The Bridge on the River Kwai with Jon Parshall episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 18, 2025 · 1H 12M

The Bridge on the River Kwai with Jon Parshall

from Based on a True Story

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 364) — Acclaimed historian Jon Parshall separates fact from fiction in the classic film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and the brutal realities of the Thai-Burma Railway during World War II, also known as the Death Railway. We'll contrast the film's fictional Colonel Nicholson with his real-life counterpart Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey, who sabotaged bridge construction when possible rather than cooperating with the Japanese.Follow Jon's new book at 1942book.comJon Parshall is an award-winning author who has worked as a historical consultant on numerous TV shows, a tour guide, as well as a frequent lecturer at the U.S. Naval War College, the National World War II Museum, and the Nimitz Museum. As of this recording, Jon is working on a new book that will go into even more depth on all the topics we're learning about today and more.Where to watch The Bridge on the River Kwai now  Also mentioned in this episodeJonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully's Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of MidwayDid you enjoy this episode? Watch the credits roll Unlock ad-free episodes Get the BOATS email newsletter Leave a comment Support our sponsors Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or Based on a True Story may earn commissions from qualifying purchases through these links.Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/364 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 18, 2025

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The Bridge on the River Kwai with Jon Parshall

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