A History of Japan
A history of the people of Japan, from the prehistoric Jomon period to the modern era. WARNING: This podcast occasionally touches on subjects of human sexuality, suicide, violence, and torture.
Episodes
The Dark Side of Success -- BONUS
Japan has a reputation of producing hardworking salarymen and diligent students. In this episode, we investigate some of the history of the system that produces those two groups and explore whether the end product is worth the considerable cost.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and
The War’s Long Shadow -- BONUS
The legacy of the second world war is complex and fraught with misinterpretation and confusion which caused some of its more brutal tactics to be pursued in the decades that followed its conclusion.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Life and Times of Kurosawa Akira -- BONUS
Kurosawa Akira is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in modern times whose work continues to enjoy considerable influence today. Born at the end of the Meiji period, he witnessed a lot of change throughout his life and brought many changes of his own to the filmmaking landscape of Japan.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes &
The Final Decade of Shōwa
This final regular episode of the podcast features the politics, economics, and cultural developments of 1980s Japan as the Shōwa Period came to a close in 1989. Thank you so much for listening, I hope you enjoyed this journey through Japanese history with me.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Boo
Shifting Currents (Culture 1973-1979)
The social extremes of the Oil Shock Period ranged from radical terrorism, ahistorical revision of the Pacific War, the emergence of several new genres of anime, and the birth of the video games industry.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Adapt and React (Economics 1973-1979)
To help mitigate the damage to Japan's economy during the Oil Shock period, its government would engage in global economic forums, encourage conservation among consumers, and expand into new energy sources.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Toxic Shock (Politics 1973-1979)
The 1973 Oil Crisis had a devastating effect on Japan's economy and led to a period of rapid political turmoil as the ruling LDP, for the first time in the party's history, failed to obtain a simple majority of seats in the diet.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many o
The Vietnam Wars (Vietnam, 1945-1976)
After Japan's surrender in August of 1945, the Empire of Vietnam witnessed a revolution and its winners crafted a declaration of independence. However, forming a new nation-state during the Cold War would prove to be a long, bloody struggle.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and
A Peninsula Divided (Korea, 1945-1975)
The Korean Peninsula was divided after the second world war as the Soviet Union occupied the north and the US occupying the south. Though this division was initially meant to be temporary, the subsequent Korean War and its aftermath cemented the divisions for both North and South as the Cold War brought troops from both the United States and the People's Republic of China into direct conflict
The Great Leap (China, 1953-1976)
As the People's Republic of China sought to establish itself as a modern nation state, its government chose to imitate the Soviet Union's path to modernization as they collectivized agriculture, labor, and industry with unfortunately devastating results.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books,
The People’s Republic (China, 1945-1953)
After the Japanese Imperial Army evacuated China, any hopes of peaceful reunification were dashed as the Nationalists and Communists continued fighting the Chinese Civil War, the result of which would see the birth of the People's Republic of China.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.
The New Wave (Social Matters, 1955-1972)
As incomes soared and standards of living likewise rising, the demand for entertainment in Japan also rose and the industries of film, television, and animation would produce some of the most innovative and influential works ever made.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other
Making a Miracle (Economics 1955-1972)
The Economic Miracle period witnessed, as its name suggests, tremendous economic growth throughout Japan. However, that growth came at a cost to Japan's organized working class as well as white collar workers whose pursuit of productivity often compromised their health.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, A
Tolerance and Patience (Politics 1954-1972, Part 2)
Ikeda Hayato managed to garner the necessary support to become the President of the LDP and the Prime Minister of Japan after Kishi Nobusuke's resignation in 1960. He would prove to be almost the polar opposite of his arch-conservative predecessor, creating much of the social safety net which Japan continues to enjoy today. His successor, Sato Eisaku, lobbied for the return of Okinawa Prefect
The Big Tent (Politics 1955-1972, Part 1)
Conservatives and Leftists both experienced party mergers after the 1955 general election. However, it was the Liberal Democratic Party who would emerge as the big winner for the foreseeable future.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Monsters Real and Imagined (Social Matters, 1945-1954)
The Allied occupation changed Japan's social norms in a variety of ways. When the occupation ended, some of those changes would remain while others would fall by the wayside. In the midst of rebuilding, economic chaos, and privation, the Japanese film industry entered its golden age.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes &
A New Deal for Japan (Economics 1945-1954)
Japan's economy expanded rapidly during the postwar rebuild - too rapidly. Hyperinflation created unrest and frustration which the labor movement hoped to harness. Meanwhile, the diet passed a sweeping land reform which radically transformed Japan's agrarian sector.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo,
The Reverse Course (Politics, 1945-1954, Part 2)
While the Allied occupation forces had initially supported the restoration of far-left parties to Japan's political arena, the advent of the Cold War led to a reversal of sorts which included de-purging those who had supported imperial-era war crimes and purging some on the left whose loyalty to the US was in doubt.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now a
The Reckoning (Politics, 1945-1954, Part 1)
