Two men have taken most of the turns at the helm of Burma ever since the nation became independent in 1948: gentle, popular U Nu, the kerchiefed, sometime Buddhist monk who became Burma's premier politician; and tough, ascetic General Ne Win, chief of the Burmese army. The first Premier, U Nu, found things too much for him, voluntarily handed power over to Ne Win and the military in 1958. Within 17 months, Ne Win's mailed fist had put the government's house in order, and he chivalrously handed power back to a re-elected U Nu. Once again, U Nu proved...
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