27 November 1885, at Ava.
Date 7 November 1885 29 November 1885
Location Burma
Result British vitory
!nd of the "onbaun#
$ynasty in%&&er Burma.
The &rovine of Burma beomes
&art of British 'ndia.
(ontinuation of resistane until
1895.
Belligerents
British !m&ire
'ndia
Burma
Commanders and leaders
)arry *render#ast Thiba+ ,in
The Third Anglo-Burmese War, also known as the Third Burma War, was a conflict that
took place during 729 November !!", with sporadic resistance and insurgenc#
continuing into !!7$ %t was the final of three wars fought in the 9th centur# between the
&urmese and the &ritish$ The war saw the loss of sovereignt# of an independent &urma
under the 'onbaung (#nast#, whose rule had alread# been reduced to the territor# known
as )pper &urma, the region of *ower &urma having been anne+ed b# the &ritish in !",,
as a result of the -econd .nglo/&urmese War$
Following the war, &urma came under the rule of the &ritish 0a1 as a province of %ndia$
From 9,7 the &ritish governed &urma as a separate colon#$ .fter World War %% &urma
achieved independence as a republic in 92!$
Contents
&ackground
2 The war
, .nne+ation and resistance
2 3ri4e 5ommittee
" -ee also
6 0eferences
7 7+ternal links
Background
'ing Thibaw, 8ueen -upa#alat and 3rincess -upa#a1i 9November !!":
Following a succession crisis in &urma in !7!, the &ritish 0esident in &urma was
withdrawn, ending official diplomatic relations between the countries$ The &ritish
considered a new war in response but other ongoing wars in .frica and .fghanistan led
them to re1ect a war at that time$
(uring the !!;s, the &ritish became concerned about contacts between &urma and
France$ Wars in %ndochina had brought the French to the borders of &urma$ %n <a# !!,, a
high/level &urmese delegation left for 7urope$ =fficiall# it was to gather industrial
knowledge, but it soon made its wa# to 3aris where it began negotiations with the French
Foreign <inister >ules Ferr#$ Ferr# eventuall# admitted to the &ritish ambassador that the
&urmese were attempting to negotiate a political alliance along with a purchase of militar#
e?uipment$ The &ritish were troubled b# the &urmese action and relations worsened
between the two countries$
(uring the discussions between the French and &urmese in 3aris, a boundar# dispute on
the frontier of %ndia and &urma broke out$ %n !!, the &ritish authorities in %ndia appointed
a commission to unilaterall# mark out the border between the two countries$ %n the course
of its work, the commission began demanding the &urmese authorities in villages
determined b# the &ritish to be on their side of the line should withdraw$ The &urmese
ob1ected continuousl#, but eventuall# backed down$
<inhla, after its capture b# the &ritish, mid/November !!", showing death and devastation$
3hotographer@ Aooper, Willoughb# Wallace 9!,792:$
%n !!", the French consul <$ Aass moved to <andala#$ Ae negotiated the establishment
of a French &ank in &urma, a concession for a railwa# from <andala# to the northern
border of &ritish &urma and a French role in running monopolies controlled b# the &urmese
government$ The &ritish reacted with diplomatic force and convinced the French
government to recall Aaas who was removed allegedl# Bfor reasons of healthB$ While the
French had backed down in &urma, the French actions as well as man# other events
convinced the &ritish to take action against &urma$
. fine was imposed on the &omba# &urmah Trading 5orporation for under/reporting its
e+tractions of teak from Toungoo and not pa#ing its emplo#ees$ The compan# was fined b#
a &urmese court, and some of its timber was sei4ed b# the &urmese officials$ The compan#
and the &ritish government claimed the charges were false and the &urmese courts were
corrupt$ The &ritish demanded the &urmese government accept a &ritish/appointed
arbitrator to settle the dispute$ When the &urmese refused, the &ritish issued an ultimatum
on 22 =ctober !!"$ The ultimatum demanded that the &urmese accept a new &ritish
resident in <andala#, that an# legal action or fines against the 5ompan# be suspended
