Subject: Yeah, I'd never attempt something like this.
Author:
Posted on: 2012-05-06 21:35:00 UTC
But I've been reading it, and I think Laburnum's been doing alright with it so far. It's really a matter of opinion, though.
Hey, guys. I'm a tad stuck on a scene in a Hetalia fic I'm currently doing. In it, I need two Japanese military personnel to be hanging around in a not-very-crowded public place in an occupied territory somewhere in China or Korea. Sadly, I've realised I don't actually know what Japanese military personnel in occupied territories actually did all day, other than apparently "being giant assholes to the locals" (no offence, guys, all military personnel in occupied areas tend to do that - I'm a Brit, I know). Anyone got any suggestions as to what they could be doing, and any information on what the place would actually be like?
Military personnel in occupied areas most definitely do not hang around "being giant assholes to the locals". While there have been heavily publicised atrocities regarding that sort of situation, which July has helpfully linked to, the other side of the coin is that militaries do not generally look kindly on that sort of thing.
For an example, look at the Special Air Service, part of the UK military force. When they go into an occupied area they often carry out what are known as "hearts & minds" operations - giving medical assistance and other useful advice and help to the local population. Hardly assholish behaviour.
In short, Laburnum, please, please do more research before you even consider writing fics set in war zones of any kind.
I shouldn't be flippant. Sorry.
For one, no, "being giant asshats to the locals" is not something "all military personnel in occupied areas tend to do". If you think that is the case, you are wrong. Do your research. The military is not like that. It has not been like that. Modern militaries are completely different from what you are suggesting with your statement, which is very offensive to those of us who have family in the military, or are intending to join the military. Any military. Because contrary to your "no offence" it is offensive, and no, you do not know, just because you are a Brit.
For two, describing the actions of the Japanese military in Asia as "being giant assholes to the locals" is appalling. It shows just how much you do not know about what went on during WWII in the areas under Japanese control. What the Japanese did included the Rape of Nanking. The Bataan Death March. Did you know that some parts of the Japanese military were eating their prisoners? In some cases, they cut flesh off of people who were still alive. There were also the comfort women.
So that we're clear, I am not telling you these things so you can use them in your Hetalia fic.
I'm telling you because you think that "being giant asshats to the locals" is a thing that happens, and because you want to use it as background for your fic. It does no justice to the vast majority of military personnel who follow their orders and treat local civilians well- sometimes beyond what their orders entail- and it does even less justice to those who rape, pillage, and murder without care for fellow human life.
If you don't understand how terrible the things done were, you should not be writing a fic involving the Japanese occupation of Asian countries and the Pacific Rim, if your initial viewpoint is "Well, most military personnel are assholes to the locals". You shouldn't be writing a fic involving it if you need to do all of this most basic research. Being a fan of Hetalia does not mean you are a fan of history, or even prepared to learn it. The two are antithetical in concept and theme. Being cutesy about a time period where so many people were killed horribly, and making the personifications of the countries that did these terrible things cutesy is horrific.
WWII Germany isn't handsome or sweet or whatever the hell it is. WWII Germany was an imperialistic and depraved monster that was killing whole swathes of people and performing terrible experiments on some of them- just for who they were.
WWII Russia is a famine monster, responsible for the deaths of millions, possibly beyond even the nightmareish excesses of Nazi Germany. Many of its soldiers were not prepared to even be able to survive a battle- sent in weaponless, without supplies, to fight for their motherland.
WWII Japan had people buried alive. People eaten alive. People turned into genetic experiments for the sake of "science". Prisoners culled and killed. Mass swathes of women raped, and raped, and raped, until the vast majority of them died.
Hetalia and the realities of that era do not match up. Don't write this fic, please. Read up on what you're actually wanting to use in this piece before you even begin considering actually writing it.
Um, at the risk of starting something, can I respectfully disagree with the bit about Hetalia not making you a fan of history? Because... it kind of did, with me. I mean, I already liked history, but getting into the Hetalia fandom actually increased my interest, made me want to learn more about it so I could have context for what I saw in the manga or anime. Because most of the things that happen in Hetalia are historically accurate, even if they're toned down.
Also, I would like to point out that calling WWII Germany an imperialistic and depraved monster is a bit unfair. It was the Nazis. Most of the German people as a whole did not know about the Holocaust when it was happening.
"Also, I would like to point out that calling WWII Germany an imperialistic and depraved monster is a bit unfair. It was the Nazis. Most of the German people as a whole did not know about the Holocaust when it was happening."
I don't think it's unfair at all. WW2 Germany was a political entity run by a political organization that had the backing of a clear majority of the German people, and which committed all the heinous acts I hope everyone is familiar with. This was "Germany". She was not making a statement regarding all people who were citizens of Germany at the time. This was the "Germany" that, rightly so, had to pay reparations, whose leaders stood trial at Nuremberg, etc. You can't divorce the polity of Germany into some kind of "Nazi Germany" that existed separate from "true Germany".
Additionally, when it comes to things like imperialism, the annexation of the Sudetenland and the Anschluss were wildly popular among the German population.
Still like Hetalia, though.
I was a HUGE history buff before Hetalia. It just... sharpened my interest.
Though, PV, it looks like this is going to be a *very* hard fic to write. I don't usually write Hetalia fic that has anything to do with wars, because it's hard to do tastefully, and usually comes out as darkfic.
You need help, you have my red pen.
But I've been reading it, and I think Laburnum's been doing alright with it so far. It's really a matter of opinion, though.
Laburnum's good at the darker stuff, anyway. From, ya know, what I can tell.
The problem is Yong-Soo. From what I've seen... South Korea is one of the happiest nations, rivalling only Italy in his happiness. 'Twill be hard to write well.
So true. In fact, one of my favorite parts in the fic is when the two meet. And it is amazing.
They could be looking for signs of rebellion, or checking up on reports of armed soldiers in the vicinity... maybe investigating the area for suspected enemies or weapons stashes?
... but said prisoner is Yong-Soo, and they don't know who he actually is, so they think looking out for a fifteen-year-old boy is kind of a waste of time and aren't paying attention until they actually bump into him. He has to be injured in the process so they can see his healing factor, and so there need to be not too many muggles around because otherwise people would notice.
Hmm... Well, you could make the soldiers the Colon-and-Nobby type, who are just sneaking off for a smoke or whatever. *cop-out solution is a cop-out*
They do, after all, end up selling what is effectively a pair of kids to a dissection lab for money (short version, Yong-Soo is either sharing a body with the ghost of his sister or suffering from multiple personalities) and they will end up being horribly murdered in retaliation. I'm not even entirely sure if I should give the guys in question names, for fear of humanising them too much.
... but I know many military units assign punishment duty for minor screwups. If it's plausible for the WWII Japanese army to do so, maybe these guys are on guard duty because they messed up. They wouldn't be happy about it, and look, here's some kid we can take out our frustrations on.
Would it be plausible for them to be wandering around off-duty in a city? I was thinking Yong-Soo might run into them when he's trying to escape with stolen food or something. He's very easily recognisable (even in Hetalia-verse not many people have smiley faces in their hair), and they know he's an escaped prisoner with "important family connections" who they think was being held for ransom by some government higher-up, but they haven't been told that he is in fact the personification of Korea, so they don't think his return is important enough to stop them selling him to the dissection lab.