The Bridge over the River Kwai

Map of the Burma Railway

The Burma Railway, also known also as the Death Railway, the Thailand-Burma Railway and similar names, is a 415 km (258 mi) railway between Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar), built by the Empire of Japan during World War II, to support its forces in the Burma campaign. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 500 pixelsFull resolution (2304 × 1440 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 500 pixelsFull resolution (2304 × 1440 pixel, file size: 1. ... The Bridge over the River Kwai taken in June 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (723x936, 151 KB) Description: Death Railway Source: selfmade Map User:W.wolny Licence: GNU/FDL File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Death Railway ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (723x936, 151 KB) Description: Death Railway Source: selfmade Map User:W.wolny Licence: GNU/FDL File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Death Railway ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Yangon (Burmese: , population 5,000,000(nearly) (2007 census), formerly Rangoon, is the largest city and former capital of Myanmar (previously known as Burma). ... Anthem Kimi ga Yo Imperial Reign Slogan: Fukoku Kyohei Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Military (a. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants United Kingdom British India Republic of China United States Empire of Japan Indian National Army Burma National Army Thailand Commanders Louis Mountbatten William Slim Chiang Kai-Shek Joseph Stilwell Aung San(From 1944) Masakazu Kawabe Hyotaro Kimura Renya Mutaguchi Subhash Chandra Bose Aung San(until 1944) Strength Unknown Unknown...

Forced labour was used in its construction. About 200,000 Asian labourers and 60,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) worked on the railway. Of these, around 100,000 Asian labourers and 16,000 Allied POWs died as a direct result of the project. The Allied dead comprised: 6,318 British, 4,377 United States, 2,815 Australians and 2,490 Dutch, as well as some Canadian personnel.^[1] Unfree labour is a generic or collective term for forms of work, especially in modern or early modern history, in which adults and/or children are employed without wages, or for a minimal wage. ... A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ...

History

A railway route between Thailand and Burma had been surveyed at the beginning of the 20th century, by the British government of Burma, but the proposed course of the line — through hilly jungle terrain divided by many rivers — was considered too difficult to complete. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

In 1942, Japanese forces, supplies and equipment transported from East and North Asia to Burma by sea, through the Strait of Malacca, were vulnerable to attack by Allied submarines, and an alternative means of transport was needed. The Japanese started the project in June 1942, intending to connect Ban Pong with Thanbyuzayat, through the Three Pagoda Pass. Construction started at the Thai end on June 22, 1942 and in Burma at roughly the same time. Most railway materials, including tracks and sleepers, were carted from dismantled branches of the Federated States of Malaya Railways network. 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... This wide-angle map of south-east Asia shows that the Strait is the most direct route from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. ... Ban Pong (Thai: บ้านโป่ง) is a district (Amphoe) of Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. ... Three Pagodas Pass (Thai พระเจดีย์สามองค์, pronounced Phra Chedi Sam Ong) is a pass through the Bilauktaung Mountains on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, at an altitude of 282 metres. ... Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) or Malayan Railway Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. ...

On October 17, 1943, the two lines met about 18 km south of the Three Pagoda Pass at Konkuita (Kaeng Khoi Tha), Sangkhla Buri district, Kanchanaburi Province). While most of the POWs were then transferred to Japan, those left to maintain the line still suffered from the appalling living conditions as well as Allied air raids. is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Three Pagodas Pass (Thai พระเจดีย์สามองค์, pronounced Phra Chedi Sam Ong) is a pass through the Bilauktaung Mountains on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, at an altitude of 282 metres. ... Sangkhla Buri is a district (Amphoe) in the Kanchanaburi province in western Thailand. ... Kanchanaburi (Thai กาญจนบุรี) is the largest of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ...

