After World War I, other Asian countries, in South East Asia, such as Burma, Ceylon, Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia, Indo-China, Thailand, Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam, also experienced nationalist movements.

Nationalism emerged in Burma, after the young Burmese barristers returned from London to Burma. In 1906, they founded the Young Men’s Buddhist Association (YMBA) and established several schools. However there was a nationwide protest when the Burmese learnt that they had been excluded from the new reforms, introduced in India. The British were finally forced to grant constitutional reforms in 1923. The radical group which included students from the national schools, were not satisfied with these reforms. These radical students started the Thakin movement in the University of Rangoon against the British. In 1931, Saya San with his well-disciplined Burmese peasants rose in rebellion against the British. In 1936, the radical student community once again went on strike against the British professors. After the strike was called off, two of their leaders Unu and Anung San, joined the Thakin movement. This was followed by the separation of Burma from India in 1937.

Burma secured political independence on January 4, 1948, under the leadership of the nationalist Thakin Nu. Burma thus became a Republic, completely outside the British Commonwealth.