1907- . Myanmar politician, prime minister of
Burma (now Myanmar) for most of the period
from 1948 to the military coup of 1962.
Exiled from 1966, U Nu returned to the
country 1980 and, in 1988, helped found the
National League for Democracy opposition
movement. Formerly a teacher, U Nu joined the
Dobhama Asiayone (`Our Burma') nationalist
organization during the 1930s and was
imprisoned by the British authorities at the
start of World War II. He was released 1942,
following Japan's invasion of Burma, and
appointed foreign minister in a puppet
government. In 1945 he fought with the
British against the Japanese and on
independence became Burma's first prime
minister. Excepting short breaks during
1956-57 and 1958-60, he remained in this post
until General Ne Win overthrew the
parliamentary regime in 1962.