expression
thousands die to make one hero
Proverb meaning that the glory of a single leader is built on the sacrifice of countless ordinary people. Often used to criticize war or ruthless ambition.
一将功成りて万骨枯るという言葉は、戦争の悲惨さをよく表している。
The saying 'thousands die to make one hero' well expresses the tragedy of war.
From a line in a classical Chinese poem by Cao Song (Tang dynasty). The exact derivation is uncertain, but the phrase is conventionally associated with the idea that a general's success comes at the cost of many soldiers' lives.