Thailand and Burma: During World War II, thousands of Allied soldiers, captured and imprisoned by the Japanese, were forced to construct a railway linking strategic military sites in Thailand and Burma. Many of the POWs, half-starved, dehydrated and overworked, died while constructing the railroad. The construction of Hellfire Pass, a particularly demanding section of rail, took the lives of thousands. Today much of the railway is no longer in use, but several key memorial sites along the tracks pay tribute to the lives lost. One small section of track carries passengers over the River Kwai to Hellfire Pass, where a memorial is sponsored by Australian and British foundations. One of the original locomotives is on display. Tourists also visit several large POW cemeteries which are located in the city of Kanchanaburi.
I found this passage to be very interesting. I am not sure how common this information was but this is the first time I have heard of the death railway in Thailand and Burma. I have heard a lot about the railroads constructed by the chinese in the United States but have not heard about Allied soldiers, I’m assuming some where American, building railroads in Thailand/Burma. I was just wondering if the majority of the POWs were from Australia or Britian? Therefore resulting in the sponsored memorials from Austrialian and British foundations.