Comments on: Remembering the Railway of Death http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/ Photos, Stories and articles on East Asia Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:53:25 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: soubriquet http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-259831 soubriquet Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:06:27 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-259831 The museum was just as crazy back in 2001, when I visited. And as dusty. The dirty grey car was not built until after the war, it's a Morris Oxford MO, bigger than a Morris Minor,they were first made in 1948, I think the JeEATH museum says it's a japanese army staff car... (http://www.motorbase.com/vehicle/by-id/1078/) The jeep? yep. definitely american in origin. Perhaps that soldier captured it somewhere else. There weren't any in Thailand. Aki's translation "Political cartoon about Japanese War in Thailand. “Do destroy England – the Asian’s enemy” Asian together with Japanese army fought with England who have been invaded [sic] Thailand for a long time. Japanese always help Thailand to be a civilized country.——————"shows the further inaccuracies of the museum. Britain never invaded Thailand, although Japan did, on december the ninth 1941, following which Thailand declared war on England. The prisoners of war used on the railway were mostly taken from the Changi prisoner of war camp in Singapore. The Asian slave labourers were never forgotten by the prisoners, who saw them, worked alongside them, and died alongside them. More about them here:- http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/10/asia/thai.php There are several other museums, worth a visit, one is on the other side of the river, at Chunkai, near the war-graves cemetery, another is in the centre of Kanchanaburi, yet another about 40? miles away up the line of the railway. The one in the centre of the town in particular tries to present the history in a non-partisan way, acknowledging the losses of all nations involved there. The museum was just as crazy back in 2001, when I visited. And as dusty.
The dirty grey car was not built until after the war, it’s a Morris Oxford MO, bigger than a Morris Minor,they were first made in 1948, I think the JeEATH museum says it’s a japanese army staff car… (http://www.motorbase.com/vehicle/by-id/1078/)
The jeep? yep. definitely american in origin. Perhaps that soldier captured it somewhere else. There weren’t any in Thailand.
Aki’s translation “Political cartoon about Japanese War in Thailand.
“Do destroy England – the Asian’s enemy”
Asian together with Japanese army fought with England who have been invaded [sic] Thailand for a long time. Japanese always help Thailand to be a civilized country.——————”shows the further inaccuracies of the museum. Britain never invaded Thailand, although Japan did, on december the ninth 1941, following which Thailand declared war on England.
The prisoners of war used on the railway were mostly taken from the Changi prisoner of war camp in Singapore.
The Asian slave labourers were never forgotten by the prisoners, who saw them, worked alongside them, and died alongside them.
More about them here:- http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/10/asia/thai.php

There are several other museums, worth a visit, one is on the other side of the river, at Chunkai, near the war-graves cemetery, another is in the centre of Kanchanaburi, yet another about 40? miles away up the line of the railway.
The one in the centre of the town in particular tries to present the history in a non-partisan way, acknowledging the losses of all nations involved there.

]]> By: Adamu http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-259047 Adamu Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:49:00 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-259047 The big secret of this museum is that behind the loincloths, all the slave laborers are not only anatomically correct but EXTREMELY well-hung, especially considering their emaciated states. Thanks for getting around to posting this. That was one of the best museums I've ever been to. Felt like I was wandering around the attic of some eccentric old man while listening to his foggy recollections of the war. There is apparently an official museum a little further away from the actual bridge but that looked way too normal. The big secret of this museum is that behind the loincloths, all the slave laborers are not only anatomically correct but EXTREMELY well-hung, especially considering their emaciated states.

Thanks for getting around to posting this. That was one of the best museums I’ve ever been to. Felt like I was wandering around the attic of some eccentric old man while listening to his foggy recollections of the war.

There is apparently an official museum a little further away from the actual bridge but that looked way too normal.

]]> By: Aki http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-259024 Aki Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:41:24 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-259024 Aceface, Takayama Masayuki's parents most likely named him after <a href="http://www.hku.hk/history/nakasendo/images/1-2-2.jpg" rel="nofollow">this guy</a> at the Sanjo Bridge in Kyoto. Although the guy went by the name of Takayama Hikokuro, his true name was Takayama Masayuki (高山正之). Althgough I have not read the article you mentioned, I guess the reason he tends to give insane discourses is that he has the same name as Takayama Hikokuro who is known by his extreme (and often insane) behavior. Aceface, Takayama Masayuki’s parents most likely named him after this guy at the Sanjo Bridge in Kyoto. Although the guy went by the name of Takayama Hikokuro, his true name was Takayama Masayuki (高山正之). Althgough I have not read the article you mentioned, I guess the reason he tends to give insane discourses is that he has the same name as Takayama Hikokuro who is known by his extreme (and often insane) behavior.

