Disclaimer: Hetalia (C) Hidekaz Himaruya, Studio Deen, and Gentosha. I don't own it.
So now there is Chapter 4. I may do the fifth chapter next week due to the holidays.
December 20, 2014
Beijing, China
The skies in Beijing were somewhat more normal in this time of the year, and given the industrialization and the pollution that was an aftereffect, it was bearable. China is wearing a scarf over his brown coat. Admittedly, he felt uneasy, now that the talks failed. He feared the effects in his economy.
The Chinese were known to travel to Manchuria's homeland for winter. But this time of the year, with the economy not in good shape and tensions are still high in East Asia, most are skiing in Qinghai instead of what China called Heilongjiang and Manchuria called Sahaliyan Ula. And, this, is bad for him, as well.
In any case, he could have preferred if Uyghuristan, Tibet, and especially Manchuria were part of his country. They would be very content, with China's economy rising. But then, would he give them limited freedoms? Uyghuristan might be an autonomous region, and Tibet would be with his sibling Xikang. Manchuria? She would be just a collection of provinces.
Maybe that is why history went against China, and in favor of China, the nation thought. It was not in favor because he does not control Tibet, Xinjiang, and Manchuria. But in favor because they are less of a political headache. Xikang, for example, calling herself as Kham, is openly trying to secede. And Tibet is helping her, with all the evidence pointed to the Republic's intelligence service. The only worse thing Tibet could have done is to restore the Dalai Lama in power; fortunately, the Lama in question decided to become just a spiritual leader. He even let Potala remain what it was under the Soviet era-a museum.
And Xinjiang, ehem, Uyghuristan? Well, she's just a typical Central Asian country. But the new president, a woman, is known to be critical of Chinese human rights. Rights! As if she and the nation she guides have the gall to criticize what he knows is an internal affair. And what about the Chinese living in Uyghuristan then? There are millions of them, and the Uyghurs are angry in the same way America is angry towards Mexico due to the immigration problem. But I and these immigrants help her earn a standard of living like Germany and Italy and so on. And she's
Manchuria is the worst. He clashed with her three times, one in 1969, another in 1979, and the last in 1999. Coincidence in dates? Probably not. But China also thought this was a result of a hangover when she ruled as the Qing Dynasty, and once even claimed to be the real China, just as much as Taiwan is to this day.
His phone then beeped to the sounds of "Shinatty-chan in Wonderland", a famous Chinese animated show that was derided by Japan and Korea as a knockoff. But China loved the show. He's sure it was just a province.
"Hello, this is Colonel Qian of the People's Armed Police. We have in protective custody a certain Feliciano Vargas-"
So it was Italy! What he was doing here?
"What happened to Mr. Vargas?" China asked the Colonel.
"He was picked up in the Sino-Manchurian border. He claims he almost lost his camera to the Manchurian Green Standard Police," the colonel explained. The Green Standard Police is Manchuria's border guard and constabulary. "He claims he has pictures of brutality in Manchuria. He wanted it to pass to you."
"Wanted to pass to me?"
"Yes, Comrade."
"I'll visit him in my home. Bring him to me." China ordered the colonel.
"Do you know what the Manchurians did to the territory they control in North Korea? They make it their personal fiefdom," Italy explained to China his misadventures in China's house. They are both sitting on a dining table and eating, oddly in China, Italian-style spaghetti at Italy's request. China needs to impress his guest after all.
"And so?"
"Then some Manchurian polizia in green uniforms showed up while I am filming a market in Pyongyang. I saw soldiers, and they look and speak Russian. I wonder if Russia sent some troops or they are Russian Manchurians."
"There was an agreement between Russia and Manchuria allowing the transfer of three Russian divisions to Manchuria," Italy explained.
"But there was a change of government in Changchun!" China protested.
"From what I have gathered, the new woman president is just representing the civilians. The military, though, they are divided. Some of the army and air force are loyal to the president. But the rest are 'neutral', so are the International Volunteers from the former Soviet states. In other words, these 'neutrals' and pro-Russian factions are against the new government. They are commonly thought to be loyal to the Russian president, but in reality, they also dislike him. Some of them are sadly, under the influence of the Russian party with the crazy leader."
"You mean Vladimir-"
"Yes, he's what I am talking about."
"What exactly did you see in the black market?" China asked Italy.
"The Russian soldiers, euphemistically called the Little Green Men, are arresting a vendor for not taking off his Kim Il-Sung badge. And then someone spotted me and said in Russian, 'A foreign spy! Green Standards, take him away!' Then some Green Standard officers showed up and almost caught on me until I got hold of my car and sped away from Pyongyang to a North Korean city. However, more Green Standard soldiers showed up in the train station and had me deported to China by airplane.
