Japanese Military Propaganda (WWII)

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Japanese Military Propaganda during World War II was designed to maintain combat morale, prevent defection and perhaps induce the enemy to surrender or to change sides.

During the Battle of Iwo Jima, for example, American forces retrieved examples of the following Iwo Jima Garrison Song:

                  "Iwo Jima Garrison Song"
               When dark tides billow in the ocean
               A wink shaped isle of mighty fame
               Guards the gateway to our empire:
               IWO JIMA is its name.
               ... From dawn to dusk we train with zeal
               At our Emperor's command
               We'll bring the enemy to heel.
               Oh, for Emperor and homeland
               There's no burden we won't bear.
               Disease, hardship, and foul, water;
               These are less to us than air.
               In the lonely mid-Pacific,
               Our sweat a fortress will prepare.
               If the enemy attacks us
               Let him come, we will not care. (Provided from a Japanese document captured at Iwo Jima by J. S. Harris, LT 1/27,  Engineers.)

Another example designed to raise morale was the so-called Courageous Battle Vow, of Island Commander Tadamichi Kuribayashi.This text was found by the Americans on the bodies of the majority of the Japanese dead at Iwo, where it was also posted on pillbox walls.

              Courageous Battle Vow
       Above all else we shall dedicate ourselves and our entire
       strength to the defense of this island.
       We shall grasp bombs, charge the enemy tanks and destroy them.
       We shall infiltrate into the midst of the enemy and annihilate them.
       With every salvo we will, without fail, kill the enemy.
       Each man will make it his duty to kill 10 of the enemy before dying.
       Until we are destroyed to the last man, we shall harass the enemy by guerrilla tactics.

In a similar vein, Kuribayashi radioed to Tokyo: "The Americans advised us to surrender by loudspeaker, but we only laughed at this childish trick and set ourselves against them."

His last message to Tokyo stated: "We have not eaten or drunk for five days, but our fighting spirit is still running high. We are going to fight bravely to the last."