Embedded Files
The Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway and the Thailand–Burma Railway was a 415-km railway between Ban Pong, in southern Thailand, and Thanbyuzayat, in Burma.
It was built by the Empire of Japan in 1943 to support its army fighting in Burma during World War Two (1941 - 1945).
This railway completed the rail link between Bangkok (Thailand) and Rangoon (Burma)
WORLD WAR TWO IN
ASIA-PACIFIC
War in the Asia-Pacific region began on 7 December 1941 when Japan, as part of the Axis alliance with Germany and Italy, bombed the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Within six months, the Japanese had also successfully invaded and conquered Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Burma.
PURPOSE OF THE RAILWAY
The construction of the railway itself was considered a major engineering feat.
It was carried out by nearly 200,00 prisoners-or-war, under very severe conditions, with few resources and in a very short period of time.
The railway served to provide military and economic supplies from southern Thailand to the Japanese army occupying Burma.
The railway line meant that the Japanese could avoid using the sea route from Japan, around Singapore and up through the Straits of Malacca to Thailand, which was a very long route.
This website on the Australian prisoner-of-war experience on the Death Railway is particularly informative,
THE TOWN OF KANCHANABURI
This small town (population 35,000) is located some 125 km west of Thailand's capital city, Bangkok.
Its claim to fame was as an important Japanese base during World War Two, where forced labourers built the bridge over the River Kwai.
The whole historical event was immortalised by the author Pierre Boulle in his 1952 book, The Bridge over the River Kwai. It was later made into a blockbuster Hollywood move, Bridge On The River Kwai.
Even today, many tourists visit Kanchanaburi just to see, explore and learn more about its exciting history.
BOOKS AND MOVIES
Several films have been made on the "Death Railway," the most recent of which was The Railway Man, in 2013. It is a well-made movie, very touching and haunting as it tells the story of how one survivor confronted his past.
In addition, an excellent historical documentary archived on line may be found here. It is a visual recording of the era, but with no audio. The scenes are vivid, and you'll find more links from here.
MUSEUMS
There are several museums in and around Kanchanaburi that are worth the visit, that is, if they're open! These centres have a good collection of photographs, artefacts, documents and memorabilia that will enrich your visit.
The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre is an interactive museum, privately owned by an Australian expert of the Railway.
Another well-known and oft-frequented museum is the JEATH War Museum. Worth a visit! "JEATH" stands for "Japan-England-America-Thailand-Holland," the countries involved in the conflict here.
ARTICLES
Read how a British prisoner-of-war, Sir Harold Atcherley, finally agreed to publish his diaries written more than seventy years ago while he was a prisoner working on the railway. His first ever public speaking of his experiences were reported on 6 November 2016.
Take a look at a gallery of photos here.
Here's something on another Death Railway museum, located on the other end, in Burma.
An excellent blog, recounting a personal walking expedition taken by two siblings, Luke and Rachel, in 2011. Their objective in retracing the 300 km taken by the "F Force" prisoners-of-war in 1943 was to raise awareness of the horrific experiences of those soldiers forced to construct the "Death Railway."
Google Sites
Report abuse