"At least you kept your camera," China asked.
"Because I have two cameras. One hidden in my clothes. The Manchurians are quite sloppy in customs and in jail," Italy said. He then took another slurp of the pasta, and declared, "We need to save Manchuria."
"How I would save that woman who caused misery to my country by cultural stagnation, forcing people to wear a stupid hairstyle, and ruining the economy?" China said to Italy. "Let her go away. She's an artificial country, anyway."
"But sometimes, 'artificial' countries become more natural than the natural ones," Italy said. "Remember Belgium? It's remarkable she did not break up."
"It is because she has the king," China commented.
"And you don't have a monarchy, anymore," Italy said.
"The Qing emperors are Manchu."
"Oh, yes. But as I said, we need to save Manchuria. I don't think sending your army there would work, though. Manchuria will panic like a bull pierced by a sword to its head."
"And then?"
"Then out of what remains of her would become a threat more dangerous than we currently face today," Italy warned his fellow country.
October 16, 1950
North Korean-Manchurian Border
The Manchurians are closely watching the battlefield to their south; it was noted that the Americans have captured Hyesan, and this worried Manchuria. She saw troops from China, termed volunteers, agreeing to fight on the side of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Democratic Republic of Manchuria. She noticed these Chinese volunteers, despite similarities with the uniforms of the Manchurian Army, wore no markings. She asked their general why.
"First, to promote equality. Second to disrupt enemy intelligence," General Peng replied to Manchuria. "The problem is, this could be a problem with command and control. That is why when the war is over, I'll call for the PLA chiefs to give them ranks. By the way, I've noticed that you army is kind of something between our army, North Korea's, and Mongolia's."
"I've also noticed this as well," Manchuria asked, her head now focused to the vast camps of troops, pillars of smoke rising from the tents.
"Your army is a testament of the peoples fighting together against imperialism," General Peng praised Manchuria's Army. "Your army is multi-ethnic, from Manchus, to Mongolians, to Chinese and Russians. There are even Japanese soldiers in your army."
"Don't worry for their loyalty. They have seen what Japanese imperialism had done to their country. They will be loyal to us until Japan becomes Communist, in which they will have to leave the army to form a new Japanese army of the people," Manchuria explained. "I also have the former army of Tannu-Tuva, an entire cavalry divison, on my side. They have distinctive uniforms, but when Tannu-Tuva became one with Russia six years ago, they became a Soviet army division. However, they were transferred to us in 1946. And so they became the model of our cavalry divisions in the army."
"Horses are still valuable in combat. Not all tanks could cross the mountains," the General quipped. "And at least the horses are living beings. Tanks are not." Both have heard sounds of artillery from the south side. "They are now marching north, the Americans.
"But America succeeded in attacking our side of the border, we might be in trouble. He has already captured Pyongyang yesterday. We must strike immediately. They are now landing troops into the north, and I could not allow this."
"But do not worry, Comrade. The Volunteer Army will be at your side," General Peng assured the Nation.
"Even though it is still a Chinese Army?"
"It is after all, a Chinese Army. But they will fight for us and for Korea. Until both of your Korean brothers are on our side, we will not be undaunted," the General promised the Nation. "By the way, thank you for the transfers of arms to us. We were waiting for the Soviet shipments, but they are still far away. Russia is a big country, after all."
"I'll place my orders to the generals," Manchuria then tried to walk away to her tent, but Peng stopped her.
"No, Tongzhi. We the Chinese could this ourselves."
And so on October 25, the Chinese launched a suprise attack on the UN forces in Hyesan. While the Chinese are outgunned, they put their skill with camouflage. The Chinese forces retreated, and America thought China and Manchuria were running away.
Of course he was wrong.
So on November 15, the Manchus and the Chinese struck back. The Manchurians acted as the vanguard, clearing off the US and South Korean forces for the Chinese to eliminate with their numbers. By the end of November, Manchuria and China's armies have driven out the US forces from their borders. Manchuria also helped re-build the North Korean army, decimated in combat.
In the streets of a North Korean City, January 1951
The town could not be even be described as a town. With the charred pillars of wooden homes, and crumbling towers of wooden ones, it could barely be called as a town. Villagers now were scampering at the arrival of Manchurian, Chinese, and North Korean troops. They are waving flags, one the blue, red, and white North Korean flag, the second, a strange red flag with a red star, a whip for horses, and a pickaxe on the upper left corner, for Manchuria, and the flags with the stars for China. But some of them had their smiles seem forced.
