Quote Originally Posted by Cilia View Post
Consider this: Neither Dalmasca, nor Doma, nor the Eorzean city-states are or were uncivilized barbarians in need of subjugation or civilization (they all have histories dating back centuries). Nor do they have a known history of conflict with the Garlean Republic of yesteryear. Nor did any summon eikons before the Empire's rise to power (prior to Silvertear there are no recorded summons in the Sixth Astral Era at all).

Given these truths, even considering the Garleans' history of being forced to inhospitable territory due to a natural disadvantage, can the Empire's attacks on other sovereign nations be construed as "good," "defensive," or "protective" in any meaningful way?
Ah, but do the rank-and-file know these facts? Likely not. They may know a fair bit about their immediate neighbors (who forced them into exile long ago), but what little they know about the nations beyond is likely provided or strongly influenced by the propaganda they are fed. The billboards and recruitment posters resonate with fear-mongering regarding the Primal Menace, but none of them mention that the Primal Menace didn't really start until Garlemand began its conquest (not even in small print!)

The nations Garlemand conquer and invade may have long, storied histories, but these things are not emphasized in the history books Solus and his regime approved - and if they're mentioned at all, my how these nations have fallen from their days of glory, to become the cesspools of corruption and barbarity they are today!

Even if they had, though, consider the Ala Mhigans under Garlean occupation. Folks in Ala Ghiri assumed the incoming Allied forces would unceremoniously execute any Garlean prisoners of war - and these were Ala Mhigans, people with a relatively recent history of conflict with Gridania who would have a pretty good idea of how they treat their PoWs. Even then, the propaganda was strong enough to convince them that Baut's life was in danger. It's not hard to imagine that Garleans do not recieve news of charming Starlight festivals, or what not, but instead get an unending barrage of tales of rampages by the likes of Ifrit and Leviathan and, oh lord, THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!! Propaganda can be a powerful thing, and can be used to prompt otherwise good individuals into doing some pretty terrible things.

I'd imagine that Garleans are pretty cruel to their PoWs - and why wouldn't they be? It's justice, for the torture and slaughter of good Garlean men and women unlucky enough to fall into the hands of those Eorzean barbarians!