"Grudges of the Past" is a fanfiction based on the Durarara!! series. Namie Yagiri returns as a major villain, with a plot to unleash a nuclear attack on Ikebukuro and the surrounding Tokyo prefectures. The story is one that I personally wrote, under the pseudonym HumanKnotGirl.
Without giving too much away, I wish to discuss a major element of the fanfic's plot, taken straight from the second World War. Many people are unaware, but multiple "battles" that the United States military partook in were actually fake events. Now, before I get a slew of hate mail, allow me to explain.
In January 1944, the US Army established the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, a task force of 1100 men. Their orders were quite simple: design and build an armada of inflatable tanks, place them on the battlefield, and get on the radio to announce that the Americans were about to bring Hell itself to the German line. It was a longshot, but it managed to fool the Germans not once or twice, but nearly two dozen times. Notable battles where this strategy was used include the Normandy invasion and the Battle of the Bulge.
It's a fascinating and inspiring tale of brilliant military and civilian tactics; I greatly enjoyed emulating it with the Death March on Kyoto, a major event in "Grudges of the Past." In this case, it stands as an example of art imitating life, but I felt it deserved special mention because perhaps, one day, such tactics will be used again in our world.
The principle here is mass intimidation for a grand effect, a characteristic often perpetrated by criminal groups, activist groups, and even the general public in times of tension. The Death March on Kyoto is a more optimistic example, channeling intimidation into a voice for human rights.
But if you want to know more about that, you'll just have to read it for yourself.
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