PHOTO ESSAY and EDITORIAL OPINION

DO IMPERIAL STORM TROOPERS LOOK DIFFERENT FROM THE UNIFORMED DEFENDERS OF DEMOCRACIES? 

   Admittedly We Picked Photos That Seemed To Illustrate Our Point But We Found That Photos Illustrating  Our Point Were Common, And Those Tending To Discredit It Exist, But Not In The Numbers That Illustrate It. Our Point? Imperial Troops Look Different By Design. China's Troops are Imperial Storm Troopers, Not Defenders of Democracy. Just Look At Them.

FIRST LET'S LOOK AT A FAMOUS HISTORICAL EXAMPLE OF THE CONCEPT

Photo Credit: Naval Historical Center Photo # SC 213700

Naval Historical Center Photo # USA C-2719

First lets look at some historic photos of the last surrender of a clearly recognized imperial force, the surrender of  Imperial Japan to the United States at the end of World War II. The surrender party of the defeated imperial party arrives in formal morning suits, and enhanced service dress uniforms (enhanced meaning using such accessories as gloves and some gold braided insignia- as distinguished from "full dress" or "formal" which would have required the wearing of medals vice ribbons). As they enter the quarter deck the representatives of a defeated Japan in Formal wear with top hats and military men in polished boots , ribbons, and gold braid face a military assembly of their conquers who have just imposed unconditional surrender upon them. The conquering power is dressed is simple khaki uniforms. Why is the conquered power the better dressed? We think it is a matter of daily custom. The defenders of democracy were assembled from the people whose lives had been disrupted by the imperial ambitions. The defenders of Democracy were out to win a war , impose a peace, and go home as fast as possible.

 Viewed marching the troops of the allies were seen as walking at a brisk but comfortable pace in a straight but relaxed posture with normal expressions on their faces. By contrast the imperial troops of the Axis powers were seen slap stepping to a stiffed legged "goose step", while wearing jackboots. The imperial troops not only dress better than democratic defenders, they dress to impress with a preference for power garb like dress boots. Oddly, when we look at photographs of formal surrender ceremonies from the 20th century wars the looser always seems to be the better dresser. Imperial troops are also taught to master the "iron mask", their facial expressions on parade are dour and threatening. By contrast democratic forces on the parade seem to be enjoying the parade.

Below is a public domain image of modern day Japanese officers of the Japanese Maritime Defense Force, definitely defenders of Democracy today and drawn from the citizens of that democracy. They look quite a bit less formal and far more relaxed today even standing in ranks than their WW II Imperial Navy counter parts. Yet the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force is a more powerful navy today than that of Great Britain. They are well equipped, trained, motivated, combat ready. Maybe the more relaxed appearance is because they only have to worry about real enemies of the state , not intimidating their fellow citizens into supporting the decisions of an imperial elite. The sailors below have no domestic propaganda duties related to producing "shock and awe" among their fellow citizens. So they can relax and just look professional. There may be some serious truth to the speculations of some historians that democratic forces tend to defeat imperial forces because the defenders of democracies are are better rested, not being burdened with maintaining a military bearing designed to intimidate all of the time. 

Japanese Maritime Self defense Officers in Ranks Today-Photo Public Domain

And Check out these Japanese Naval Cadets visiting a British War Ship:

Photo Credit: Royal Navy

NOW LETS LOOK AT IMAGES OF CHINA'S NAVAL AND MILITARY FORCES TODAY:

                                                                                     PHOTO CREDIT: U.S. NAVY             

                                                                                     
                                                                                                       Chinese Marines
                                                                                                                           PHOTO CREDIT:L/C J J Harper, USMC

Photo Credit: Pubic Domain, Chinese Air Force Enlisted on Parade

NOW CONTRAST THE CHINESE IMAGES WITH SOME MORE DEMOCRATIC DEFENDERS:

PHOTO CREDIT: U.S. COAST GUARD

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Personnel (coast guard) Photo: USN

Indian Navy Doctor  Photo Credit: U.S. Navy



Our Point is simple as is our obviously deliberately chosen photography.  In the democratic nations our defenders are our sons and daughters who freely choose to serve. They are all endowed with an ethic of protecting the citizens not intimidating them. They may not appear fearsome in uniform, just young and professional. But history has demonstrated that free men and women organized into disciplined military groups have fought till the "last man left standing" against invaders and imposed unconditional surrender terms on the jack booted dour faced "fearsome" invaders. China's neighbors inhabiting and administering  their islands and exclusive ocean economic zones are small, but not afraid, not powerless, and certainly not friendless.

