THE DESTRUCTION IN LIUZHOU CHINA. November 10, 1944 PAINTINGOF THE JAPANESE BOMB

SMITH, Samuel D. [Artist]

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Washington D. C. 1992, Center Military History. A color lithographic print, sheet size: 51 x 40.5 cm., image size: 39 X 29.5 cm., a "NEW: unused condition, flawless. * * VERY RARE AND OBSCURE, FIRST & ONLY EDITION * * . *** **** *** . . WORLD WAR 2 THE ARTIST DRAWING ON THE SCENE . . . AN HISTORIC PAINTING OF THE JAPANESE DESTRUCTION . . . OF LIUZHOU CITY, GUANGXI PROVINCE, CHINA . . . PAINTED BY SMITH AT LIUZHOU, NOVEMBER 10, 1944 . . *** THE CAPTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PRINT: . "Although by 1944 the war was not going well for the Japanese, in a desperate attempt to salvage something from the years of fighting in China they opened an offensive in April to consolidate their gains. One of the aims of ICHIGO, the Japanese code name for what would prove to be the final offensive, was to capture the chain of American air bases in eastern China, one of which was in Liuzhou. On 10 November the Japanese captured and occupied the city. Their occupation was short-lived, however. By 26 December the Chinese were actively planning to retake the city, and on 22 June 1945, the Japanese abandoned Lizhou in the face of the advancing Chinese Army." . *** THE SCENE: The scene is painted in hues of orange, red and dark colors, expressing the emotion of "forbidding destruction" to the Liuzhou area. In the background is a large explosion of fire leaping to the sky, reflected off the tall Karsts mountains in the background. In the foreground is a procession of Chinese civilians fleeing the scene of fire and disaster. They pull wheeled carts, others carry belongings on bamboo poles on their shoulder, others rest along side the road, in exhaustion. One cart has fallen off the road into a gully as its owners struggle to get it back on the road. Bodies are leaning forward, pushing carts and pulling carts in a physical effort to hurry away. . Behind this group of fleeing Chinese are a line of American Jeeps, with American army personnel watching the flaming destruction in the background. The last A.A.F. [Army Air Force] Fighter airplanes stayed until November 7th, then the airfield was bombed by the Americans, and facilities burned to the ground to prevent use by the incoming Japanese army. The last flights of fighters left that afternoon. . November 8th, Chennault returned to Liuzhou and ordered the evacuation of American A.A.F. [ARMY AIR FORCE], the FOURTEENTH AIR FORCES, from Nanning and Guilin on November 9 th., these cities had fallen to the invading Japanese military forces. . *** CONDITION: NEW, UNUSED examples, ready for framing and display. . * Long out-of-print, this series is now very RARE. . Please review photos posted to our website or enquire with us. . *. Seller Inventory # 37036502

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Title: THE DESTRUCTION IN LIUZHOU CHINA. November ...