On this day in 1988, almost every citizen in Myanmar took to the streets to topple dictator Ne Win’s oppressive socialist regime, which had ruled the country with an iron fist since 1962.
8.8.88 uprising happened one year before Tiananmen Square. Before People Power Revolution. Before numerous spring revolutions since. 8.8.88 uprising was a spontaneous outburst the world hadn't seen for decades. Citizens who had been living in fear protested in droves. There were marches in all the towns and cities, from the capital to the northern mountains, to the southern shores, by every stripe of citizens, including soldiers in full uniform, in protest against the dictator General Ne Win's rule.