  Their response to China's aggression so far has been to arm, not with jack booted storm troopers, but with the usual defenders of democracy.  The regional defenders know how to operate militarily, they may be friendly looking but they are trained and motivated to resist. They also know how to communicate, coordinate, and cooperate. On very short notice they know how to combine into a seemingly single force. In short they have learned since childhood how to "play well with others".

 The Dragon seeks to lead the region of what they call "their" "Second Island Chain". But why would the peoples of the region who actually own the second island chain (subject to some disputes between them unlikely to result in turf war) want to follow a territoriality aggressive thug state? If the dragon wants the oil of the China Seas developed in order to have a secure supply near home it should be leading the negotiations on clarifying the overlapping EEZ claims in the region, in accordance with the current International Convention on the Law of the Sea . That of course would require the Dragon to give up claims to islands incorporated by international treaty into the sovereign territory of Japan, and islands practically within sight of Philippine beaches, and other outrageous claims that it pursues today through the use of a naval war of nerves. China should be leading the way towards a cooperative regional multinational licensing authority for off shore development with all partner nations sharing in the licensing revenue for wells producing near established boundaries ( the subterranean oil reservoirs may run under the neighboring territory), or within disputed areas undergoing litigation or arbitration. China should  be leading regional fishery management and regulation conferences. But China is surrounded now by nations alarmed over her aggressive use of naval and coast guard forces to pursue clearly internationally recognized as illegal territorial claims. These nations refuse to bow before the Dragon and are instead arming. The Dragon thinks it has the right to be the leader of all Asia because it is the biggest economy and armed force. This is the same might makes right thinking as Germany, Italy, and Japan prior to World War II. 

 So maybe the Dragon ought to think how that worked out for the last group of imperial powers. Let's see, the people of Italy dragged their dictator out with his mistress, shot them both and hung their bodies out for the world to see. Then they joined the allies and fought against Germany. In Germany the head of government and state killed himself and his girlfriend inside a bunker, the rest of the government was put to flight but dozens were caught and some later hung for war crimes. Japan bowed to unconditional surrender.

 Look at the Dragon's troops. Who are they supposed to intimidate? China will have to keep half its troops home to keep the populace in line in the event of armed conflict. As for our friendly looking children of democracy wearing the uniforms of the nations depicted don't let their mild mannered and friendly expressions fool you. We have met them, they are professionals, and are perfectly ready when confronted by jack booted, goose stepping, imperial "storm troopers" to shoot as many as necessary between the eyes until the "storm" is over. The generation of young people pictured here are living a message addressed to the Dragon that simply says "learn to play nice with others and then maybe we'll consider giving you a shot at regional leadership".  These young people also send a message to the entire world that says "we take responsibility for our region, we respect international law, and the free movement of commerce, we will work with other free peoples as long as their governments, no matter how powerful, don't lapse back into imperialism. 

 Freedom and collective security are beginning to ring the China Seas and China. Look into the faces of the young people in uniform depicted here. Every one of them including the one American pictured was born into a nation that experienced a colonial past. All of them were born into freedom in a nation that clearly belongs to them. Only a reptile brain could conceive of them giving that up without a hell of fight. They were taught to hold hands when crossing the street in pre-school, to look out for each other, to excel individually but to help and protect each other. They are capable of collective and creative action. The dragon's troops are taught to move in lock step. The dragon must now learn to play nice with others or it is  more likely to crash than to progress much further. The defenders of freedom may not look so imposing to leaders who believe in jack booted goose stepping robots. They looked even milder in 1939. But they had totally crushed their enemies by 1945. The world is moving forward by fits and starts. Democracy is messy but it being embraced globally. The remaining imperial dragons may miscalculate and wake up to find that the "Greatest Generation" isn't one from the past. The remaining dragons will either change peacefully or end up the way the last den of vipers did in 1945.

This has been an editorial opinion by:

Johnas Presbyter, Editor in Chief: https://plus.google.com/u/0/100165001677844813061/posts