Japanese Occupation propaganda postcard from a set of five

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".

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Japanese Occupation propaganda postcard from a set of five

Japanese Occupation propaganda postcard from a set of five

Japanese Occupation propaganda postcard from a set of five

Japanese Occupation five dollar currency note