How did British colonial rulers treat the many ethnic groups of Myanmar during British rule in the 1800s?

During the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826), the British defeated the troops of the Burmese Empire, resulting in Myanmar's assignment of Asan, Manipur, Arracao and Tenassarim. The Second Anglo-Burmese War, in 1852, lasted three months, after which the British annexed the remaining coastal provinces: Irauádi, Rangoon and Pegu, renamed Lower Burma. After the reign of the popular King Mindon Min (1853-1878), founder of Mandalay, the British ousted the weak King Thibaw Min (1878-1885) in the Third Anglo-Burmese War (in fact, the simple takeover of the capital Mandalay). The Burmese royal family was exiled to India. Upper and Lower Burma were brought together and administered as a single province in British India.

The British built schools, prisons and railways. Burmese resentment of the colonial occupation remained strong and occasionally provoked violent disturbances. Discontent was caused particularly by what was seen as disrespect for Burmese culture and traditions, such as the use of shoes, by the British, when entering Buddhist temples and shrines. Buddhism came to be used as a focus of resistance by the Burmese and Buddhist monks became the vanguard of the independence movement. On April 1, 1937, Myanmar became a territory administered separately from British India.

During the Second World War, Myanmar became one of the main battle fronts of Southeast Asian theater of operations. The British administration collapsed in the face of the Japanese advance and some 300,000 refugees crossed the jungle to India; only 30,000 arrived alive. The Japanese military campaign expelled the British from Myanmar, but the United Kingdom counterattacked with British Indian army troops and, by the time of 1945, had retaken the country. Native troops fought on both sides of the war. [1] The Thakin movement had formed an Army for Burmese Independence (EIB), which supported the Japanese invasion of Burma, but later resisted Japanese domination under the name of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (LAFLP). The country was regained by the Allies under the leadership of Lord Mountbatten and General Orde Charles Wingate (1944-1945). Britain negotiated with the LAFLP and the country became independent on January 4, 1948, leaving the Commonwealth.