until the arrival of the resident, that &urma submit to &ritish control of its foreign relations
and that &urma should provide the &ritish with commercial facilities for the development of
trade between northern &urma and 5hina$ The acceptance of the ultimatum would have
ended an# real &urmese independence and reduced the countr# to something similar to the
nominall#/autonomous Cprincel#C puppet states of &ritish %ndia$ &# 9 November, a practical
refusal of the terms having been received at 0angoon, the occupation of <andala# and the
dethronement of the &urmese king Thibaw <in were determined upon$
DE
The anne+ation of
the &urmese kingdom had probabl# also been decided$
The war
3hotograph of one of 'ing ThibawCs steamers on the %rrawadd#, 26 November !!"$ 3hotographer@
Aooper, Willoughb# Wallace 9!,792:$
.t this time, be#ond the fact that the countr# was one of dense 1ungle, and therefore most
unfavourable for militar# operations, the &ritish knew little of the interior of )pper &urmaF
but &ritish steamers had for #ears been running on the great river highwa# of the %rrawadd#
0iver, from 0angoon to <andala#, and it was obvious that the ?uickest and most
satisfactor# method of carr#ing out the &ritish campaign was an advance b# water direct on
the capital$ Further, a large number of light/draught river steamers and barges 9or flats:,
belonging to the %rrawadd# Flotilla 5ompan#, were available at 0angoon, and the local
knowledge of the compan#Cs officers of the difficult river navigation was at the disposal of
the &ritish forces$
DE
<a1or/General, afterwards -ir, Aarr# 3rendergast was placed in command of the invasion$
.s was onl# to be e+pected in an enterprise of this description, the nav# as well as the
arm# was called in re?uisitionF and as usual the services rendered b# the seamen and guns
were most important$ The total effective force available was ,,;29 &ritish troops, 6,;;"
%ndian sepo#s and 67 guns, and for river service, 22 machine guns$
D2E
The river fleet which
conve#ed the troops and stores was composed of more than "" steamers, barges, and
launches, etc$
DE
Tha#etm#o was the &ritish post on the river nearest to the frontier, and here, b# 2
November, five da#s after ThibawCs answer had been received, practicall# the whole
e+pedition was assembled$ =n the same da# General 3rendergast received instructions to
commence operations$ The &urmese king and his countr# were taken completel# b#
surprise b# the rapidit# of the advance$ There had been no time for them to collect and
organi4e an# resistance$ The# had not even been able to block the river b# sinking
steamers, etc$, across it, for, on the ver# da# of the receipt of orders to advance, the armed
steamers, the%rrawadd# and the 'athleen, engaged the nearest &urmese batteries, and
brought out from under their guns the &urmese 'ingCs steamer and some barges which
were l#ing in readiness for this ver# purpose$ =n the 6th the batteries themselves on both
banks were taken b# a land attack, the &urmese being evidentl# unprepared and making
no resistance$ =n 7 November, however, at <inhla, on the right bank of the river, the
&urmese in considerable force held successivel# a barricade, a pagoda and the redoubt of
<inhla$ The attack was pressed home b# a brigade of &ritish %ndian infantr# on shore,
covered b# a bombardment from the river, and the &urmese were defeated with a loss of
7; killed and 276 prisoners, besides man# more drowned in the attempt to escape b#
river$ The advance was continued ne+t da# and the following da#s, the naval brigade and
heav# artiller# leading and silencing in succession the &urmese river defences at N#aung/
), 3akokku and <#ing#an$
DE
Aowever, some sources
Dwho?E
sa# that the &urmese resistance was not fierce because the
defence minister of Thibaw, 'inwun <ing#i ) 'aung, who wanted to negotiate peace with
the &ritish, issued an order to the &urmese troops not to attack the &ritish$ Ais order was
obe#ed b# some, but not all &urmese brigades$ %n addition, the &ritish deceived the
&urmese 9including ) 'aung: b# their propaganda that the# did not intend to occup# the
