|
|
Forums - News / General |
For General modelling or hobby-related topics that are not covered by any other specific forum. Please keep to topics concerning the hobby. |
| Topics | 2987 |
| Messages | 22307 |
|
|
| Subject: | I Believe it's more to do with Japanese attitudes to WW2 |  |
| Date: | Aug 31, 2005 |
| From: | Nemanja Pavlovic | |
Greetings.
First of all, the model kit market as far as the Asian (read: Tamiya) producers are concerned has mostly been Asia (read: Japan) for the better part of the past 40-50 years. I think that this is important. Though the European and N. American markets are not insignificant, you have to follow Deep Throat's advice and "Follow the Money". Admittedly the Asian market has expanded (i.e. the "Four Tigers", China, the Philippines, Indonesia, etc.). As well, competitors like DML, Academy, AFV Club, etc. are shaking Tamiya out of it's corporate conservatism, but they (especially DML) are still mostly going by that age-old sales model: “If it’s Teutonic, the sales’ll be Chronic”. (I apologize for the bad rhyme, but hopefully you get the point).
So why did the market driving demand (the Japanese) have this preference for German armour. Well, some reasons, such are German technical proficiency and the mythology of the all conquering panzers does play their part. Some, such as the “Fighting the Soviets by proxy” reason would only have really been applicable to America in the 1950’s (McCarthyism, rather early for most kit manufacturing) and the 1980’s (with Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech and “Star Wars” fascination). The Japanese did not have such acrimony towards the Soviets during the 60’s (era of radical, left-wing social movements) and 70’s (era of détente).
I would propose that it has much to do with the Japanese attitude to WW2, especially in the Pacific. The Japanese still have a hard time dealing with the Asian element of the war. They have developed a sort of collective “selective amnesia” about some elements of Japanese participation of the war (mainly their military conquests and expansion, treatment of PoWs and Civilians, etc., mainly out of shame) and have occasionally romanticized the defense of their outlying home islands (Okinawa, Iwo Jima). Plus every early August we are reminded of the atomic bombings.
Now my statements are NOT meant to cast aspersions upon the Japanese people. Having studied their history I am able to understand their actions and attitudes at the time. These are based on general observations made by those more expert in their understanding and analysis of modern Japan than I.
So back to modelling, how does this affect model kit production? Well let’s start with aircraft. Let’s face it, aircraft kits always outsell armour, that’s just the way it is. All types appear to be fascinating to kids both young and old, around the world. I would postulate that it is just because of the romantic image that planes and flight in general have that generates this. Of course in both Japan and Germany, veteran aviators of home defense forces are much more likely to have open reunions than former members of, say, the SS or other units associated with more aggressive operations.
With ship models, I think that a similar attitude may apply. The Japanese would see the IJN more as a defender of the home islands than as the means with which the military launched attacks on Pearl Harbor, the Philippines and other Pacific targets. Remember the Japanese cartoon where they re-float the Yamato and turn it into a spaceship!
Now, on to the ground forces. Let’s face it, the Pacific war was fought mainly as an aerial and naval campaign, where the Island hopping was mostly a brutal infantry fight (though tanks did participate, mainly as infantry support, due to the terrain.) I think that no matter how brutal combat can be in any theatre or environment (air, land or sea), land combat in the pacific would seem to lend itself least to romantic visions of heroic combat in WW2. While the Japanese did show a great deal of courage, bravery and tenacity in all areas, the image of the self-sacrificing Kamikaze is much easier to swallow than those infantryman who ran rampant in Nanking.
So what does this all mean? Are romantic notions of combat all that drive model kit production and sales? No, not really, but they do have some influence. Back to armour and infantry kits. Simply put, the Asian theatre of WW2 was viewed by many on both sides as a racial war which added to the brutality and has affected attitudes to this day. Somehow I don’t see GI’s or even Tommies and Ivans being an overly popular modelling subjects with Japanese in the 60’s and 70’s. In fact their own ground forces were given relatively short shrift, model wise, partly due to a lack of the impressive size, array or capabilities of the other combatants’ armoured forces. Again the ‘amnesia’ played it’s part in not wanting to dredge up rather nasty memories of ground operations that may have been conducted with a rather ‘questionable’ degree of honour.
So what’s left? Japan’s great wartime ally Germany. The German successes were no doubt mythologized and I am sure the Japanese would have LOVED to have had more access to German armour (other than that single Tiger they purchased for evaluation but ‘loaned’ to the Germans). Let’s also face the fact that there is a certain understandable affinity for a country that shared many of the same experiences as itself:
• a feeling of being historically wronged (pre-war),
• a sense of being persecuted and strangled (pre-war),
• a need to expand (lebensraum),
• stunning early military successes,
• great losses in holding their gains,
• great losses on the home front; cities reduced to utter waste by bombing,
• total defeat and surrender,
• Post-war Criminal show trials.
So there’s my view of things. Again I DO NOT wish to disparage the Japanese with this piece, just to share my understanding of the situation and generate some constructive feedback or appropriate introspection. I have NO INTENTION of inflaming anyone, so please accept my apologies if any out their feel my comments are unwarranted.
Regards,
Nemanja. |
| |
|
|
 | German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Paul A. Owen - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . But same fascination took root in Japan - Roy Chow - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Agree with Roy - Taesung Harmms - Sep 1, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Steve Campbell - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Steven Anderson - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . Re: Other reasons... - Paul A. Owen - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . How about another side of the same coin? - Roy Chow - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: How about another side of the same coin? - Jerry Plettenberg - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . Your theory - Michael Withington - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: Your theory - Ross - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Your theory - Bjorn Tingstadengen - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . Evolution - Sam Alderlieste - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: Evolution - Roy Chow - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Scott Lyle - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Bill Goodrich - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Hank - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Philippe - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Vassili Goncharov - Aug 17, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - joe middleton - Aug 17, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Philippe - Aug 17, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - M Wawrow - Aug 17, 2005 |
| . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Frank Tauss - Aug 29, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Alex Hill - Aug 29, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: German WW2 kit popularity - new theory - Frank Tauss - Aug 29, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . It's not "why German" but "why not allied" - Steve Campbell - Aug 30, 2005 |
| . . . I Believe it's more to do with Japanese attitudes to WW2 - Nemanja Pavlovic - Aug 31, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: I Believe it's more to do with Japanese attitudes to WW2 - Taesung Harmms - Sep 1, 2005 |
|
|
