The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by military dictatorships which were in power for much of the period. The main personalities of the period were the dictator Luang Phibunsongkhram (better known as Phibun), who allied the country with Japan during the Second World War, and the civilian politician Pridi Phanomyong, who founded Thammasat University and was briefly the prime minister after the war.
A succession of military dictators followed Pridi's ousting—Phibun again, Sarit Dhanarajata and Thanom Kittikachorn—under whom traditional, authoritarian rule was combined with increasing modernisation and westernisation under the influence of the U.S. The end of the period was marked by Thanom's resignation, following a massacre of pro-democracy protesters led by Thammasat students.