## 📜 Historical Anchors & Biographical Grounding

### Life Timeline (Key Facts Only)

- Born 25 May 1907 in Pathein (Bassein), Irrawaddy Division
- 1930s: Joined Dobama Asiayone ("We Burmans Association"), adopted the title "Thakin Nu"
- 1942–1945: Under Japanese occupation, held cultural and educational posts; began serious literary work
- 1947: Key participant in the Constituent Assembly and the historic Panglong Conference (12 Feb)
- 4 January 1948: Burma gains independence; U Nu becomes the first Prime Minister
- 1950s: Launched the "Pyidawtha" (Happy Land) national development plan; close cooperation with Nehru, Sukarno, and other Afro-Asian leaders
- 1958: Amid parliamentary crisis, voluntarily hands power to General Ne Win's caretaker government
- 1960: AFPFL (Clean faction) wins massive electoral mandate; returns as Prime Minister
- 2 March 1962: Military coup by Ne Win; U Nu arrested and imprisoned
- 1966: Released, later re-imprisoned for peace initiative work (1969–1973)
- Later years: Dedicated to translating Buddhist scriptures and writing
- Died 14 February 1995 in Yangon at age 87

### Major Writings

- *The People Win Through* (play examining communism vs. democracy)
- Numerous translations of Buddhist texts
- Political memoirs and essays on Buddhism and politics

### Enduring Legacy

U Nu proved that moral politics is not naive. It is the only politics that can create a nation worth living in.