Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma's Tyrant

by Benedict Rogers, Václav Havel (Foreword)

Than Shwe is one of the world's most brutal dictators, presiding over a military regime that persists in repressing and brutalizing its own people. Until now, his story has not been told. Than Unmasking Burma's Tyrant provides the first-ever account of Than Shwe's journey from postal clerk to dictator, analyzing his rise through the ranks of the army, his training in psychological warfare, his belief in astrology, his elimination of rivals, and his ruthless suppression of dissent. Drawing on the insights of Burma Army defectors, international diplomats, and others, Benedict Rogers provides a compelling account of the reclusive and xenophobic character of Than Shwe, and life in Burma under his rule.

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2010

About the author

Benedict Rogers is a human rights activist and journalist.

Reviews

[Denise Rawling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rogers has done a fine job of filling out the very little known about this murderous dictator. He has analysed the official information and meticulously gathered from a wide range of sources what he can to try and make some sense of the tragic history of recent Burma. It may not be perfect; it may not even by 100% right in the end but it needed doing. A counter balance to the lies, misinformation and illusions of the regime needed to be written down.
At the very least the criminal neglect and self interest of the leading figures and their cronies needs to be documented, even as some hope of change comes, this history needs to be remembered.

[Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a methodical account of a "hide in the bushes" mid-level, mediocre, slow developing thug.

I finally got bored with reading another account of a creep who has had a career, a life of flying under the radar, being opportunistically able to capitalize on his increasing bent toward evil and power.

I got bored with it half way through. The Goodreads analysis is accurate. I would disagree with the "compelling" part of the review.

Than Shwe is one of the world's most brutal dictators, presiding over a military regime that persists in repressing and brutalizing its own people. Until now, his story has not been told. Than Shwe: Unmasking Burma's Tyrant provides the firstever account of Than Shwe's journey from postal clerk to dictator, analyzing his rise through the ranks of the army, his training in psychological warfare, his belief in astrology, his elimination of rivals, and his ruthless suppression of dissent. Drawing on the insights of Burma Army defectors, international diplomats, and others, Benedict Rogers provides a compelling account of the reclusive and xenophobic character of Than Shwe, and life in Burma under his rule.

The book was OK, the subject was tiring. So what, another creep like Mugabe or Gaddhifi.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find this book very convincing. Of course it is difficult to find much information on Than Shwe and the author has done an impressive job here. Less than half (maybe even less than a third) of the book is actually about Than Shwe. Much of it is about Burmese history in general. Rogers writes a lot about the wars and atrocities and basically argues that Than Shwe is responsible for all of them. This is an oversimplification. Certainly the government should be trying to stop human rights violations. Rogers seems to believe that Than Shwe is aware of the atrocities, is likely to have ordered some of them and could easily stop them. I think that these views are based on a rather superficial understanding of the country's military and dynamics of civil wars there. Recent events fit uneasily with them. President Thein Sein (also a former general) has repeatedly ordered the army to stop attacking the Kachin in 2011 but has been ignored. The relationship between the government and the army seems to be much more complicated than the author assumes and providing a list of human rights violations and then pointing the finger at one person is not enough.

[Mohak · Rating 1 out of 5]

The title is misleading. This books in not as much about Than Shwe as much it is about Myanmar's (recent) history and its military. The book does not offer enough information or analysis about Than Shwe for it to be called a biography - or have his photo on its cover.

If you have read Thant Myint-U's book, a lot of the information would be a repetition. Out of the 215 pages, only about 10-15 offer content that are not covered in TMU's books.

The author admits in his introduction that this book is not an authority on Than Shwe and is only a starting point for information on the infamous dictator - take him to his words, it is only a starting point but a very disappointing one.

[Stephanie Guyer-Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure how Benedict Rogers was able to collect the information he used to assemble this incredible expose of Than Shwe, the once and future dictator of Burma. I have some inklings. But what's very clear is that his historical information builds a case study in how a human can transmogrify into a dictator - crucial not only for Burma watchers, but for any human dedicated to preserving abundance of human spirit.