Thai Students Lining Procession for Tojo

What it is

This image appears in the same July 1943 issue of Djawa Baroe, a newspaper published in Japanese-occupied Java. It shows a street scene with people lining a road and a car passing by.

The caption identifies this as a procession for Hideki Tojo, Japan's prime minister at the time, involving Thai students.

Why it matters

This is another example of wartime propaganda imagery, showing public displays of welcome organized around Tojo's visits as part of Japan's efforts to present itself as a unifying leader of Asia during the war.

Such staged public events were common tools used by occupying and allied governments to build support and legitimacy.

Look closer

• Who organized this procession, and what message was it meant to send?
• What does the formality of the lined-up crowd suggest about whether this was spontaneous or staged?
• What does this image not tell us about how ordinary people actually felt?