protesting students and government forces. On 2 March 1962, the military led by General Ne Win took control of Burma through a "coup d'état". Not encountering strong resistance from any segment of Burmese society the new regime seized power with almost no use of violence. The army arrested leading elites of the toppled regime, including "the president, the prime minister, members of the cabinet, and justices of the court" as well as leaders of Burmese ethnic minority groups.