What were the strategic reason reason of Burma to both British and Japanese during WW2?

Question

What were the reasons for the Japanese to build the Burma-Thai railway?

Answer 1

Death Railway (Thai-Burma Railway) Hellfire Pass.

Japan was given right of passage to Thailand and occupied Burma during the Pacific War. However, when the sea route through the Strait of Malacca became vulnerable, an alternative way of transporting support to the troops in Burma was needed.

A railway connection between Thailand and Burma had already been surveyed at the beginning of the 20th century by the British, but was considered too difficult to complete. The Japanese, nevertheless, started the project in June 1942, intending to connect Ban Pong with Thanbyuzayat by the Three Pagoda Pass. Construction started at both ends of the line at roughly the same time, the Thai end on June 22, 1942.

Answer 2

Burma was the gateway to India , the most valuable possession of the British Empire
The railway was built for supplying Japanese forces through the jungles of Burma where there were few roads especially in the rainy season

Answer 3

Burma was in a strategic location between the Japanese holdings and India. The English were deteremined to hold onto India, that's where they got their tea from. The British were so worried about what would happen to morale if they ran out of tea that they bought the entire world crop, or at least as much as they could get. Burma's terrain is also very rugged and well suited to defense, making it a good place to try to stop the Japanese.

Answer 4

Although most of these are correct, the main reason for the Burma railroad was to connect India with the far East due to a separate route would have meant a longer conclusion to the war. The Japanese needed a way to get to India the quickest way they could.
Although completed, the Allies bombed one of the main bridges out (Bridge on the river Kiwi) movie, the railroad was never used by them before the end of the war.

Etc: The Japanese needed the rubber, the oil, tea, the main resourses of the entire area.

Answer 5

The rail line promised an alternative, shorter supply route to support Japan's control of Burma. Why did Japan want Burma?

Burma had valuable resources of its own, including petroleum, foodstuffs, gems, and timber. To protect the Japan's control of Malaysia-Singapore, control of Burma was an important buffer against Allied forces in India.

Because Burma was the backdoor into China, its territory offered the only source of supply for the Nationalist's fight against Japan. Japan had to contest control over northern Burma, which the reason for Stillwell's long march out of Burma.

It also provided a closer base to promote Indian rebellion against British control of India.

Answer 6

their reason for building the railway is to fasten the arrival of their supporting forces in the Burma campaign. i'm not familiar in the strategic reason because i know that burma is turning out like a border between Japan and Britain at that time

Answer 7

The Burma area was important as it was the only way the west could supply China the war materials that it needed to fight Japan. Japan knew that and so it invaded the area to close the route. The railway you speak of was built so that Japan could supply it's troops in the theater.

Answer 8

Burma was regarded by the British as part of India and was governed as such. The Japanese saw it as a way into the larger sub-continent.

Answer 9

Ole Man is correct - - - Burma is considered to be the gate way to India - - - the hinge on the door - - - the Burma Thain railway was built to carry supplies from the more civillized cultivated Thailand to what was then deep dense jungle in Burma......

Peace............... o o o o o o o o o p p o o p p o o o

Answer 10

Its called " a supply line".
Every army has to have supplies. No soldier can carry enough food and ammo to last for long. They have to have supplies. That is what the "Burma Road" was all about and that is why both sides needed it.