The aftermath of the Pacific War led to an Allied occupation of Japan, during which time Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) Douglas MacArthur and his subordinates attempted to reorganize the Japanese state away from militaristic authoritarianism and transform it into a contemporary liberal democracy.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available a
The Other Holocaust - BONUS EPISODE
From 1931 to 1945, the empire of Japan was engaging in secret human experimentation in northeast China in violation of multiple international laws. The results of these experiments was felt on the battlefields of China and beyond as the empire became increasingly desperate to recover their advantage in the second world war.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is no
World War 2 on the Screen - BONUS EPISODE
In this episode, I discuss some of my favorite and not-so-favorite films which depict the events of the second world war.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Prisoners - BONUS EPISODE
In this episode, we explore the different uses of concentration camps during the second world war in both Axis and Allied nations.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Resistance - BONUS EPISODE
Not everyone in the belligerent nations of the second world war was eager to support their government. This episode is all about those who stood against their own governments during the second world war in both Axis and Allied nations.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other
The Pacific War, Part 6: Surrender
Although the Axis Powers were clearly losing ground throughout late 1944 and early 1945, Japan continued fighting for months after Germany surrendered, often exacting horrific casualties upon both Allied forces and their own civilian populations. The Allies turned to extreme measures in hopes of forcing the unconditional surrender which they sought, culminating in the first use of nuclear weapons
The Pacific War, Part 5: Hail Mary
Prime Minister Tojo Hideki planned two major offensives for 1944 which he hoped would reverse the Empire of Japan's fortunes in the Pacific War while Allied forces continued to make costly but successful incursions onto Japanese territory.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and m
The Pacific War, Part 4: The Tables Turn
Resistance grows in the Philippines as Allied forces in the Pacific continue making incursions onto Japanese territory. Meanwhile, a new offensive effort in China as well as a fresh German offensive against Russia threatens to tilt the war back in favor of the Axis Powers.If you'd like to read more about the women who fought in the Filipino resistance to the Japanese occupation, get Pinay Gue
The Pacific War, Part 3: Incursion
After their victory at the Battle of Midway, Allied forces in the Pacific took the initiative in the South Pacific. However, the ensuing Guadalcanal campaign would prove to be challenging both on land and in nearby waters.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platf
The Pacific War, Part 2: Counter-Punch
While the first half of 1942 was characterized by small-scale raids and minor skirmishes between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific, the summer of 1942 witnessed one of the largest and most significant naval battles in world history as the Imperial Japanese Navy tried to lure US aircraft carriers into a trap only to find themselves trapped as a result.Support the show My latest n
The Pacific War, Part 1: Aggression and Infamy
With Imperial Japan's military panicking over the oil embargo from the United States, the leaders of the Empire of Japan decided to respond by launching one of the most famous and deadliest surprise attacks in history.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online plat
The Tripartite Pact
As Nazi Germany took the offensive against Poland and the second World War began in Europe, Japan chose to continue its path of closely aligning with fascist western powers in hopes of obtaining powerful allies whom they believed would win this latest global conflict.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Bo
Pacific Positioning
Japan's colonial possessions throughout the south Pacific proved very profitable, but the close proximity to the colonies of the United States set both nations on a path toward eventual conflict.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The War At Home
As the Second Sino-Japanese War raged on, domestic matters in Japan took a turn for the worse as Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro proposed applying colonial policies to the home provinces in the name of supporting the war effort.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online p
The War with China, Part 2
The Japanese Imperial Army managed to take Wuhan but found it difficult to keep up their previous momentum as Chinese defensive efforts and counter-insurgency begin to wear on the Japanese supply line and threaten to reverse their previous gains.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and
The War with China, Part 1
After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident which sparked the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy would press on to take Shanghai, Nanjing, and Xuzhou, driving Chinese defenders back and committing horrific war crimes and atrocities along the way.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Book
The Imperial Way
Competing ideas about the Emperor's identity and proper place in the Japanese political order would become especially heated during the tumultuous 1930s and radical adherents of the Imperial Way Faction in the military engaged in a well-organized coup which nearly toppled the civilian government.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon,
The International Realignment, Part 2
The Empire of Japan's decision to break with liberal democracies in favor of rising fascist powers was driven, in part, by the successes enjoyed by said fascist powers throughout the 1930s. In this episode, we discuss how their leaders managed to consolidate that power in the first place.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes &
The International Realignment, Part 1
After alienating the western liberal democracies with whom they had previously enjoyed friendly relations, the Empire of Japan began exploring new friendship and alliances with the growing fascist powers which were emerging in Europe as the Second Sino-Japanese war began in 1937.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ko
The Great Withdrawal
