On September 18, 1931, the September 18 Incident broke out, and the iron hooves of the Japan invaders stepped into northeast China. For the next 14 years, the Chinese fought bloody battles against Japan's aggression. During these dark years, a mysterious figure attracted people's attention - those beautiful but murderous and cunning "female ghost officers" dressed in Japan military uniforms. Their appearance is not uncommon in anti-Japanese dramas, and there are even "female devils" who have reached the rank of Dazuo. But what is the truth of history? Are these "female officers" who shuttled through the war-torn era real?
The September 18 Incident, a day destined to be recorded in the annals of modern Chinese history, became a turning point in the fate of China and Japan. That night, the Japan Kwantung Army hatched an elaborate conspiracy.
They blew up the South Manchurian Railway near Wicker Lake in Shenyang and laid the blame on the Chinese army. This excuse became the trigger for Japan's all-out invasion of northeast China.
After the incident, Japan's domestic political landscape changed dramatically. The status of the military department has risen sharply, and the main battle faction has the right to speak. Under the pressure of the military department, the Japan government gradually embarked on the road of all-out aggression against China.
This war not only changed the fate of the two countries, but also profoundly affected the lives of countless ordinary people. In this particular historical context, some Japan women have also been caught up in this vortex.
Among them, the most well-known is none other than Yoshiko Kawashima. Her life is legendary, her original name is Aisin Gioro · Xianxi, and she is the 14th daughter of Shanqi, Prince Su of the Qing Dynasty.
Yoshiko Kawashima was sent to Japan from an early age to receive a Japanese-style education. Her identity became a powerful tool for her later espionage. Using her background in the Manchurian aristocracy, she provided a great deal of important intelligence to the Japan military.
Yoshiko Kawashima's spy career has been up and down, and she has been torn between China and Japan, with complex identities and mysterious behaviors. Her story was brought to the screen many times and became one of the most controversial female figures of the era.
Another striking woman is Sakuko Nagumo. There are more legends about her, but the authenticity is questioned. It is said that Nagumo Zaoko is a waitress at the Tangshan Hot Spring Sanatorium.
Through close contact with high-ranking Japan officers, she obtained a large amount of classified information. Although this statement is eye-catching, it lacks reliable historical support. The fact that the name "Saoko" is pronounced similarly to "poop" in Japanese makes one wonder about the authenticity of this character.
In addition to these well-known figures, there are also unknown women who also played an important role in this war. They may be military operators, medical personnel, or psychological comfort workers.
Although these women are not combatants, their work plays a key role in keeping the army functioning. Their existence also provided a certain historical basis for the shaping of the image of "female devil officers" in later film and television works.
However, there is a huge difference between these women in reality and the image of "female devil officers" in film and television works. In Japan society at the time, the status of women was generally low, let alone in the highly hierarchical military.
Japan's Military Service Law clearly states that women are not allowed to join the military. It was not until 1945, when the Japan army was already in a desperate situation, that the Volunteer Service Law was temporarily passed, allowing women between the ages of 17 and 45 to join the "National Volunteer Combat Corps."
But even so, these women are just "militiamen" armed with bamboo guns, far from the "female officers" who are in high positions and commanded in film and television works. In fact, throughout the Sino-Japanese War, there were no real high-ranking female officers in the Japan army.
The images of "female devil officers" that impress the audience on the screen are more the product of dramatic effects and commercial considerations. Although they attract attention, they are far from the truth of history.
The popularity of the anti-Japanese drama has made the image of "female devil officer" deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. On the screen, these female officers are all beautiful and moving, but they are fierce and cunning.
They were dressed in crisp uniforms, wore military caps, and carried shiny military ranks on their shoulders. Some are even as high as the Dazuo level, calling for wind and rain in the play, and the command is determined.
These characters are often important enablers of the plot. They are either cold-blooded and ruthless murderers, or double agents who are left and right in China and Japan.
Sometimes, they also have complicated emotional entanglements with Chinese soldiers or underground parties. These scenes undoubtedly added a lot of gimmicks and topics to the anti-Japanese drama.
However, when we turn our gaze from the screen to history, we find that the facts are very different from the plot. In the real Sino-Japanese War, there were no such female officers in the Japan army.
Not to mention a female officer at the Dazuo level, even ordinary female soldiers are rare. Japan's Military Service Law at the time clearly stated that women could not join the army.
This provision lasted until the end of the war. It was not until 1945, when Japan was facing a total defeat, that it had to pass the Volunteer Service Law, allowing women to join the "National Volunteer Combat Corps".
But this contingent is not so much a regular army as a hastily assembled militia. They were poorly armed, most of them armed only with bamboo guns, which were no match for the regular army.
