Summary

Kwai tells the story of the 'railway of death' immortalized in David Lean's movie The Bridge on the River Kwai. The rail line linked Rangoon and Bangkok and was part of Japan's war strategy to send troops throughout Asia. The building of this railway by frail and weak prisoners proved to be a living hell: 100,000 coolies and 26,000 Allied POWs died of disease, hunger and exhaustion in 15 months. The survivors and compelling images retell their nightmare first-hand. This series sheds light on three tragic episodes of the war in the Pacific that are often overlooked in the history books. During several years of research, the director recorded the memories of both Western and Asian eyewitnesses, while uncovering never-before-seen archival footage.