Skip to main content Currently Reading Myanmar's brutal military was once a force for freedom - but it's been waging civil war for decades Tharaphi Than, Northern Illinois University April 5, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail Tharaphi Than, Northern Illinois University (THE CONVERSATION) With great fanfare – but few guests – Myanmar’s armed forces recently celebrated their 76th anniversary in the nation’s capital of Naypyitaw. Only Russia, China, Thailand and a handful of other Asian countries sent representatives to attend the March 27, 2021, parade showing off Myanmar’s modern war machines – mostly imported from Russia and China over the past decade, to the tune of US$2.4 billion.