So, are there any women in the Japan military? The answer is yes, but their roles and status are far from the images in the drama.
Most of the women in the Japanese army worked as logistics supporters. For example, some women work as operators in the military, taking care of communications.
There are also women who work as nurses in military hospitals, caring for the sick and wounded. In addition, there are women who serve as so-called "war psychological pacifiers", which is a less glamorous role.
Although these women work in the military, they do not have formal military status. Their clothing is not a regular military uniform, but a militia-like attire with no rank identification.
Even later in the war, there were a small number of female soldiers with military rank in the Japan army, but the highest was only the rank of second lieutenant. This is equivalent to the level of a squad leader, far less than the "female devil officer" who is often Dazuo in the drama.
Moreover, these female soldiers with military ranks were not awarded by the regular army of Japan, but by the puppet state of Manchukuo. Most of them were incorporated into suicide attack squads when Japan implemented the "Jade Crush" program.
So, why is there such a big difference? This starts with the socio-cultural background of Japan at that time. In Japan during World War II, the idea of male superiority and inferiority of women reached its peak.
In this environment, women are not eligible to wear military uniforms. The military is seen as the domain of men, and even if women enter the army, they can only do some auxiliary work.
Let's go back to the "female devil officers" in the drama, they are often portrayed as spies. But in reality, even the most powerful spy cannot be awarded a military rank.
Because spies do not belong to the military department, and without military qualifications, they naturally cannot wear military uniforms, let alone military ranks. If there really are spies who wear military uniforms and ranks, they will be arrested as impersonating soldiers.
Therefore, when we see those "female devil officers" with great powers on the screen, we might as well maintain a rational suspicion. These characters are certainly eye-catching, but they are far from historical facts.
They are more the product of theatrical effect and commercial considerations. In order to increase the drama and attractiveness of the plot, the screenwriters did not hesitate to make bold adaptations of history.
Although this practice improves the entertainment of the work to a certain extent, it also invisibly misleads the audience, especially those young viewers who do not know much about history. They may mistakenly believe that such female officers really exist in the Japan army.
When it comes to women in the Japanese army, we have to start with a lesser-known group - the women's standing up team. This team was not a regular army, but a civilian women's army formed by the Japan government in the late war.
Their main task was to work in the factories in the rear and provide all kinds of material support to the front. These women were sent to munitions factories, arsenals, and even aircraft factories to do heavy manual work.
Don't think they're voluntary. In order to form this team, the Japan government used coercive measures. They issued the Women's Stand Up and Work Order, which forced unmarried women between the ages of 12 and 40 to participate.
The women were forced to leave their homes and enter factories. Their working conditions are poor, their pay is low, and their living conditions are difficult. Some people even develop serious illnesses as a result of long-term exposure to toxic substances.
Speaking of which, you may ask, what does this have to do with the military? Don't worry, let's move on. As the war situation deteriorated, the Japan army became increasingly short of manpower.
As a result, some members of the Women's Stand Up were transferred to the army. They are mainly engaged in auxiliary work in the military, such as communications and medical care.
However, these women do not have formal military status. They wore not regular military uniforms, but militia-like clothing. They have no rank and a low status in the army.
Let's talk about another group – female nurses. There were indeed quite a few female nurses in the Japanese army, and they mainly worked in military hospitals. The working environment of these nurses is very difficult.
During the war, there were many sick and wounded, and medical care was very limited. They often have to work day and night to care for the wounded, often without medical care. Sometimes, they risk their lives to follow the troops and rescue the wounded on the battlefield.
However, these nurses are also not official military personnel. Although they wear uniforms that resemble military uniforms, they do not have military rank and cannot participate in military command.
Speaking of which, we have to mention a special group - the so-called "comfort women". This is a serious crime committed by the Japan army during the war.
A large number of women were forced to become "comfort women" and subjected to inhumane treatment. Some of these women were deceived and some were forcibly arrested. What happened to them was the darkest side of that era.
It is worth noting that the "comfort women" were by no means military personnel, and even less could have any rank. They are victims of war, oppressed and exploited.
Let's talk about female civilians in the Japan military. These people mainly work in the military department and are responsible for some clerical and translation work. Although they work in the military, they also do not have military status.
They wore ordinary professional attire, not military uniforms. Their status is even lower than that of ordinary soldiers, and it is impossible for them to participate in military decision-making.
By the end of the war, Japan's situation was precarious. In 1945, the Japan government enacted the Volunteer Service Law, allowing women between the ages of 17 and 45 to join the National Volunteer Combat Corps.
This team can be said to be Japan's last struggle. They were poorly armed, most of them only had bamboo guns, and they were not regular troops at all. Their mission was primarily to defend against possible Allied landings on Japan soil.
