Citation

Kramer HK, Kramer S. War Soc. 2019; 38(3): 163-184.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Dept. of History, University of New South Wales, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07292473.2019.1617660

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In 1932, three Japanese soldiers died in the line of duty during the Shanghai Incident. Battlefield gossip blamed their deaths on incompetence. Sensational newspaper reports lauded them as suicide bombers who crippled the defences of an enemy stronghold with only a Bangalore torpedo and 'pieces of torn flesh.' Hero worship and commercialization followed shortly thereafter. Their alleged exploits inspired books, movies, theatrical performances, political speeches, radio dramas, and popular music. This article is about the Nikudan-san'yūshi (Three Heroic Human Bullets) phenomenon, a cultural sensation that penetrated into nearly every corner of Japanese society and which groomed the nation for military extremism. © 2019 School of Humanities and Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra.

Language: en

Keywords

Suicide bombers; Bakudan; Japanese militarism; Nikudan; Shanghai incident