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The Legend of Tank Commander Nishizumi
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Wikipedia article
, more known under the title 'The Story of Tank Commander Nishizumi', is a 1940 Japanese "humanist" war film directed by Kzabur Yoshimura.
Film
The movie shows the common Japanese soldier as an individual and as a family man, and even enemy Chinese soldiers are presented as individuals, sometimes fighting bravely. It is based on a true story of the Sino-Japanese war involving Japanese war hero Kojir Nishizumi, a lieutenant and future commander in the First Tank Regiment who was well-liked and highly respected by both his subordinates and superiors. To make the film, Yoshimura toured the actual battlefields in China.
Propaganda
Following his death during the Battle of Xuzhou in 1938, Nishizumi was declared Japans first gunshin, or War God. His career became the subject of legend and widespread praise throughout Japan, spawning numerous biographies, songs, and novels in his honor. The Legend of Tank Commander Nishizumi was promoted by the Japanese Ministry of the Army and the Ministry of Education upon its release in 1940. Nishizumis story was likely chosen due to the fact that he was an outstanding example of the ideal Empire soldier, and served as an inspiring and guiding piece of media for the masses considering that the films release coincided with both the Second World War and the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Reception
Cinema theorist Kate Taylor-Jones suggests that along with films like 'Mud and Soldiers' and 'Chocolate and Soldiers', 'The Legend of Tank Commander Nishizumi' provided "a vision of the noble, obedient and honourable Japanese army fighting to defend the emperor and Japan."
References
Themes and analysis
Category:1940 films
Category:Japanese war films
Category:Japanese propaganda films
Category:1940s Japanese-language films
Category:1940s war films
Category:Japanese black-and-white films
Japanese War films during World War II were notorious for encouraging self-sacrifice by Japanese civilians and soldiers, urging prioritizing Imperial goals rather than personal interests, and glorifying serving the Emperor by any means necessary. The war is illustrated to the Japanese audience as a culture conflict between the Western powers and East Asia. These films aim to convince the Japanese people that they are freeing Asia from the heavily stereotyped exploitative Western Imperialist powers. These Propaganda films during the war were heavily censored and were meant to illustrate a vivid emotional connection with the military, and to glorify the war for Japanese audiences.
Yoshimuras film reflects these defining attributes heavily throughout its runtime by utilizing several key themes. Self-sacrifice (death) is seen multiple times when Nishizumi risks his own life rather than his crew men's lives or helps wounded infantrymen out of danger while he himself is wounded. Patriotism and glorifying the war is evident through Nishizumis portrayal as the ideal model Japanese leader; courageous, fearless, respected, and caring for his men. Furthermore, this key theme is evident when the film shows that Nishizumi is lionized for his efforts to serve Imperial Japan and help Chinese civilians during the siege of Shanghai and conquest of Nanking. Lastly, the theme of generations of Japanese soldiers serving the Emperor is depicted when we learn that Nishizumi is a young man embracing and living out his childhood ambition to follow his father's service in the Imperial army during the Russo-Japanese War; implying that the fighting spirit and obedience for the Emperor will be transferred from generation to generation within the Empire.
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