Visiting The WWII Museum In Kota Bharu

Malaysia was not an idle bystander during WWII. Run by the British, invaded by the Japanese, Malaysia was a fought over territory in the Pacific theater during the war. Kota Bharu, in the Northeast corner of peninsular Malaysia, experienced the first wave of Japanese invaders to its nearby beaches on the South China Sea. Now, a museum chronicles that time.

Outside the museum, a hodgepodge collection of military might.

Inside, impressive mural of the initial attack. Japanese uniform.

Unrelated to the area artifacts, models of the American atomic bombs dropped on Japan.

Curios. Gas mask and a room devoted to models, WWII and otherwise. If you build it, they will display it.

Back outside, a replica of one of the many concrete bunkers the British built along the beaches.

Dioramas At The November 10th Museum, Surabaya

Indonesia loves to tell its history through dioramas. Battles, meetings, unrest, rebellion, light up a box and throw some stuff in to impress the masses. The November 10th Museum commemorates the Battle of Surabaya, when, in November 1945, local forces fought British forces. The Indonesians lost that battle. The fighting was fierce and signaled to the world that colonizing Indonesia - as it was before WWII - would now be impossible. November 10th is Heroes day in Indonesia, to commemorate the start of their fight for independence.

Illustration of a rebel camp. Rifles propped up, some chit chat and a basket of rations.

Taking down the Dutch flag and replacing it with an Indonesian flag at the Yamato hotel. Protester.

Plotting and planning the Indonesian defense.

Impressions. Rebel Officer. Soldier, intently listening.

Naval maneuvers.

Drug Elimination Museum, The Opium War Edition

To show that fighting the scourge of drugs has been a long tradition in Myanmar, the military included a little historical perspective in the museum. Bring on the opium wars of the late 1800's.

The king in his court, plotting.

The British are out for blood, and getting it, against the Chinese.

The Chinese are tough, though, and scoring their own amount of damage.

Still, the British fight on. And on. It's looking like WWE, circa 1890.

A fiery, bloody mess.