Bridge On The River Kwai by Pierre Boulle Essay -- Bridge River Kwai

Bridge On The River Kwai by Pierre Boulle The title of my book was Bridge on the river Kwai. The Bridge on the River Kwai is an epic tale of the struggle of British POWs in a Japane se prison camp during WW II. Lt. Colonel marches his men into Prisoner of War Camp 16, commanded by Colonel Saito As the troops enter the camp, they are observed by long time captive Shears, an American sailor, who has bribed a guard to be put on the sick list. Saito announces that their job will be to build a bridge over the River Kwai so that the railroad connection can be completed. However, Saito also demands that all men, including officers, will do manual labor. This act forces Nicholson to inform Saito that, under the Geneva Convention, officers can not be required to do hard work. Saito expects them to do as their told because they are his prisoners after all. A standoff occurs when Nicholson adamantly refuses to make his officers do manual labor. The battalion is marched off to work with the officers left being shot by a machine-gun. Because of Nicholson's unwillingness to back down, he and his officers are placed in the "ovens"- small, iron boxes sitting in the heat of day. Time passes with Nicholson slowly dies, while the enlisted men labor away at the bridge. Shears, along with two British soldiers, try to escape but only Shears is able to get away, having been thought drowned in the river. finally, Sait...