Following its investigation into the Mukden Incident and subsequent Japanese occupation of northeast China, the League of Nations demands that Japan withdraw its troops and return the territory they've seized. Japan responds by withdrawing from the League of Nations.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Appl
The League of Blood
Japan's conflict with China flares up once again with the Shanghai Incident. Meanwhile, on the domestic front, ultra-nationalist terrorists engage in a widespread campaign of assassination and attempted coups.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Making of Manchukuo
Three years after the assassination of Zhang Zuolin and attempted framing of the KMT, a group of higher-ranking officers within the Kwantung Army staged another false flag attack, which resulted in their conquest of northeast China and the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & No
The Frame-Up
In 1928, a group of officers in the Kwantung Army attempted to frame the KMT for their own assassination of Zhang Zuolin. The failed attempts to enforce accountability and discipline which followed set the stage for similar incidents in the future.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, a
The Great Crash
Two years prior to the much larger Great Depression, Japan experienced its own financial crisis thanks to the Great Kanto Earthquake, government bonds, and a panicky populace.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Reaction and Repression
The elevation of Emperor Showa was accompanied by a wave of reactionary backlash against Taisho Democracy.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Interview with Quin Cho, author of "The Rise of the Kwantung Army"
Quin Cho's latest book "The Rise of the Kwantung Army" is coming out on September 18. In this special interview episode, we discuss his upcoming book and the role that gekokujo played in Japan's invasion of northeast China.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and ma
Interview with Kaila Yu, author of "Fetishized"
Kaila Yu's memoir "Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty" is coming out on August 19. In this special interview episode, we discuss her upcoming book as well as one chapter which specifically highlights the inaccuracies and falsehoods found in the popular novel "Memoirs of a Geisha."Purchase Kaila Yu's Memoir from Bookshop.org by clicking her
The Warlord Era - BONUS EPISODE
China's difficulties continued throughout the Taisho Period as Yuan Shikai died in the midst of a civil war between China's north and south. The Warlord Era saw many colorful characters rise to power, many of whom were betrayed by underlings or defeated by enemies with only slight advantages.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon,
Taisho Feminism - BONUS EPISODE
The question of equal rights for women was extremely divisive in Japan during the Taisho Period. A determined group of feminists would try to punch through the controversy through fiction, editorials, debates, and rhetoric. Some would successfully lobby for change; others would pay the ultimate price for challenging the patriarchy.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade,&quo
Radical Politics - BONUS EPISODE
The Taisho Period witnessed the coming-of-age for many political parties and movements. This episode focuses on the fringe left during the Taisho Period, who grew and organized in spite of government repression and social stigma.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other onlin
The Pax Taishō
Japan saw its fair share of progress during the Taisho Period but it also saw an increase in the raw cruelty which its armed forces were willing to use in order to preserve their empire.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Taishō Democracy
Toward the end of the Taisho Period, the Imperial Diet finally passed a law which established universal suffrage for men 25 and older regardless of tax assessment. Shortly before, however, they also passed a law which would allow law enforcement entities far greater powers of surveillance, harassment, and repression.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now avail
Obligations, Disasters, and Atrocities
Japan signed a treaty with their fellow Entente Powers which slowed construction on the ever-increasing navies of many nations. In 1923, a terrible earthquake struck the Kanto Region resulting in massive damage and an incredible number of casualties. The atrocity that soon followed, however, only served to increase the tragedy.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," i
A League of Their Own
Japan emerges as a major player among world powers as their ambassadors helped finalize the postwar treaties and create a new international body meant to stop large-scale wars before they began: The League of Nations. However, trouble continued brewing on the Korean Peninsula as a new mass movement for national liberation took to the streets.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's C
A Whole New World
The new international status quo that emerged after the first World War was very different than what came before, and Japan was poised to become a major new power in this new world.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The World Goes to War, Part 2
The eastern front of the first world war was much busier than its western counterpart and the stakes for one nation were much higher. When the war finally ended with the Entente triumphant, Japan was poised to enjoy the advantages of supporting the winning side.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, B
The World Goes to War, Part 1
The assassination of an Austrian Archduke sparks a chain reaction which would ignite a global conflict on a scale never seen before.If you'd like to read the complete "Literary Digest History of the World War," all ten volumes are available for free on the internet archive here.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes &
The Republic of China
In early 1912, the Qing Dynasty officially transferred its right to rule to the Republic of China, who named Yuan Shikai as their president in exchange for ending the civil war. Shikai, however, would soon prove just as power-hungry and authoritarian as the imperial system he sought to replace.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes
The Fall of the Qing Dynasty
The first decade of the 1900s witnessed a final attempt by the Qing Dynasty to reform its outmoded systems of governance and forge a new Chinese nation state. Those attempts eventually failed in the wake of a massive revolution against the last dynasty of China, which succeeded in 1912.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & No
Crisis and Opportunity