Manchuria, in her usual olive green uniform, was driving with a jeep to see such pictures of forced happiness. I think this is because of the system imposed on us, she reflected on her mind. This system is actually fragile. It ignores the reality of human nature. Surely, humanity could advance, but it imposes a false sense of equality. But the leaders or the ideologues were the true masters. Manchuria had heard through a government official about a book by a disgruntled socialist in England about the evils of such totalitarianism. She wondered how he got hold of the book, but said it was actually banned and had to smuggle it from Hong Kong.
She stopped her jeep to a small crown of North Korean children. She removed her mask, but in revealing her scarred face, in which some children ran in fear.
"Have nothing to fear, children!" Maybe it was the scar, Manchuria thought. "Please, I am not going to hurt you!"
The children then slowly came out of their hiding places. One girl asked, "You are a Manchurian?"
"Yes, I am a Manchurian. Actually, do you know about stories about nations being people? It is true."
A boy exclaimed. "So those things about the radio and posters of a 'Mother Country' are true, right?"
"Yes, but not exactly. Actually, Korea, or the one that is represented by the Democratic People's Republic, is a boy, same with Southern Korea. I am, of course, could be properly called a motherland."
"So you must be Manchuria, then?"
"Yes."
"Oh, so you must have lived through the time of the Joseon Dynasty?" another boy asked.
"Yes. I am sorry if I forced your brother countries to pay tribute to me," Manchuria offered her apologies. "We need allies then, and this is the only thing we knew by then. Now we know better."
"Um, forget about it. All is forgiven. But many Koreans, especially old people, don't like the Qing," the second boy said. "They blame the Qing for selling Korea out to Japan."
"Not exactly true, but the Korean brothers tried to become a nation of their own, even an empire, but Japan did not like it, so that is why they conquered them, not by war, but by intrigue," Manchuria explained. "The Japanese killed their empress for speaking out and trying to strengthen the brothers by education. Japan fears he would be overwhelmed by the brothers. That is why he struck first."
"And when this war is over, what you will do?" the girl asked.
"We will invade Japan to liberate him. But I doubt for now it will happen. We need to take one step at a time," Manchuria admitted. I doubt we will ever invade Japan. Possibly not an iota of chance.
"By the way, just obey your parents and the authorities. Wait"-she approached a jeepney carrying North Korea and China.
"Hey, Comrade!" China waved to his fellow nation.
"I think you need to rebuild this town quickly," Manchuria told the two nations.
"Would the Americans send their bombers?" North Korea wondered. "Evacuating them to safer places would make more sense."
"From what I saw with the townspeople here, I doubt they would leave," Manchuria said from her observations. "They would defend this town to their deaths. Maybe we should give them weapons, and anti-aircraft. Are there any men and women left to be given arms?"
"I think I should ask the city head for this," North Korea offered. The female nation nodded.
"One other thing, Manchuria," China said. "When we become victorious in this war, my leader is proposing to unite all the socialist Asian countries to a East Asian Soviet Union. Is it all right for you?"
Manchuria felt uneasy with the question. What was China thinking?
"I think this is interesting, but we must win this war first," was her reply.
"I agree, we need to finish this war at first," North Korea agreed with Manchuria. "And I heard Taiwan is being protected by America. He sent his navy to block your army from crossing the straits."
"I understand," China nodded. "It would be a very difficult task indeed. But we must, indeed, strive for victory. Comrade North is missing is brother, and I miss my sister the province of Taiwan. By the way, are you joining us, Manchuria?"
"I have my own jeep,"-she tapped the hood of her vehicle-"so no."
"That is all right for us," North Korea then waved his hands in farewell. "Annyeonghi gaseyo!"
China waved his bye as he drove his jeep away. "Zàijiàn, Manzhou!"
"Well, Zàijiàn, Zhongguo! To Boa, Joseon!" Manchuria then turned back to the children and said, "Well, these two are friendly, but not so much. They are different nations after all."
"Yes, ma'am," one of the boys said in agreement.
"Very well, I also need to go back to base. We needed to liberate the country from that dreadful blonde man with the glasses," referring to America. "By the way, goodbye!"
"Goodbye, Miss Manchuria!" the children waved her back as she drove her jeep away.
The children's smiles brighten my day, but I doubt if I would ever see them again alive...or something else.
