The Saga of Tanya the Evil

A thorough explanation of the war history that inspired The Saga of Tanya the Evil! [Spoilers included]

The setting of Saga of Tanya the Evil is reminiscent of real-world Europe. When compared to the European wars of the early 20th century, there are many similarities. Knowing the original source material may help you understand Saga of Tanya the Evil more deeply. In this article, we will introduce the battles that took place in the anime! Please note that these are merely the author's speculations. (Spoilers)

The stalemate at the Rhine and the Mage Battalion resemble the battle between the German Empire and the French Republic in World War I.

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 1

The Rhine front is depicted in the first episode of Saga of Tanya the Evil. Tanya defeats enemies with pinpoint accuracy, but in real life, it doesn't always work out so well... It's just speculation, but I think it's based on trench warfare on the border between the German Empire and the French Republic during World War I.

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 9

From 1914 until the end of the war in 1918, there was little change on this front. During this time, various new weapons were developed to break through trenches, including tanks, fighter planes, and poison gas. Even with the magical forces that exist in the world of Saga of Tanya the Evil, the front lines remained at a stalemate.

Reference: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_I)

The battle against the Entente is reminiscent of the Winter War of World War II

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil, Episode 7

The battle in the northern region of Norden, depicted in Episode 2 and the middle of Saga of Tanya the Evil, was central to the story throughout the anime's 12 episodes, along with the Rhine Front. Anson was a formidable opponent. After being revived by Existence X, he became the final boss and stood in Tanya's way.

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 7

I believe that the Northern Norden is based on the Invasion of Norway and the Winter War in Finland during World War II.

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 9

German forces invaded the Atlantic, and British forces landed to thwart them. However, in reality, this battle ended after just two months. In Saga of Tanya the Evil, the Entente was still a threat, though not as much as the Republic. This is why the Winter War broke out between Finland and the Soviet Union.

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 7

The Finnish military continues to resist the Soviet invasion and successfully maintains its hold on the country. Based on this history, the battle against the Entente in Saga of Tanya the Evil takes place in neutral Sweden.
Norway is also the location of the actual battle, which took place within its territory. I believe the setting is a mix of the three countries that fought well against the Soviet Union during the Winter War.

The Imperial Army's victories over the Grand Duchy of Dacia were a common trend during World War II.

Source: Saga of Tanya Episode 5

In Episode 5 of the anime, Tanya's battalion won a crushing victory over Dacia. This episode demonstrated the stark difference in class between the Empire and Dacia.

Dacia was defeated by outdated equipment and tactics, but other countries were no exception in the early stages of World War II. As Germany invaded neighboring countries, Poland and France were defeated by the new blitzkrieg tactic of World War II.

Reference: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzkrieg

The bombardment of Arenes and the expulsion of partisans resemble the Warsaw Uprising


Source: The Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 8

Episode 8 of the anime, "Trial by Fire," features artillery bombardment outside the city. Villages and towns near the front lines of World War I trench warfare were reduced to piles of rubble.

Possible sources of inspiration include towns and villages destroyed by artillery bombardment in World War I, air raids and urban warfare in World War II, and the Warsaw Uprising in Poland later in the war.

The strategies that appear in Saga of Tanya the Evil also seem to have origins.

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 6

From here, we'll explore the origins of various tactics and strategies that appear in Saga of Tanya the Evil.

The strategy of inducing a large-scale retreat of the enemy's main forces originates from France's Plan 17

In episodes 9 and 10 of The Saga of Tanya the Evil, the Empire intentionally withdraws its main forces on the northern front, successfully luring the enemy. The Republic, which thought it was attacking, is thrown into confusion by the soldiers' words:

Weren't we the ones attacking!?

Source: The Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 10

A similar tactic to this is the early French operation known as Plan 17, from World War I. The plan was for the French army to seize German territory, but it ended in failure due to a planned German retreat.

Tanya's magical unit's destruction of the enemy headquarters resembles a German V1 rocket.

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 9

In the world of Saga of Tanya the Evil, perhaps due to the influence of Existence X, various technologies advance dramatically as the war progresses. The rockets used by Tanya's unit are one example of this.

This appears to be a V1 rocket developed by Germany during World War II. V1 rockets were actually launched at Britain, so I think the strategy in Saga of Tanya the Evil takes this into consideration.

Reference: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/V1_Flying_Bomb

The unlocking operation is reminiscent of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I

Source: Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 10

In the Battle of the Republic later in the story, a mine-setting operation was carried out to destroy the enemy's right wing with mines planted in a tunnel.

Placing mines in tunnels dug from trenches is believed to be a strategy used by the Allied forces in the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The Allied forces planted explosives underground beneath German positions and detonated them, instantly wiping out 10,000 soldiers. This was reportedly the largest human-caused explosion other than that caused by a nuclear weapon.

Reference: Battle of Passchendaele https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Passchendaele

Operation Revolving Door has a similar strategy to that used in Germany during World War I

A plan that emerged after Operation Unlocked was to have forces break through from the south to pincer the enemy's main forces concentrated in the north. This was a similar plan used by the German Empire during World War I: the Schrieffen Plan. Unlike Operation Revolving Door, this plan involved breaking through from the north and pincering the southern forces. Operation Revolving Door can also be considered a reverse of the Schrieffen Plan. In reality, Belgium put up a stronger resistance than Germany had expected, and they were unable to encircle them in a short space of time, giving France time to regroup. While they struggled, Imperial Russia prepared to attack, which resulted in the division of military forces into East and West. Like in Saga of Tanya the Evil, Germany found itself fighting on multiple fronts. As you know, this led to years of trench warfare.

Reference: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlieffen_Plan

Summary

Source: The Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 9

I've summarized all the battles that took place in the anime. What do you think? I believe that Saga of Tanya the Evil is filled with military themes that can be enjoyed by everyone from beginners to veterans of military history. While some of the more knowledgeable readers may already know some of the content, and others may think it's a bit off, I hope this will spark an interest in the source material for Saga of Tanya the Evil.

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