Burma Boys: World War II, memory and popular culture in central Nigeria

ASC seminar by Oliver Owen (Oxford) This ongoing research showcases oral history work with surviving Nigerian veterans of the British Army's 81 and 82 Divisions who fought the Japanese in the jungle war in Burma. It foregrounds their memories and interpretations of the experience, and uses popular culture of the period, particularly soldiers' songs, as part of a public engagement project. It also highlights two legacies of war service: The institutionalisation of the postcolonial military, and ethno-regional political consciousness in the central regions of Nigeria. Links to resources mentioned in podcast: https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/aug/10/forgotten-army-world-war-two-west-african-soldiers-burma-video https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80022228 https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeracorrespondent/2011/08/2011828135228487172.html http://nsibidiinstitute.org/ http://www.commonwealthveterans.org.uk/

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