Episode 137 - The Fall of the Samurai, Part 20

History of Japan

Isaac Meyer

History

4.8 • 744 Ratings

🗓️ 20 February 2016

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week, we turn to the final drama of our series -- the samurai rebellions that will break out in final defense of 1000 years of samurai tradition. As the group of leaders who had overthrown the Tokugawa becomes ever smaller, the final course of Japan will be set. From this point on, what the new Japan will look like will be clear.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This week's episode is brought to you by Audible.
0:03.7	Audible has over 180,000 titles to choose from, all compatible with iPhone, Android, Kindle, or your MP3 player of choice.
0:13.7	For listeners of the show, Audible's offering a free 30-day trial membership, complete with credit for a free audiobook of your choice. You can cancel any time
0:22.6	and keep the free book, or keep going with one of Audible's subscription offers. Go to
0:27.7	audibletrial.com slash Japan to claim your offer. This week I'm going to recommend 2001
0:34.6	a space odyssey by Arthur C. Clark.
0:42.6	It might seem a bit odd that I'm recommending a work of classic sci-fi on this history podcast,
0:46.1	but for me, this book will always be bound up with Japan.
0:49.7	I read it for the first time during my first trip there.
1:02.6	For me, David Bowman's Journey Through the Stars will always be linked with my own confused journeys through the Japanese countryside or the Tokyo subway system, though I think he has me beat in number of killer robots.
1:06.8	Go to audible trial.com slash Japan to claim your copy.
1:26.5	The Hello and welcome to the History of Japan podcast.
1:31.5	Episode 137, The Fall of the Samurai, Part 20.
1:36.2	So, this is going to be our last narrative episode for this series.
1:40.6	Next week we're going to concentrate on the final fates of our key players,
1:45.1	and wrap up with some general thematic discussion of the Meiji restoration.
1:50.5	For now, though, it's time for one of the most iconic moments of the early Meiji period,
1:56.2	the battle between a modernizing state and the samurai who just couldn't stomach the changes.
2:02.1	Now, samurai had been taking up arms against change for years now.
2:08.8	Remember, for example, that Omaramasuiro, Japan's first army reformer, had been assassinated by Samurai angry about his crazy ideas of conscription.
2:14.0	However, when Samurai had risen up violently, they'd done so in pretty small numbers.
2:19.5	Many of these men were holdovers from the old Sonaljoi Shishi movement, who hadn't quite
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