The Bridge on the River Kwai is based on real historical events tied to the Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, which was constructed during World War II by the Japanese Empire.
The railway ran from Ban Pong, Thailand, to Rangoon (Yangon), Burma (now Myanmar), crossing the River Kwai (a tributary of the Mae Klong River).
Construction began in 1942 and was completed in 1943, though the railway was used for a shorter time before being abandoned.