Flag of Burma - History

History

The two flags used by the country immediately prior to the 2010 flag both originated in the Burmese Resistance, which adopted a red flag with a white star when fighting the occupying Japanese forces during World War II.

The flag adopted upon independence from the United Kingdom on 4 January 1948 consisted of a red field with a blue canton. The blue canton was charged with one large white star, representing the union, surrounded by 5 smaller stars representing the main ethnic groups found within the newly independent state. This flag remained in use until January 1974.

The new flag adopted on 3 January 1974 upon the declaration of a socialist republic by Ne Win depicted 14 stars, encircling a gear and a rice plant in a blue-coloured canton against a red field. The rice stands for agriculture, the gear represents industry, and the 14 stars represent each of the 14 member states of the Union. The 14-star flag was hung upside down during the 8888 Uprising of 1988 by the protesters as a sign against the military government.

Earlier historical flags of Burmese monarchs featured the green peacock. The use of the green peacock was continued during British colonial times and the State of Burma. The flag of the State of Burma (1943–1945) was the yellow-green-red flag with the peacock in the middle. During the last year of the war, a more simplified design of the peacock was also used, probably to rally support amongst the populace.

The flag of the once-banned National League for Democracy party features both a peacock and a white star, while the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma used the 1948 flag.