The Myanmar Tatmadaw, which has always borne responsibility for the nation and the people, will celebrate the 81st Anniversary of Armed Forces Day on 27 March 2026. The Tatmadaw has a long historical tradition of defending and safeguarding the country and sovereignty across successive eras, and it has consistently played a leading role in protecting the nation during times of crisis.

During the colonial period, although nationwide resistance movements against colonialism were carried out, they did not achieve success due to a lack of systematic organization and insufficient armaments. The entire national population was subjected to unjust oppression, and valuable natural resources within the country were exploited and extracted for colonial profit.

Members of the Young Men’s Buddhist Association and the General Council of Burmese Associations concluded that independence could not be achieved through political means alone and that it could only be attained through armed struggle. As a result, 30 young volunteers, known as the “Thirty Comrades,” secretly went abroad to receive military training from Japan in preparation for armed resistance against colonial rule.

ance against colonial rule. Tatmadaw has faced various experiences in its successive eras, such as the Burma Independence Army, the Burma Defence Army, and the Burma National Army, and drove out British colonialists and Japanese Fascists from Myanmar, sacrificing the lives and limbs of Tatmadaw members and people across the nation.

On 27 March 1945, when Tatmadaw, together with the ethnic national peoples, launched a united uprising and drove out the fascist Japanese forces in the struggle for national independence, it was designated as Armed Forces Day in honour of that historic occasion. The Armed Forces Day has been commemorated annually with set objectives, and by 2026, it will mark its 81st anniversary.

According to the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Tatmadaw takes a leadership role in the national politics. National politics here does not refer to party politics, but rather to state affairs aimed at maintaining peace, stability, and national development. Tatmadaw has been serving the national politics with farsightedness to benefit the nation and the people in the long run by emphasizing the various perspectives on geopolitics, which is very important for the nation.

Tatmadaw has paved the way for a multiparty democracy that all the people aspire to. Tatmadaw remains a strong institution that consistently protects national and public interests under all circumstances. As it marks its 81st anniversary on 27 March 2026, it continues to stand as a steadfast organization dedicated to the nation and its people.

GLNM