In South and Southeast Asian cultures, the elephant has been worshipped for centuries and today is still used for ceremonial and religious purposes. In this postcard, the sacred animal is co-opted by the Japanese military and is portrayed in an exuberant mood bathing a faceless Japanese soldier (see also accession no. 1999-02042-003) This image is part of the propaganda efforts to portray Imperial Japan as the agent for the establishment of "Asia for the Asiatics".