01:04 AM December 21, 2014
Changchun, Manchuria
Troops have surrounded the Presidential Palace, which was once used as the residence of Puyi as the emperor of Manchukuo. They are not the regular army, but the special Russian foreign volunteers, plus the Green Standard police. It was also interesting they are waving blue, black and red tricolors, plus black, yellow, and white flags. Not a single Manchurian flag, the same flag used during Puyi's era, was in sight. Tanks, clearly not the Manchurian model but the Russian T-72, have their sights
"So-called President of Manchuria, please surrender yourself now!" the commander of the volunteers bellowed through his bullhorn, in Russian. "You are proven to be a disgrace to the Manchurian people. You are withholding our pay!"
"Comrades, you are not volunteers! You are mercenaries hired by the Russian President to have our country trampled under your jackboot!" The female president of Manchuria shot back. In her late forties, she is tall, slender, and being a good singer, have a gentle and compassionate voice when speaking to crowds. But instead, her voice was of anger, frustration, and a woman who clearly wants to end her country's suffering.
"Madame President, I think we should fight," Manchuria, disguised as a military aide, espoused her views to her boss.
"Yes, my country, but I think we could not get help. These buffoons have cut our lines, hacked the system, and now we could not call anyone outside," the Manchurian president explained.
"Madame President," said a general who was a loyalist. "I knew some of these friends from the army. They want me to join the coup. But given the heavy losses when I took Najin from the North Koreans"-he was in charge of the Manchurian Third Army that took the city in the war-"I don't want to disgrace my own men by joining these putschers. I heard they are planning to build a new 'Federation of East Asia'. It's like the one proposed by Mao in the 1950s. But these guys are Russian and probably wanted it to become a colony but in name. Just like what happened to Madame"-his face then centered to Manchuria-"in the 1930s. They will do the same horrors again, only worse."
"But these Russians, when they also fought with the Americans in the Middle East to fight the extremists, what did you notice on them?" the President asked the General.
"At least the regular Russian troops are respectful towards the captured enemy, even though they still view them in contempt and wanted to execute them. But the volunteers that joined, many of them veterans of the wars in the former Soviet states and recent trouble in the Black Sea, they are quite brutal, they almost mirrored the terrorists they have captured," the General explained.
And now with the excesses our army have committed, Manchuria thought to herself.
"I know the Russians maybe behind this, but are you sure Ivan would think about this?" the President asked Manchuria.
The same time
Presidential Palace, Moscow, Russia
"What is going on with Manchuria?" the Russian President asked his country, wearing his green dress uniform. He was clearly not impressed with the news he saw at his laptop. "I never ordered them to stage a coup! I gave them orders to go home!"
"Tovarisch Prezident," Russia began. "I think because the Volunteers expect payments, and the Manchurians did not pay them."
"I think those fools in the Blue-Flagged Party are behind this," the President pressed his palm to his forehead. The blue-flags are considered as ultranationalists in Russia.
"I doubt so, Comrade President."
"Maybe they are also against you. Some of the banned parties have moved to Manchuria," the President uttered. "I should have them prosecuted, but America does not want it. Why we always listen to that hamburger-eating man?"
"I don't know, but with the sanctions when I helped Crimea to join me, I think he's going out of control. He thought I was abusing my older sister, but in reality, we have disagreements on how to handle the eastern provinces of Ukraine," Russia explained.
"Of course. To be honest, I just want to annex just the Russian majority provinces to you," the President explained. "The rest could go on as free states, but we must be in control. This is also the reason why I do not want to add your younger sister as a republic. Even if they are mostly Russian-speaking today, they are still not Great Russians. Poland would only see it as a reason to grab more territory from us."
"I think I have a solution, Comrade President," Russia raised his right index finger upward.
"What is that?"
"We will use the secret hotline system to Changchun. This is the only system those volunteers could not hack."
"Then do it," the President ordered.
Presidential Palace
Changchun, Manchuria
"You have only five minutes left! We will fire the tank's cannons."
Meanwhile, the phone suddenly rang from the President's desk. The general picked it up.
"Da? Spasibo." The general then spoke to the called in accented Russian. He then wagged the receiver.
"Madame President, it's the Russian leader."
"I'll call him right away," the President said with a grave tone, striding forcefully to her desk. She then grabbed the reciever from the general, and blurted out her anger. "You rascal! How could you do this?"
"Nyet, Madame President. We are not behind this. At least not the Russian government. These volunteers are acting on their own!" the Russian President protested from the other line.
"Then why they have those Donetsk separatist flags out there? This is not Ukraine. This is Manchuria!"
"I am shocked as well," the Russian President admitted to himself. "I should have never requested the previous government in the first place to send these divisions in Manchuria and loan it to them. I should have brought the regular army. I apologize for our fault. It's just we need to make less noise as possible when we try to defeat the North Korean government."
