Six decades after the war between Japan and Australia resulted in the biggest and bloodiest prisoner-of-war escape in World War II, the Australian town of Cowra, site of the breakout, has become a place where the two nations can meet in understanding.
Just before 2 a.m. on Aug. 5, 1944, a bugle blast sounded a signal to nearly 900 Japanese POWs to break out of their camp, 250 km west of Sydney.
In the nine days that followed, 234 Japanese and five Australians died, some at the hand of their enemy, but most by their own hand. The remaining Japanese escapees were recaptured.