• Source:JND
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Thailand-Burma Death Railway: In World War II, one of the deadliest infrastructure projects in human history was experienced in Southeast Asia. The 415-kilometre Thailand–Burma Railway, also referred to as the "Death Railway," killed close to 1.25 lakh people who were subjected to harsh conditions. Constructed by the Japanese from September 1942 to October 1943, the railroad connected Thailand's Nong Pladuk to Burma's (now Myanmar) Thanbyuzayat and was intended as a crucial supply line for Japanese troops deployed throughout the region.

Strategic Wartime Project Turned Tragic

Once Japan had invaded much of Southeast Asia, it looked for a more secure route to send supplies to Burma in order to bypass the Allied naval assault that made sea travel hazardous. The suggested rail connection between Bangkok and Rangoon (Yangon) would save over 3,000 kilometres of distance and link Japanese bases with Indian Ocean access.

But what started as a military necessity quickly turned into a humanitarian tragedy. The construction from both ends began on September 16, 1942, cutting through thick jungles, steep hills and tropical marshes. In spite of the perilous terrain, the railway was built in only 15 months, on October 17, 1943, at a cost that defied human imagination.

Human Suffering Beyond Measure

Japan used an estimated 2,40,000 workers to finish the line. Approximately 1.8 lakh were civilian workers from Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Indonesia, and almost 60,000 were Allied prisoners of war (POWs) predominantly British, Australian, Dutch and American soldiers.

Laborers worked as many as 18 hours a day with minimal food, no medical attention and routine beating by guards. They fought with scorching heat, torrential rains, and rampant diseases such as cholera, malaria and dysentery. Hunger, starvation and harsh beatings were commonplace. Allied bombing along the route killed more. By the time the line was completed, around 16,000 POWs and more than 90,000 Asian civilians had perished, an average of 290 deaths for every kilometre laid.

Legacy Of 'Death Railway'

Though parts of the railway remain operational in Thailand, much of the line was abandoned after the war. The Hellfire Pass and Wampo Viaduct, sites where thousands died are now preserved as memorials.

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In Thailand, at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the remains of Allied soldiers are a poignant reminder of the hardships suffered. For nations such as Australia, the Death Railway came to symbolise a long-lasting legacy of courage, resilience and the human spirit's strength in the face of unbearable cruelty.

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Even today, decades later, the tale of the Thailand–Burma Death Railway resounds through history — a cold reminder that human suffering is the price of progress that can never be cause for celebration.

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