Japanese Forces

Burma Railway.

?Imperial Government of Japan.

Australian prisoners of war carry heavy wooden sleepers in the construction of the Burma Railway, near Thanbyuzayat, 1943. It is a little difficult to understand what the Japanese had in mind in constructing the Burma Railway - but then again, maybe not. It has been observed that the route of the railway as planned by the Japanese seemed to have no regard whatsoever for the terrain through which it would pass - which made it an exceptionally difficult project to execute, especially while relying on an underfed, unskilled, captive labour force unused to long sessions of backbreaking physical labour in the midst of a tropical jungle. Also - a not unrelated fact - much of the railway had to be carried by very exposed, often jerry-built facilities, such as half-viaducts propped improbably against cliffs, which were probably regarded by Allied fighter-bomber pilots as simple practice targets. The truth seems to be that, whatever theoretical strategic advantage the railway might have conveyed on the Japanese, its real purpose was to keep busy a large number of prisoners of way whom they had not expected to arise, and for whom they were conditioned to have no respect. The death rate, casualty rate and general suffering among the prisoners was proportionately great. "My daughter married young and went her own way, My sons lie buried by the Burma Railway. So on this land I've made my own I've carried on alone, But it's nearly over now, and now I'm easy." - Eric Bogle, "Now I'm Easy". In sadness, JR.