The most famous portion of the railway is probably Bridge 277 over the Khwae Yai River (Thai แควใหญ่, English "big tributary"). (The river was originally known as the Mae Klong and was renamed Khwae Yai in 1960.) It was immortalized by Pierre Boulle in his book and the film based on it: The Bridge on the River Kwai. However, there are many who say that the movie is utterly unrealistic and does not show what the conditions and treatment of prisoners was really like (link here). The first wooden bridge over the Khwae Noi (Thai แควน้อย, English "small tributary") was finished in February 1943, followed by a concrete and steel bridge in June 1943. The Allies made several attempts to destroy the bridges, but succeeded only in damaging them in their first attempts. On April 2, 1945, AZON bomber crews from the U.S. 458th Heavy Bombardment Group destroyed Bridge 277. After the war, two squarish central sections were made in Japan to repair the bridge, and were donated to Thailand. The bridge of the Burma Railway crosses the river at the town of Kanchanaburi. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Pierre Boulle (20 February 1912 – 30 January 1994) was a French novelist. ... The Bridge on the River Kwai is an Academy Award-winning 1957 World War II war film based on the novel Le Pont de la Rivière Kwaï by French writer Pierre Boulle. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... AZON (AZimuth ONly) was one of the worlds first smart bombs, deployed by the Allies and contemporary with the German Fritz X. Officially designated VB-1 (Vertical Bomb), it was invented by Major Henry J. Rand and Thomas J. ODonnell during the latter stages of World War II...

Along the Death Railway today, River Khwae on the left

After the war the railway was in too poor a state to be used for the civil Thai railway system, and needed heavy reconstruction. On June 24, 1949, the first part from Kanchanaburi to Nong Pladuk (Thai หนองปลาดุก) was finished; on April 1, 1952, the next section up to Wang Pho (Wangpo); and finally on July 1, 1958, up to Nam Tok (Thai น้ำตก, English "waterfalls".) The portion of the railway still in use measures about 130 km. Beyond Nam Tok, the line has been abandoned. Steel rails have been removed for reuse in expanding the Bangsue Railway Yard, reinforcing the BKK-Banphachi double track, rehabilitating the track from Thung Song to Trang, and constructing both the Nong Pladuk-Suphanburi and Ban Thung Pho-Khirirat Nikhom branch lines. Parts of it have been converted into a walking trail. Download high resolution version (1920x2560, 1205 KB)Death Railway, dangerous bridge I have taken this photo myself in mid 2004 with my own Sony DSC-707. ... Download high resolution version (1920x2560, 1205 KB)Death Railway, dangerous bridge I have taken this photo myself in mid 2004 with my own Sony DSC-707. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Since the 1990s there have been plans to rebuild the complete railway, but these plans have not yet come to fruition. For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

The people who built the Burma Railway

Conditions during construction

The living and working conditions on the railway were horrific. The estimated total number of civilian labourers and POWs who died during construction is about 160,000. About 25% of the POW workers died because of overwork, malnutrition, and diseases like cholera, malaria, and dysentery. The death rate of the Asian civilian workers was even higher; the number who died is unknown, as the Japanese did not count them. Cholera (frequently called Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera) is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ... Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. ... Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is the term for tenesmus (painful straining to pass stool), cramping, and frequent, small-volume severe diarrhea associated with blood in the feces. ...

POWs and Asian workers were also used to build the Kra Isthmus Railway from Chumphon to Kra Buri, and the Sumatra or Palembang Railway from Pakanbaroe to Moeara.

The construction of the Burma Railway is only one of many major war crimes committed by Japan in Asia during the war. It is regarded as a major event in the "Asian Holocaust", during which millions of civilians and POWs were killed by Japanese personnel. In the context of war, a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law, for violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... Japanese war crimes occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism. ...

ó===Cemeteries and memorials === The graves of the people who died a brutal death were transferred from camp burial grounds and solitary sites along the railway to three war cemeteries after the war, except for Americans, who were repatriated. The main POW cemetery is in the city of Kanchanaburi, where 6,982 POWs are buried, mostly British, Australian , Dutch and Canadians. A smaller cemetery a bit farther outside city is Chung Kai with 1,750 graves. At Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar there are some 3,800 burials of POWs who died on the Northern part of the line, to Nieke. The three cemeteries are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The Kanchanaburi War Cementry, the main POW cemetery of WWII is about 1 kilometer north of the city Kanchanaburi. ... The Azmak Cemetery, near Suvla Bay, Turkey, contains the graves of some of the soldiers who died during the Gallipoli Campaign. ...

