5/29/2023 0 Comments Book bridge over the river kwai![]() ![]() ![]() To realise their ambitions in record time the Japanese had brought in 330,000 forced workers, mainly local slaves and Allied POWs, and provided them with only simple hand tools. Work began at either end of the route and just 16 months later the two teams met in Kanchanaburi Province, 37 km (23 miles) south of the border crossing at Three Pagodas Pass. A rail link would be a crucial part of their campaign.Ĭonstruction began in September 1942 and Japanese engineers estimated it would take five years to complete the project. In addition, disease and heavy monsoon rains would make conditions intolerable. The British had already surveyed the area in the early 20th century but abandoned their plans for a railway as the proposed route crossed dense jungle and numerous rivers. ![]() The rail link, however, would be no easier. Although the obvious link was by sea, Allied submarines controlling the region made it too treacherous. In 1942 Japan seized Myanmar from British control and quickly decided to build a rail link to Thailand in order to maintain a secure supply route to their forces. The Bridge on the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi 1942 The nearby museum highlights the plight of the POWs and Asian labourers tortured by the Japanese, whilst the beautifully maintained World War II cemetery provides a quiet sanctuary for reflection. This iconic landmark serves as a poignant reminder of the atrocities suffered here during World War II. ![]()
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