Statement of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on Nixon's crazy war escalation and order to mine North Vietnamese Harbours

Before the creation of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in 1988, the Burma Navy was small, ill-equipped and crippled by its dependence on foreign logistics. As a consequence, it was confined to patrolling Burma's inland waterways and coastal fringes. Also, the navy held only a token position in the military regime which, under various guises, had run the country since the 1962 coup. Yet the navy has always been, and remains, an important factor in Burma's internal security. The dramatic growth of the Burma Navy under the SLORC suggests that the new generation of military leaders in Rangoon shares this view. The regime also seems to envisage a greatly expanded external defence role for this arm of the armed forces. Since 1988 the fleet has almost doubled, with the addition of at least 20 new warships from China. More are on order. If the SLORC's ambitious naval modernisation program is successful, then in a few years Burma could have a blue water capability for the first time in its history.