Burmese help

[La Rouge Beret]

So I am in the embryonic stages of a reboot to a Burmese TL I have written a couple of pages for and I am stuck. The Tatmadaw or Burmese military was quite a fearsome force in the eighteenth century despite its structural weaknesses. However, as time progressed the Tatmadaw and Burmese state proved unable to adapt with changing technology and tactics.

Accordingly I am seeking help with implementing a military college to train junior officers and also introducing the capability to produce an equivalent to the American Long Rifle. Noting the core of the Burmese Army was a small group of professionals, I feel having a trained professional core could work. However, the problem I face is creating the POD for that to occur.

One I am thinking of would be the Burmese participate during the Carnation Wars and conquer parts of eastern India in exchange for assisting the British. I haven't worked out how I can get American Long Rifles.

The military college could be an equivalent of the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich i.e. for technical branches Engineering, Artillery and Signals. Alternatively it could be similar to West Point... kind of fishing for ideas at this point.

Ultimately what this will lead to is a late 19th century or early 20th century regional war...

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Bumping for further ideas and or to stimulate discussion.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Essentially I a toying with the idea of having Field Marshal Davout following the restoration of the Bourbons being invited to reorganise the Burmese military. However, that would be contingent on France having a continued presence in Burma prior to that.

I originally thought of having Davout vs Wellington in the late 18th century and I am still thinking about it.

I think it would also require a failed war to spark a review of Burman method of warfare, perhaps a loss to the Siamese or alternatively a smaller engagement where the Burmese engagement is comprehensively annihilated by British regulars on the border?

From my research I realised that most of the comparable military academies all started in or around 1802 ish... so it is possible. Historically the professional military for the Burmese was quite small perhaps 3,000 or more hence I think I could expand the professional corps for the technical professions (artillery, engineers, signals, staff officers) and even form a gendarme to deal with policing across the country and the obligatory rebellion.

A part of me would love to have the rogueish Count Hector de Sainte-Hermine as the father of the modern Burmese Navy or even Thomas Cochrane, or for our American friends - John Paul Jones following his unfortunate encounter with a Russian princess from memory. Alternatively I am happy for other suggestions.

The overall goal would be a regional confrontation in the early 20th century or late 19th over Laos involving: China and Thailand versus Burma and Vietnam. Essentially each protagonist is dealing with a two front war and a naval campaign. In scale I am thinking of rivaling the South American Pacific war.

Hopfully this provides a little bit more inspiration...

 

[La Rouge Beret]

So continuing my thought process from yesterday...

My next dilema is how to improve the Burmese economy. Oneof my initial thoughts is there is greater Chinese immigration in the 1860's courtesy of the Taiping rebellion. The opportunistic Burmese also sell arms to the rebellion as a way of fracturing monolith China, this also helps to create an antagonistic relationship with China as this is uncovered.

I may need to look at a limited version of the Meiji restoration and the Siamese reforms. Ideally with limited natural resources of iron and coal creating an industrialised economy is difficult, and how do you create the financial system to support an expansion of the industrial base.

This is before we think about diplomacy and avoiding colonisation, which is difficult with a colonial collosus next door.

EDIT: Just realised I could also look at the reforms implemented by the British from the OTL as far as the economy is concerned.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

Further musings

I had earlier posted a thread about possible European minorities within SE Asia and several valid points were raised:

• A mountain range to reduce the losses to malaria.
• Said mountain range should be ideally located near the coast line to make it easier for transportation.

With that in mind for my Burmese TL there are two possibilities being the Arakan mountain ranges and the Hengduan mountains. Personally, I think the Arakan range is more likely initially due to its proximity to the coastline.

As to the europeans my thoughts would be to attract Polish immigrants post Napoleonic wars, starting with remnants of the Polish Legion. Who in the fullness of time are allowed to bring their families across.