countr# for long, but onl# to depose the king Thibaw and enthrone 3rince N#aung#an 9an
elder half/brother of Thibaw: as the new king$ .t that time, most of the &urmese did not like
Thibaw both because of the poor management of his government and because he andHor
his king/makers had e+ecuted nearl# a hundred ro#al princes and princesses when he
ascended the throne in !7!$ N#aung#an was a survivor of this ro#al massacre and was
living in e+ile in &ritish %ndia although in fact he was alread# dead at the time of this war$
Aowever, the &ritish concealed the fact, and according to some sources
Dcitation neededE
the &ritish
even brought a man impersonating 3rince N#aung#an along with them on their wa# to
<andala# so that the &urmese would believe their stor# of installing a new king$ Thus, the
&urmese who welcomed this purported new king did not attempt to resist the invading
&ritish forces$ Aowever, when it became obvious that the &ritish had actuall# failed to install
a new king and &urma in fact had lost its independence, fierce rebellions b# various
&urmese groups, including the troops of the former ro#al &urmese arm#, ensued for more
than a decade$ ) 'aungCs role in the initial collapse of &urmese resistance later gave rise
to the popular mnemonic U Kaung lein htouk, minzet pyouk 9B) 'aungCs treacher#, end of
d#nast#B@ )I, 'aI2, *aI2, AatI7 in &urmese numerolog# i$e$ &urmese 7ra 227 or
!!".(:$
3hotograph of the arrival of &ritish forces in <andala# on 2! November !!", Third .nglo/&urmese War$
3hotographer@ Aooper, Willoughb# Wallace 9!,792:$
=n 26 November, when the flotilla was approaching the capital .va, envo#s from 'ing
Thibaw met General 3rendergast with offers of surrenderF and on the 27th, when the ships
were l#ing off that cit# and read# to commence hostilities, the order from the king to his
troops to la# down their arms was received$ There were three strong forts here, full at that
moment with thousands of armed &urmese, and though a large number of these filed past
and laid down their arms b# the kingCs command, still man# more were allowed to disperse
with their weaponsF and these, in the time that followed, broke up into guerrilla bands and
prolonged the war for #ears$ <eanwhile, however, the surrender of the king of &urma was
completeF and on 2! November, in less than a fortnight from the declaration of war,
<andala# had fallen, and 'ing Thibaw was taken prisoner, and ever# strong fort and town
on the river, and all the kings ordnance 9!6 pieces:, and thousands of rifles, muskets and
arms had been taken$ The &ritish organi4ed the looting of the palace and cit# of <andala#$
The proceeds were sold off at a profit of 9;;,;;; of rupees$
DE
From <andala#, General 3rendergast reached &hamo on 2! (ecember$ This was a ver#
important move, as it forestalled the 5hinese, who had their own claims and border
disputes with &urma$ Though the king was dethroned and e+iled with the ro#al famil# to
%ndia, and the capital and the whole of the river in the hands of the &ritish, bands of
insurgents took advantage of the situation to continue an armed resistance which proved
ver# difficult to defeat$
DE
Annexation and resistance
&urma was anne+ed b# the &ritish on >anuar# !!6$ 5ritics of the war consider the timing
of the anne+ation to be strong proof of what the &ritish motives reall# were$ &ut the
anne+ation was onl# the beginning of an insurgenc# which would last until !96$
3hotograph of 'ing ThibawCs guards, 7ast Gate, <andala# 3alace, 2! November !!"$ 3hotographer@
Aooper, Willoughb# Wallace 9!,"92:$
The final, and now completel# successful, pacification of the countr#, under the direction
of -ir Frederick 9later 7arl: 0oberts, was onl# brought about b# an e+tensive s#stem of
small militar# police protective posts scattered all over the countr#, and small lightl#
e?uipped columns moving out in response whenever a gathering of insurgents occurred$
DE
The &ritish poured reinforcements into the countr#, and it was in this phase of the
