The Second Map: 3. The Battered Suitcase

As people back home partied in the streets, celebrating victory in Europe in May 1945, war wasn’t over for the many thousands of soldiers and civilians on the Asian front. For those in Japanese prison camps, or fighting in distant jungles, it wasn’t always over on the day Japan announced its unconditional surrender on August 15th.

Episode 3 of The Second Map traces the complex remembrance of the war on the Asian Front in Britain, India, and Japan, 80 years after it ended. We hear of the trauma of those who lived as prisoners and how they coped with life once back in Britain. And we learn how the horrors of war returned to veterans in their nightmares, and speak to descendants across Britain who are making new discoveries today about what their family members did in the war on the Asian Front. 

Creator, Writer and Presenter: Kavita Puri Series Producer: Ellie House Script Editor: Ant Adeane Sound Designer: James Beard Series Editor: Matt Willis Production Coordinators: Sabine Scherek, Maria Ogundele Commissioners for Radio 4 and The World Service: Dan Clarke, Jon Zilkha

Original music: Felix Taylor Archive Curator: Tariq Hussain Voice actor: Bhasker Patel

With thanks to Dr Diya Gupta, Dr Vikki Hawkins, Dr Peter Johnston, Professor Rana Mitter and Tejpal Singh Ralmill.