From Left to Right: Susumu Kitagawa, Takeji Eshita, Inosuke Sakue
During the Shanghai Incident in 1932, Three infantrymen of Japanese Army Independent Engineers 18th Battalion named Susumu Kitagawa, Takeji Eshita and Inosuke Sakue used blasting tubes to break through the defense line of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army 19th Route Army commanded by Tsai Tingkai. These three were killed in the explosion. For the purpose of propaganda, the Japanese authorities regarded these three men as military gods and commemorated them with a statue.
In the same year, a professor named Tekkan Yosano at Keio University wrote the lyrics, and the captain of the Japanese Army Toyama School Military Band named Junji Tsuji composed the song to create this song.