campaign, lasting several #ears that the most difficult and arduous work fell to the lot of the
troops$ The resistance was finall# broken b# meting out collective punishments on villages$
Jillages were burned and the propert# of villagers either confiscated or destro#ed$ The
&ritish polic# of overwhelming reprisals against villages suspected of assisting the
insurgenc# eventuall# brought the countr# under control$ &ritish colonialism was
triumphant$
The &ritish also e+tended their control into the tribal areas of the 'achin Aills and 5hin
Aills$ These territories, onl# nominall# ruled even b# the &urmese kingdom, were taken
over b# the &ritish$ .lso taken were disputed territories in northern &urma claimed b# the
5hinese government$
No account of the Third &urmese War would be complete without a reference to the first
9and perhaps for this reason, the most notable: land advance into the countr#$ This was
carried out in November !!" from Toungoo, the &ritish frontier post in the east of the
countr#$ . small column of all arms carried it out under 5olonel W$ 3$ (icken, ,rd <adras
*ight %nfantr#, the first ob1ective being Ning#an 93#inmana:$ The operations were
completel# successful, in spite of a good deal of scattered resistance, and the force
afterwards moved forward to Kamethin and Alaingdet$ .s inland operations developed, the
lack of mounted troops was badl# felt, and several regiments of cavalr# were brought over
from %ndia, while mounted infantr# was raised locall#$ The &ritish found that without
mounted troops it was generall# impossible to fight the &urmese successfull#$
DE
Prize Committee
Following the anne+ation of &urma, valuable possessions of the &urmese Government
were sei4ed b# the &ritish$ <an# items that could be easil# transported such as gold,
1eweller#, silk and ornamental ob1ects were shipped back to &ritain and presented as gifts
to the ro#al famil# and notables of &ritain,
D,E
others were auctioned$
D2E
.n organisation, the
B3ri4e 5ommittee, <andala#B, was instituted to divv# out the possessions of the former
&urmese government$
D2E
The ma1orit# of auctioned items were sold to .rm# and Nav#
officers and civil servants as well as the occasional 7uropean traveller$ %tems made of
valuable metals which were damaged or deemed to be of little artistic value were melted
down for bullion$ .rticles deemed to be of ver# high value were shipped to the 7+ecutive
7ngineer, 5alcutta$
D"E
-ome items of high religious importance, including gold idols of
*ord &uddha, were retained b# the 5alcutta museum to be restored and if later re?uested
returned to descendants of &urmese ro#alt#$ <achiner#, steamers and items of practical
value were usuall# transferred to the &ritish government or purchased at well below market
value$
D"E
=rdnance including cast/iron guns, cannons and field guns were for the most part
destro#ed or disposed of in deep water$
References
$ L >ump up to@
a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h
=ne or more of the preceding
sentences incorporates te+t from a publication now in the public domain@ 5hisholm,
Augh, ed$ 99:$ B&urmese WarsB$ Encyclopdia Britannica 4 9th ed$:$ 5ambridge
)niversit# 3ress$
2$ Jump up ^ The Victorians at war, 11!"1#1$% an encyclopedia o& British military
history$ p$ 7;$
,$ Jump up ^ Thant, <#int/) 92;;;:$ The 'aking o& 'odern Burma$ 5ambridge
)niversit# 3ress$ pp$ ,2$ %-&N ;/"2/7!;2/7$
2$ L >ump up to@
a

b
'#an, (aw 9979:$ The (rizes o& )ar$ Aistorical 0esearch
(epartment, Washington )niversit#$ pp$ ,$
"$ L >ump up to@
a

b
'#an, (aw 9979:$ The (rizes o& )ar$ Aistorical 0esearch
(epartment, Washington )niversit#$ p$ "$
5harne#, <ichael W$ 3owerful *earning@ &uddhist *iterati and the Throne in
&urmaCs *ast (#nast#, 7"2!!"$ .nn .rbor@ )niversit# of <ichigan$ 2;;6$
Aall, ($ G$ 7$ 7urope and &urma 9=+ford )niversit# 3ress, 92":
<artin ($ W$ >ones, CThe War of *ost Footsteps$ . 0e/assessment of the Third
&urmese War, !!"!96C, &ulletin of the <ilitar# Aistorical -ociet#, ++++ 9no$"7:,
.ugust 9!9, pp$ ,62;
Third .nglo/&urmese War page at =nWar$com

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