]]> By: Aceface http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-258926 Aceface Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:27:07 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-258926 Basically it says Thai loves Japan and they respect our historic ties because we helped them fight nasty colonial French who are exploiting Vietnamese and Cambodians.And Japan left Thai some precious infrastracture(which is the railways to Burma,ofcourse) and this was mentioned as if Japanese built it singlehandedly.(There are no mention of atrocity toward NEITHER allied POW nor Asian slave labors). And he goes on to say Thai government tried to prove Japanese empire not just fought the battle to "liberate" South East Asia,but built the foundation of prosperity,left a plaque on the bridge in Kanchanapuri to commemorate that the bridge was built by no one but the Japanese. All this bull crap in one page essay with no irony of what so ever. But then again,Takayama has always been the most warped bigot among Sankei reporters when he was correspondent in Lps Angels during 90's and reknown to be a polemic and a village fool at the same time.I always skip his page in Shincho,but somehow my eye had caught nthis essay right after I wrote "But...,But...we, Japanese DO recognize Asian sacrifice in the railway of death"comment.Am I ashamed or what. This column 変幻自在is now edited in two volume of books with jaw-dropping titles like ”サダム・フセインは偉かったＳａｄａｍ　Ｈｕｓｓｅｉｎ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ｇｒｅａｔ　ｍａｎ””スーチー女史は善人か？Is Aung Sang Su Kyi.a nice person?”and piled in bookshops all over the country.While I'm certain his influence to the Japanese opinion is almost zero,still the fact remains Shincho is allowing him to write these ultra nationalistic pieces. Basically it says Thai loves Japan and they respect our historic ties because we helped them fight nasty colonial French who are exploiting Vietnamese and Cambodians.And Japan left Thai some precious infrastracture(which is the railways to Burma,ofcourse) and this was mentioned as if Japanese built it singlehandedly.(There are no mention of atrocity toward NEITHER allied POW nor Asian slave labors).
And he goes on to say Thai government tried to prove Japanese empire not just fought the battle to “liberate” South East Asia,but built the foundation of prosperity,left a plaque on the bridge in Kanchanapuri to commemorate that the bridge was built by no one but the Japanese.
All this bull crap in one page essay with no irony of what so ever.

But then again,Takayama has always been the most warped bigot among Sankei reporters when he was correspondent in Lps Angels during 90’s and reknown to be a polemic and a village fool at the same time.I always skip his page in Shincho,but somehow my eye had caught nthis essay right after I wrote “But…,But…we, Japanese DO recognize Asian sacrifice in the railway of death”comment.Am I ashamed or what.

This column 変幻自在is now edited in two volume of books with jaw-dropping titles like ”サダム・フセインは偉かったＳａｄａｍ　Ｈｕｓｓｅｉｎ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ｇｒｅａｔ　ｍａｎ””スーチー女史は善人か？Is Aung Sang Su Kyi.a nice person?”and piled in bookshops all over the country.While I’m certain his influence to the Japanese opinion is almost zero,still the fact remains Shincho is allowing him to write these ultra nationalistic pieces.

]]> By: M-Bone http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-258921 M-Bone Sun, 23 Mar 2008 12:17:15 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-258921 "But this column is totally insane" What does it say? (I'm not in Japan right now....) “But this column is totally insane”

What does it say? (I’m not in Japan right now….)

]]> By: Aceface http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-258891 Aceface Sun, 23 Mar 2008 05:19:55 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-258891 Just finish reading this week's issue（Maｒｃｈ　２７） of shukan Shincho's column 変幻自在 by ex-Sankei reporter Takayama Masayuki高山正之 coincidentally on the same subject as this post.And it's the most bizzarre revisionist take on the issue i've ever read.Shincho is never a left wing weekly.But this column is totally insane,especially Shincho is one of the most circulated magazine of the nation. I take back some of the content of my previous comment. Just finish reading this week’s issue（Maｒｃｈ　２７） of shukan Shincho’s column 変幻自在 by ex-Sankei reporter Takayama Masayuki高山正之 coincidentally on the same subject as this post.And it’s the most bizzarre revisionist take on the issue i’ve ever read.Shincho is never a left wing weekly.But this column is totally insane,especially Shincho is one of the most circulated magazine of the nation.
I take back some of the content of my previous comment.

]]> By: Jade Oc http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-258884 Jade Oc Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:19:57 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-258884 Incidentally, readers may find this article on the POW museum (and others) to be of interest - it gives some interesting background. While largely about the Changi museum, it has some interesting stuff about the JEATH, such as the fact that the Bridge Over The River Kwai is not actually over the River Kwai - the river was renamed to capitalise on the tourist market. http://www.awm.gov.au/journal/j33/blackburn.htm Incidentally, readers may find this article on the POW museum (and others) to be of interest – it gives some interesting background. While largely about the Changi museum, it has some interesting stuff about the JEATH, such as the fact that the Bridge Over The River Kwai is not actually over the River Kwai – the river was renamed to capitalise on the tourist market.
http://www.awm.gov.au/journal/j33/blackburn.htm

]]> By: ROK Drop Weekly Linklets - 23MAR08 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-258882 ROK Drop Weekly Linklets - 23MAR08 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:01:57 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-258882 [...] a chart to check when the blossoms will sprout in your area in Japan.  - Remembering Japan’s Railway of Death.- Times are definitely changing with a Japanese blogger winning the nation’s top literary [...] [...] a chart to check when the blossoms will sprout in your area in Japan.  – Remembering Japan’s Railway of Death.- Times are definitely changing with a Japanese blogger winning the nation’s top literary [...]

]]> By: M-Bone http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-258834 M-Bone Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:19:49 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-258834 "stabbing a Briton in the arse" It actually looks like they are stabbing him UP the arse = more funny. In any case, they are not playing around. “stabbing a Briton in the arse”

It actually looks like they are stabbing him UP the arse = more funny. In any case, they are not playing around.

]]> By: Jade Oc http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/comment-page-1/#comment-258769 Jade Oc Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:42:43 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/03/21/remembering-the-railway-of-death/#comment-258769 "Jade, you sound like Sir Humphrey Appleby!" Thanks - I'll take that as a compliment. Love "Yes Minister".... “Jade, you sound like Sir Humphrey Appleby!”

Thanks – I’ll take that as a compliment. Love “Yes Minister”....

]]>