"I know," the Manchurian president opened her mouth blankly. "But these troops, could you remove them by Christmas?"
"I will do it. But your government must hold tight. We could not arrive in time, but your people must fight. You must incite a second uprising like what happened in early December," the Russian President advised his counterpart. Which is ironic, since the Russian President is used to crushing dissent.
"I will, for I am the one chosen by the people to lead," the Manchurian President proclaimed loudly.
"That's good. I will turn my phone to my aide" the next voice was Russia's. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Braginskiy. I want to speak with Major Fodo."
Like all leaders, the Manchurian president recognized other national personfications. "Ivan wants to talk you, Manchuria."
Manchuria then picked up the receiver from the President and said. "I am sorry, Manchuria. We shouldn't have done it."
"Rossiya! I know you are behind this!" Manchuria's voice was fiery.
"It is not me!" was the voice of protest.
"Then why are you are treating your older sister badly?"
"She was duped by America. Just like Belarus once was," Russia said with an air of uncertainity of how he would explain the situation.
"I know it was because you are not impressed by Ukraine's previous boss," Manchuria responded with alacrity.
"He was corrupt, and incompetent, anyway. By the way, why we are still talking about my older sister? I should talk about you. I know you are a brave nation. I could not annex you because you are a determined one. That's why I helped you instead to gain independence. Because I gained respect on you," Russia then spoke with tears through this eyes, "I like you, Manchuria. So that's why I will never allow you to have these guys control you, even though they are doing this to my benefit. I wanted to become the leading nation of the world, but I've seen much tragedy that I don't want to rule it."
Manchuria was touched by Russia's pleas for help. "Please tell me you are speaking the truth."
"I am telling the truth."
"Then I will fight," Manchuria proclaimed as she hung up the receiver.
"Five!" the voice outside commanded the occupants of the palace.
"I will hold on in the other room in the back with my family," the Manchurian President declared.
"Four!"
"We will strike first," Manchuria said to her president, grabbing her assault rifle. She is ready for anything.
"Three!"
"That would be good. Carry on," the President then saluted Manchuria with her right hand. The nation saluted to her president in turn.
"Two!"
She then turned to the window, and aimed the rifle as the glass panel.
"One!"
Manchuria pulled the trigger, along with the defenders of the Presidential Palace.
Tokyo, Japan
The Prime Minister awoke early, in five-thirty in the morning. Something awoke him, and it was not his dream, that of being back in time with his father. He sensed that something is not good in the world. He grabbed the remote of his TV and was greeted by the words "Breaking News-Manchuria under military coup, President arrested, key personnel in custody." He then saw the picture of a female military officer with a diagonal scar, being led away by coup-de-etat forces.
"They are not the Manchurian Army! They are Russians! And why they have Manchuria under arrest?" the Prime Minister exclaimed. It was loud enough to awaken his wife, the First Lady.
"What was it, my dear?" the First Lady mumbled.
"The Russian mercenaries will annex Manchuria to Russia, all without the knowledge of the Russian president," the Prime Minister declared. "It will be the start of another world war. I must do everything to stop it."
"But our army is not prepared! They are not even an army, they are self-defense troops!" the First Lady protested. "What will you do? Make a statement? Raise funds through donations?"
"I will tell Kiku Honda to go to Manchuria undercover!" The Prime Minister proclaimed.
"That is nuts!" the Prime Minister's wife exclaimed.
"Yes, I am a nationalist, but we must solve it with the spirit of the nation. We need to rescue that nation!"
"But, darling, you know what happened during the war-"
"Please stop this, my wife. I know they are just using it as a lightning to further humiliate the country." He then grabbed the phone.
"Japan-san, Prime Minister," the soft voice of the other receiver responded.
"Have you heard the news?"
"I was shocked. Manchuria should have never been treated like this."
"Please do everything you can to rescue her," the Prime Minister pleaded his country.
"Yes, Prime Minister," was all Japan said before he hung up.
Japan then walked away from this bed, still somewhat sleepy. For a nation that looked very young yet really old, he needed some sleep. He then wondered, why I have to vassalize Manchuria in the first place. Was it because of a missing artifact? Or because to have her guard the peninsular brothers? Or to spite China? Japan's head was full of questions that have answers yet he refused to answer. Of crimes committed in his name and the sovereign during the war. Of the wars that he himself personally fought.
He then looked at his katana set, then picked the wakizashi, the medium-sized one. With this sword, Japan thought, he killed a lot of people, both guilty and otherwise.
How many more would I put into the sword this time? the nation of the rising sun asked himself.