Attu Island Gyokusai
Dublin Core
Title
Attu Island Gyokusai
Subject
アッツ島玉砕 (Attsu-tō Gyokusai)
Description
This oil painting depicts the final banzai charge of Japanese soldiers against American troops during the Battle of Attu island, one of bloodiest battles in the Pacific War. The word "Gyokusai" in the title roughly translates to "smashed jewel", and it's a reference to a 6th-century Chinese text that states "it's better to be a smashed jewel than an intact tile"; a proclamation on the beauty of self-sacrifice.
Creator
藤田嗣治 (Fujita Tsuguharu)
Date
Shōwa 18 (1943)
Format
193.5 × 259.5 cm
Type
Oil on Canvas
Files
Collection
Citation
藤田嗣治 (Fujita Tsuguharu), “Attu Island Gyokusai,” Japanese Art in the 20th century - Empire, War, Occupation, accessed May 23, 2026, https://www.empire-war-occupation-20thcent-japaneseart.artinterp.org/items/show/27.