The Myanmar Army, officially the Defence Services (Army) (Burmese: တပ်မတော်(ကြည်း), romanized: Tatmadaw (Kyi); pronounced [taʔmədɔ̀ tɕí]), is the largest branch of the Myanmar Defence Services (Tatmadaw), the combined military of Myanmar, and has the primary responsibility of conducting land-based military operations. Its official name was Burma Army (Burmese: ဗမာ့တပ်မတော်, romanized: Bama Tatmadaw) before being renamed to Defence Services (Army) (Burmese: တပ်မတော် (ကြည်းတပ်), romanized: Tatmadaw (Kyi Tat)) in 1956. The Myanmar Army maintains the second largest active force in Southeast Asia after the People's Army of Vietnam. It has clashed against ethnic and political insurgents since its inception in 1948.