It is worth mentioning that in Manchukuo, occupied by Japan, there were indeed a small number of female soldiers with military ranks. But these ranks were conferred by the puppet state of Manchukuo, not the ranks of the regular army of Japan.
Moreover, the highest rank of these female soldiers is only a second lieutenant, which is equivalent to a squad leader. Most of them were incorporated into suicide attack squads when Japan implemented the "Jade Crush" program.
Speaking of which, let's review the social background of Japan at that time. In Japan during World War II, the idea of male superiority and inferiority of women was deeply rooted. The status of women in society is generally low.
In this environment, it is impossible for women to achieve high positions in the military. Even women who have achieved success in other fields are hardly able to do so in the military.
For example, the well-known Yoshiko Kawashima. Although she is a legend, she has no official status in the Japan army, let alone any rank.
Her activities were mainly in the field of intelligence and diplomacy, and not in military command. Even if she provided important information to the Japan military, she could not have been awarded a military rank.
The popularity of the anti-Japanese drama has made the image of "female devil officer" deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. But where does this image come from? And why is it so popular?
Let's turn the clock back to 2005. That year, a TV series called "The Phantom of the Fog" quietly came out. This drama tells the story of a Chinese female agent named Bai Yang, who lurks in the Japanese army as a young minister.
Poplar was dressed in a Japanese military uniform, wearing a military cap and carrying a shining rank on his shoulders. She is both wise and brave in the play, not only providing important intelligence for the Chinese underground party, but also resolving crises and saving comrades many times.
As soon as this character was launched, it immediately caused a strong response from the audience. She is both beautiful and capable, with the feminine femininity and the heroic spirit of a soldier. This sense of contrast and complexity brings a new visual experience to the audience.
Subsequently, similar characters sprung up in various anti-Japanese dramas. Some are undercover agents like Topol, while others are real Japan female officers. They are either cold-blooded and ruthless, or they are conflicted in their hearts, or they fall in love with Chinese soldiers.
The appearance of these characters has undoubtedly injected new vitality into anti-Japanese dramas. Their existence not only increases the complexity of the plot, but also provides directors with more creative space.
For example, in a certain drama, a female Japan officer falls in love with a Chinese underground party member. This kind of love that crosses borders not only adds to the dramatic conflict, but also satisfies the audience's yearning for romance.
For example, in another drama, a female officer who is ostensibly loyal to Japan is actually an undercover agent in China. This dual identity setting not only increases the suspense of the plot, but also satisfies the audience's expectations for reversal.
However, this character setting has also caused a lot of controversy. Some historians have pointed out that the image of these "female devil officers" is seriously inconsistent with historical facts.
They stressed that in real history, there were no female senior officers in the Japan army at all. Even later in the war, women in the Japan military were mainly in auxiliary jobs.
However, these criticisms did not stop the spread of the image of the "female devil officer". On the contrary, this kind of role has become more and more common in anti-Japanese dramas, and has even become a fixed routine.
In order to pursue sensational effects, some screenwriters even raised the level of "female devil officers" again and again. From the original ensign and lieutenant, to the later Dazuo and major general, there was even a setting of a female marshal.
This escalating trend reflects the practice of some creators who do not hesitate to sacrifice historical authenticity in order to attract attention. They seem to think that the higher the level of the character, the better the drama.
At the same time, the image of the "female devil officer" is constantly beautifying. Not only are they glamorous, but they also often have complex inner worlds. Some were suspicious of the war, some secretly helped the Chinese, and some even directly defected to the enemy.
This setting undoubtedly adds to the attractiveness of the characters. The audience is no longer satisfied with the simple opposition of good and evil, but prefers to see the inner struggle and growth of the characters.
However, this approach also poses a problem: it obscures the truth of history to some extent. Some young viewers may have a wrong perception of the Japan invaders as a result.
There are also some episodes that begin to try to be closer to the historical character setting. Instead of pursuing high-ranking female officers, they began to portray the experiences of ordinary Japan women in the war.
These attempts, although at the expense of theatrical effect to a certain extent, have won the approval of historians and parts of the audience. They believe that this practice is more conducive to the audience to learn about the real history.
Despite this, the image of "female devil officer" still exists in many anti-Japanese dramas. It's become an iconic element of the genre, and it's hard to disappear completely.
This phenomenon reflects a larger question: how to balance artistic creation and historical truth in historical dramas? This is a question that has no standard answer, and it needs to be explored and tried by creators.
In general, the rise and development of the image of "female devil officer" reflects the changes in the audience's aesthetics, and also reflects some problems in film and television creation. It is both an innovation and a deviation.
In any case, we should keep a clear head when we are appreciating these characters. We should not only enjoy the entertainment brought by the theater, but also respect the truth of history. Only then can we truly get something of value out of these works.