Marching to Different Tunes

On Sunday night two different people told me they saw large military vehicles parked along the East Third Ring Road by Tuanjiehu and soldiers in full combat gear complete with black helmets and masks holding serious weaponry. They said it was a pretty scary sight.

 

One of these friends said she saw a number of tour buses the soldiers were guarding so we speculated that the buses were full of participants probably on their way to Tiananmen Square for the second round of rehearsals for the October 1 festivities.

 

While the central government has issued guidelines suggesting "solemn, festival, prudent and peaceful" celebrations of the upcoming 60th anniversary, it looks like it will be an all-out affair, especially in terms of military might.

 

Yesterday morning at the gym a middle-aged man on the treadmill had the television screen above him on and it was showing a program about the military preparing for the upcoming parade down Chang'an Avenue.

 

This intrepid TV crew was able to go to the barracks where the army, navy and air force were based, on an abandoned air strip, where they have setup temporary housing quarters.

 

After a series of security checks -- even for A (H1N1) -- complete with a surgical mask -- a chippy female reporter and her crew were allowed inside to see everything from the rooms with bunk beds and the neatly folded blankets to the kitchens serving a variety of dishes.

 

But the main event was the marching. The soldiers from the army, navy and air force were all in uniform, practicing their marches up and down the runway. And there were lots of shots of them marching perfectly in time. Their superiors were watching above from portable staircases to make sure no one was out of step -- as if that would be hard to notice.

 

Every country is proud of their military, but none as much as China. It takes every opportunity to glorify the People's Liberation Army and exploit the image of soldiers as patriotic, selfless, disciplined and brave.

The propaganda machines are churning overtime to stir up patriotism for October 1 and nothing is more effective than showing the PLA marching down Chang'an Avenue.

Of course the effect would be even more proud if the laobaixing or ordinary people could witness it in person. But sorry folks, the big 60th bash is invitation only. You'll just have to watch on TV instead.

So much for founding the country for the people...