FROM BURMA TO THE RIVER KWAI - English • Great Railways

Producer NICK LERA explores the infamous ‘Death Railway’ built by the Japanese during the Second World War to provide overland access to Burma in support of their ill-fated advance on India. In Thailand we travel by steam train across the creaking wooden trestles beside the Kwai River, and visit the Hellfire Pass where thousands of Allied prisoners and Asian conscripts died in forced labour conditions hacking the line through solid rock. In present-day Myanmar we travel behind classic British steam locomotives from Rangoon towards the Thai border, pausing at the Sittang river where the British lost the bridge to the Japanese in 1942. The exotic settings belie the trauma of their recent history. Filmed in 1999 before steam power was discontinued.

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[real_MacrocosM]

My grandfather died building this railway and is buried there in the war Cemetery in kanchanaburi. I actually just got back from an 11-day trip over there. And I took two Australian friends to go visit the cemetery as well and see the beautiful waterfalls and other sights in the area

[graemeashton]

I travelled by train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi in 1985. Went to the war museum, and when I left the museum, l was totally weeping from the shock of prisoners had to endure building the railway towards Burma.😢

[Sushil-ce]

I'm given to understand that the famous movie "Bridge on the river Kwai " was shot in SriLangka.

[Bernie]

several of my family died there, several made it home. 2/30th 2/18 the battalion and 2/10 field regiment AIF

[Bruce-]

Years ago I took a trip on the railway and was moved by the candles along the line.

[pmajudge]

R.I.P. TO ALL WHO PERISHED . HUMANITY AT ITS WORST. SAD Indeed ! FROM .U.K. (2025).

[mucmatthias]

That's a good history document. Unfortunately it's not possible to visit the Myanmar railway part. It's a to high risk to go there. The railway part in Thailand gives a good impression of the entire track in a wonderful landscape.

[sarathdassanaike]

Depicting Bridge on rivet kwai in Burma then under British occupation during WWII in
Sri Lanka Ceylon a film was done
in 1956 by American film makers
I saw this film exhibited in Sri Lanka 3 times and with a lovely sweet song
Sarath Dassanaike

[frederickmanyanda]

May the souls of those who died in this tragedy rest in eternal peace. My grandfather and his first born boy, East Africans from the now Tanzania died in Burma during this WWII fighting for the British army. They were recruited in the Kings Rifle Arms.

[mahiramahardika-nuds]

12:28 NIS NEDERLAND INDISHE SPOORWEG 4-6-0 Locomotive moved from Java island to Thailand

[telcelmagdalena]

Exelente video y bien narrado o explicado. No hablo bien inglés pero entendí bien algunas palabras, lastima ke no esté traducido al Español.

[snbagchi]

historical documents. The British loot huge money gold from India and Burma during their rule and it was never highlighted in any historical documents. It was Subash Bose Indian freedom fighter, who fought with British and liberate norther province of India from occupation

[tuliomartin]

BRASIL, 13/05/2025. Já vi o filme umas 10 vezes e agora vendo êsse documentário vi detalhes. Grato.

[davidmonro]

Only from what I've been told the Japanese people were led to believe the bridge was a great credit to the Japanese army. When they go down there and find out what really happened do they realise they were lied to and suffer great loss of face. The Germans never tried to hide their treatment of others even in the schools but I can't imagine that being so in Japan. "Who is the slayer, who is the victim ?" "Speak".

[JACOKoomen]

L.S. ook ik was eens in Kanchanaburi, verschrkkelijk!

[nickcage-jz]

My grandfather had a badly damaged back which never healed from weeks in the hot box

[sjoerddijkstra]

been and seen done in 1965. also the war cemetery.

[sureshtopkar]

I have. seen the. war film. Bridge. On The River. Quaint which is thrilling

[FrederickBowdler]

Where did all the materials come from 😊wood locally but steel?

[colingibson]

Rediculas amount of adds.!!!! Totally destroyed the mood of the film!!!