American–Kachin friendship dates back to at least the early 1900s through U.S. missionaries, and it became a formal military partnership during the Second World War starting in 1942. That wartime alliance created a long‑lasting sense among many Kachin that the United States is a kind of “big brother.”
Early missionary ties
American (largely Baptist) missionaries were active among the Kachin decades before World War II, deeply influencing Kachin education, religion, and culture.
This missionary presence fostered a positive view of the United States, so that by mid‑20th century many Kachin already felt an affinity with Americans.
World War II alliance (from 1942)
On 14 April 1942, the U.S. created OSS Detachment 101 to operate behind Japanese lines in Burma and soon organized Kachin guerrilla units known as the Kachin Rangers.
Thousands of Kachin fought alongside small numbers of American officers, ambushing Japanese forces, guiding Merrill’s Marauders, and rescuing hundreds of downed Allied airmen.
Lasting perceptions after WWII
The effectiveness and sacrifices of the Kachin Rangers left a strong memory in U.S. special operations history and local Kachin narratives.
Because of both missionary influence and the wartime alliance, many Kachin communities continued to view America as a trusted partner or “big brother” even as post‑independence Myanmar politics grew more complicated.
