Tatmadaw Army

Tatmadaw soldiers abducting Sarah Miller.

The Tatmadaw is the military of the communist Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar (Burma). They are featured predominantly as the main antagonists forces in the 2008 film, Rambo.

Background

The actor that plays their leader, Muang Muang Khin, was a former Karen soldier that agreed to take part in the film to raise awareness to the genocide going on in Burma. He also knew of their brutality firsthand, and shortly after the film was released, the country's opressive government banned the film and imprisoned Maung Maung Khin's family because of his role in the film. Bootleg copies are common among the Karen, however, and Rambo's line: "Live for nothing, or die for something." has become their de facto motto.

While the crew was filiming Rambo inThailand, the Tatmadaw were just over the border watching very carefully. They even fired shots over the heads of the actors including Sylvester Stallone because they didn't want the movie to be made.

Instead of the Chinese Norinco Type 56, the Tatmadaw all use Soviet Kalashiknov AKMs. This is kind of strange considering their geography is closer to China than Russia. However, some soldiers can be seen with Type 56s, despite the fact that almost all the soldiers use AKs.

Rambo IV

In Rambo IV 

A Tatmadaw soldier falls for Rambo's trap moments before his demise.

Led by the sadistic Major Pa Tee Tint, the Tatmadaw has been responsible for many horrific acts. For years they have been trying to completely exterminate the Karen people, a Christian ethnic group spread over Thailand and Burma on oil and natural gas-rich land. Tint is leading a campaign of fear across the war-torn jungles, going from village to village destroying entire villages, taking prisoners and raping and killing civillians. They kidnap the young girls and force the young boys into service in their army. The Tatmadow also are heavily involved in drug trafficking and often kidnap young women, which they rape dozens of times before selling them into prostitution. They also behead or mutilate the people who speak out against them.

It is also stated that the Tatmadaw fund the war by using profits from illegal drugs such as meth and heroin, which they sell in bulk to other nations. This is hinted to be the cause of their brutality and ruthless of becoming psychopathy of addicted murdering people one after another.

Weapons Issued

• AKM
• AKMS
• Norinco Type 56
• Walther P38
• M67 Fragmentation Grenade
• M29 81mm Mortar
• Browning M2HB machine gun
• Browning M2 Aircraft machine gun
• T-148 Flamethrowers
• FN MAG light machine gun
• Jericho 941FB Compact "Baby Eagle"
• Tokarev TT-33 pistol

Gallery

A Tatmadaw soldier armed with an AKMS.

A Tatmadaw soldier aims an AKM at the mercenaries.

Tatmadaw soldiers armed with AKMs.