There are several museums dedicated to those who lost their lives constructing the railway, the largest of which is at Hellfire Pass (north of the current terminus at Nam Tok), a cutting where the greatest number of lives were lost. There is also an Australian memorial at Hellfire Pass. Hellfire Pass is the name of a railway cutting on the Death Railway in Thailand, known by the Japanese as Konyu cutting. ... Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi railway station Nam Tok (Thai น้ำตก meaning Waterfall) is a small town in Thailand on the route of the so-called Death Railway linking Thailand with Burma as it was then called. ...

Two other museums are in Kanchanaburi, the Thailand-Burma Railway Museum (opened in March 2003), and the JEATH War Museum. Original Engine used for the Death Railway The War Museum is one of two war museums about the Death Railway buildt in 1942/1943. ...

At the Khwae bridge there is a memorial plaque and a historic locomotive is on display.

A preserved section of line is at the National Memorial Arboretum, in England. The National Memerial Arboretum is near Alrewas, Staffordshire, England. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130...

Prominent people who helped build the line

• Sir Ernest Edward "Weary" Dunlop, Australian surgeon renowned for his leadership of POWs on the railway
• Herbert James "Ringer" Edwards, Australian soldier who survived crucifixion at the hands of Japanese soldiers while working on the line
• Frank Pantridge, British physician
• Philip Toosey, Senior Allied officer at the Bridge on the River Kwai

Brass relief of Dunlop in uniform Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ernest Edward Weary Dunlop, AC, CMG, OBE, KStJ (July 12, 1907 – July 2, 1993) was an Australian surgeon who was renowned for his leadership whilst being held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II. He was born in Wangaratta, Victoria... “Surgeon” redirects here. ... Herbert James Ringer Edwards (July 26, 1913 – June 2000), was an Australian soldier during World War II. As a prisoner of war (POW), he survived being crucified for 63 hours by Japanese soldiers on the Burma Railway. ... Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, where the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead. ... James Francis Frank Pantridge (October 3, 1916, Hillsborough – 26 December 2004) was a Northern Ireland physician and cardiologist who transformed emergency medicine and paramedic services with the invention of the portable defibrillator. ... Brigadier Sir Philip John Denton Toosey (12 August 1904 - 22 December 1975) was (as a Lieutenant-Colonel) the senior Allied officer in the Japanese prisoner-of-war camp at Tamarkan in Thailand during World War II. The men under his command built the Bridge on the River Kwai which was...

References

• The Japanese Thrust - Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Lionel Wigmore, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957.
• River Kwai Railway: The Story of the Burma-Siam Railway by Clifford Kinvig (1992, Brassey’s London) ISBN 0-08-037344-5
• The Burma-Siam Railway and its Cemeteries, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Information Sheet, England, 2000.
• Burma: The Forgotten War, Jon Latimer, London: John Murray, 2004.
• To End all Wars (originally published in 1962 as "Through the Valley of the Kwai" and later as "Miracle on the River Kwai"), Ernest Gordon, HarperCollins 2002. ISBN 0007118481
• The Survival Factor, Rowley Richards & Marcia McEwan, Kangaroo Press, Sydney, 1989. ISBN 086417246X

Ernest Gordon (1917 - 16 January 2002) was the former dean of the chapel at Princeton University. ...

External links

• Allied POWS under Japanese {reference only}
• 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion AIF {Reference only}
• 2/18th Battalion AIF {reference only}
• Death Railway/death statistics {reference only}
• http://www.tourismthailand.org/destinationguide/list.aspx?provinceid=56&typeid=7
• http://www.ean.co.uk/Bygones/History/Article/WW2/Death_Railway/body_index.htm
• Prisoner of War FX Larkin NX43393 AIF — Detailed web site with documentation and photographs relating to the POW experiences of Frank Larkin in Malaya, Singapore, Thailand and Japan.
• http://www.POWs-of-Japan.net — Articles on the Australian medical personnel working on the railway. Also sketches by POWs.
• The Will to Live, by Len (Snowie) Baynes, a first-hand account of working on the Railway.
• Kanchanaburi War Cemetery CWGC for reference only
• Kanchanaburi Memorial CWGC for reference only
• Chungkai War Cemetery CWGC for reference only
• Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery CWGC for reference only