Bridge over River Kwai
August 16th, 2014I have to admit that I never saw this movie until I rented it. I watched it while I was in Bangkok. A lot has changed in movie making and this 2 hr 40 minute movie was very slow to watch. As with a lot of movies during that time, the message is about the US or in this case, the British overcoming and winning even when they were losing. The hardship and tragedy of the story was lost.
The bridge over river Kwai was built so that the Thai-Burma railway would connect Rangoon to Siam – which it does today. The bridge was built by POWs – primarily British POWs with a few US citizens mixed in and asian labourers. Like the Hellfire pass, the conditions weren’t good, long hours, physical abuse and very little medical care. Many men died – it is believed that for each sleeper rail (railroad tie) a man died. That is a lot of men.
Our tour guide asked us to look at the side of the rail as she had done the day before. On the side of the rail was the place and year that the rail had been made. Interestingly enough, at the Hellfire Pass, the rail was made in 1898, at this location it was 1911 from Germany. It made me wonder if these were lying around waiting to be used or were they reused from another railway?
The bridge was repeatedly bombed and rebuilt!
Well. It seems you went back this year. What an excellent bunch of articles, and they make me see the sites through your eyes. Will enjoy more posts. Take Care. David Cummings. Burma, 2014.
I enjoyed meeting you and your wife on our trip to Burma earlier this year! I learned so much about photography from you and really tried to up my game with pictures. I have a long way to go before I get to your level but thanks for for looking at my blog!
I loved your book http://www.blurb.com/b/5291899-the-road-to-mandalay – it is sitting on my coffee table!
Jim…we continue to enjoy your articles and pictures…both of the places we’ve been and ones we haven’t…good inspiration for future trips! Betty & Don Meyer from the Burma trip.
Thank you for checking back in! I hope all is well!
Interesting to see what looks like a security camera over the River Kwai bridge sign.