The history of Japan desire to rule over India and Burma-Thailand Railway
wikilatief-- Why did the Japanese want to build the Burma railway? Japan had the intention to take control of India in 1942 to overthrow British rule in Asia.
Some 75 years ago, Emperor Hirohito declared Japan to surrender and withdraw from World War II.
The announcement comes after a week of two important cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were atomicly bombed by the Americans. The Japanese troops gradually returned home from their colonies.
Indeed, the Land of the Rising Sun has lost since being bombarded by Fat Boy and Pac Man. However, the world needs confirmation.
It was then, August 15, 1945, that the Great Emperor spoke and his statement was broadcast over the radio.
This event is very important for the Shinto country, because it was the first time that the deified symbolic leader spoke over the radio.
Crucially, Hirohito's oration recordings were stored, published and translated postwar.
Regarding the surrender of Japan in World War II, two years later this historic moment was utilized by other countries.
Not utilized in the true sense, but in this case adopted by India as their historic day as well.
India's Independence Day was first designated by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on January 26.
It was 1929, he was President of congress and called for total independence from British colonial rule.
Japanese troops began invading Myanmar on January 19, 1942. The attack was carried out in order to seize Myanmar from The British who had been in power since 1886.
The Japanese then ruled Myanmar until 1945 before being recaptured by the British. Myanmar gained independence from the British on 4 January 1948.
The Japanese attack on Myanmar was one of the historic events that took place on January 19.
Read Too : The history of the invasion of Mongol troops to Japan. Has Japan experienced a culture shock?
After taking control of Burma in May 1942, the Japanese targeted India as their next target.
But the logistics of japan's war have already exceeded their limits. So Japan decided to create a logistics line in the form of a railway that runs from Thailand to Burma, known as the Thai-Burmese railway.
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| Burma-Thai Railway map |
Construction of the Thai-Burmese railway has actually begun in 1940, supplying the needs of Japanese troops in their military campaign for control of Burma.
After taking control of Burma in 1942, Japan extended the railway to India.
The Japanese gathered forced laborers from prisoners of war, local laborers, slaves from Australia, to some Romusha from Indonesia and others.
Construction of the Thai-Burmese railway is arguably slow. It took months just to make a 1-kilometer rail line.
Eventually, after the Empire ordered it to be accelerated due to the urgency of Japanese troops in the Pacific, japan was able to build a Burmese Thai railway to almost the Indian border in 1944. But the construction of the railway certainly has a price.
330,000 people (including 250,000 forced laborers from Asia, 61,000 Allied prisoners of war) and 90,000 slaves, as well as 16,000 other Allied prisoners were killed by force, so it's no wonder why the Thai-Burmese railway was dubbed the Death Railway because of the large number of workers who died building the railway.
However, for Japan, the completion of the Thai-Burmese railway was a success and an intermediary in invading India.
(Photo = construction of the railway)
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| The contraction of Burma-Thailand Railway |
So the Japanese gathered their troops and supplies using this Thai-Burmese railway to the front line.
Finally, on March 8, 1944, Japan launched its invansi to India. The Japanese faced British troops and mestyling forces at Imphal, now known as the Battle of Imphal-Kohima.
The Japanese were held back by the british resistance. The lack of troops and supply is also a scourge for Japan.
Reinforcements for japan were sent via the Thai-Burmese railway, but unfortunately, the railway was bombarded by Allied aircraft.
Read Too : Did Confucian teachings influence Japan?
Long story short, The Japanese were too ambitious to take control of India, but the logistics and the number of troops put the Japanese in a state of retreat and canceled their invansi.
Japan is also under pressure in the Pacific, so many of japan's troops are prioritized to maintain the front line in the Pacific.
If only the Japanese had prioritized and expanded their troops and supplies to invade India, perhaps most of India would have fallen into Japanese hands.
Then the fate of the Thai-Burmese railways
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The Thai-Burmese railway is still used today for thailand's state railways, and is also a silent witness to Japan's atrocities and ambitions during World War II.