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| PHOTO PROMPT © Alicia Jamtaas |
Imagine building a train line that traversed inhospitable rain forests, deep valleys, climbing high mountain ranges and lengthy mountain passes and over great rivers.
Now imagine doing it under the barrel of a gun, incessant floggings and inadequate food.
The Burma-Siam Railway built between June 1942 and October 1943 laid some 415 km of track giving birth to stories of heroism and the bridge over that river immortalised in a film.
The forgotten heroes were the labourers who lived and died during the construction of the railway.
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Written for Friday Fictioneers. Word Count : 100
To read the other writers this week click here
It is estimated that 16,000 allied POWs and 75000 to 150,000 Malay and Indonesian laborers died during the construction of the Burma railway. A total of 6,982 Allied prisoners who died in captivity during the war are buried in a beautifully maintained cemetery with rows of flowering plants. Some died building the Bridge Over the River Kwai and others perished while laboring on the notorious "Death Railway" to Burma.
I'd love read what you think about this post...
Such a sad piece of history. Thank you for sharing it, Subroto.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Dale.
DeleteI'm glad someone did the Burma railway angle. And did it well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra I am so glad you liked it.
DeleteDear Subroto,
ReplyDeletePowerful story. Well done and thank you for the info.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle the story behind the construction of the railway line should never be forgotten.
DeleteA tragic period. Like so many manmade marvels, it came about through abhorrent actions.
ReplyDeleteThanks Iain. It was a most cruel way to go about it.
DeleteBlood spilled and lives spent building a railway. What a hollow achievement when it's at such a cost!
ReplyDeleteTotally hollow - it was a horrific and cruel time.
DeleteTremendously sad bit of history, written so well!
ReplyDeleteThanks Brenda I am glad you liked it.
DeleteThank you for sharing this bit of history and memorial. As a mixed-race Okinawan Japanese person (the nearest and first people conquered by mainland Japan), this is why to this day I'm only willing to respect other cultures up to a point. I feel like this kind of story needs to be shared with a Western audience that may not appreciate the significance of Japan's willful alliance with Hitler in WWII. Or America's continued presence on Okinawa, and in mainland Japan. There is still a LOT of racism and sexism and systemic exploitation there, and we should not forget that. Thank you so much for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteMy story.
Thanks for sharing that personal information Anne. Yes many people are not aware of some this brutal history of the war.
DeleteHowever the war ended 75 years ago, it is time the Americans left Okinawa.
Subroto, I watched the first video and learned more than I knew about it. Humans are not a noble species by any stretch. Our history is etched with abuse and exploitation and it isn't over by a long shot :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading Lisa, that documentary can be an eye opener for those who are not aware of that history.
Deleteso many helpless people were sacrificed not in battle, bus slave labor for the warring sides. Horrible loss of life. I don't have time to watch the longer video, but I'm going to come back to it later. I've watched several of his videos, and they are always interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe slave labour was a mark of domination too. Thanks for your comments Linda.
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