The Taisho Period began with a political crisis that threatened to upend the stability established by the Meiji Period as the people of Japan took to the streets to express their displeasure by rioting.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Resident Foreigner and the Foreign Resident - BONUS EPISODE
This episode follows the lives and adventures of Basil Hall Chamberlain and Lafcadio Hearn, two of the most famous foreign residents who lived in Japan during the Meiji Period.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Nourishing the Nation - BONUS EPISODE
The Meiji Period witnessed a radical expansion of the Japanese palate as the people began consuming foreign foods like beer and the government encouraged the populace to eat meat.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
An Age of Letters - BONUS EPISODE
Writers of the Meiji Period included some of the most influential Japanese authors of all time, many of whom are still regularly included in reading curriculum today.Soseki ProjectSupport the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Pax Meiji
The Meiji period saw sweeping transformation in nearly every aspect of Japanese society. The political status quo which it established, however, paved the way for future infighting and the imperial government's tendency toward repression cast a dark shadow.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, B
The Question of Korea
After the Russo-Japanese War, the Meiji government moved quickly to solidify their control of Korea, gradually chipping away at the sovereignty of its government until annexation became the only logical next step.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Long Road of Peace
Both Russia and Japan were desperate to end the Russo-Japanese War by the summer of 1905. However, the conditions of that peace would not bring an end to domestic turmoil in Russia, and would inaugurate entirely fresh domestic turmoil in Japan.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and m
The Russo-Japanese War, Part 2
After securing the southern portion of Liaodong Province, the Imperial Japanese Army proceeded to besiege Port Arthur while simultaneously fighting Russian forces to their north in increasingly costly and difficult battles.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online plat
The Russo-Japanese War, Part 1
In February of 1904, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on Port Arthur and initiate the Russo-Japanese War.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
A Tsar is Born
We examine the development Russian Empire of the 1800s and see what factors set them on a collision course with Japan in 1904.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Boxer Rebellion
When a militant anti-imperial movement spreads China, an allied army of eight nations moved quickly to suppress the rebels, leading to a reactionary swing from the Qing Dynasty's government.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Losing Korea
Although Japan had seemingly won influence over Korea as a war prize from the Chinese, Joseon itself was still an independent state. Because of the actions of one inexperienced Japanese diplomat, that independence was about to be asserted in an undeniable way.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Boo
The First Sino-Japanese War
Mounting tensions over the future of Korea turned violent after the end of the Donghak Rebellion, resulting in a war between Japan and China.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Battlefield of Ideas
With its new constitutional structure in place, the Japanese government began to take on a more permanent political shape. However, war with China over the future of Korea lurked on the horizon.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The Qing Dynasty’s Self-Strengthening
In light of its repeated defeats and humiliations at the hands of imperial powers, the Qing Dynasty attempted to modernize its military, economy, and society through a series of reforms known as the "Self-Strengthening Movement."Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many o
The Hermit Kingdom
By the mid-1800s, the Joseon Kingdom had become an isolated polity which was famously hostile to unwelcome visitors. Nevertheless, imperial powers vied to force the nation to open to international trade, offer paths toward modernization, and jealously eyed the strategic and economic value of Korea's many ports.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now availa
The Meiji Constitution
As pressure mounted from grass roots organizations like the Freedom Party, the Meiji government decided to finally draft a constitution. The process which brought it about, and the language which it employed, would determine the course of Japan's political future.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple B
Clans, Corporations, and Capital
The early years of the Meiji period saw an explosion of economic growth as Edo Period merchant houses transformed into conglomerates called Zaibatsu.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Counter-Revolution
The Meiji Revolution very rapidly changed nearly every aspect of public life in Japan. Such rapid progress led, inevitably, to counter-revolutions among various groups who felt discarded by the march of modernization, including a large body of samurai in the land formerly known as Satsuma Domain.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barne
The Meiji Reformation
The Buddhist temples throughout Japan had worked hand-in-hand with the Shogunate to help prevent the spread of Christianity in Japan. Now that the Shogunate was gone, anti-Buddhist sentiment in the country boiled over into a violent response.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and man
The New Frontier
As the Meiji leaders continued to consolidate power and enact radical reforms, they also sought to expand Japan's sovereignty over the northern island of Ezo and the Ryukyu islands to their south.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
The View From Below
As the new Meiji government continued to develop and expand, so did the participation of Japanese commoners in the political process. The 1870s witnessed the Iwakura Mission and the birth of Japan's first newspapers which were quickly followed by censorship laws.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Bo
The Meiji Revolution
Now firmly established in Tokyo, the Meiji leaders launched a series of measures aimed at bringing feudal Japan into the modern age. However, upon their inception, these reforms often met with violent reactions.Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
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