The Last Samurai (2003)
Director: Edward Zwick
Cast: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe
The Japanese hire Civil War veteran Captain Nathan Algren to train the Emperor's troops to use modern weapons so they can more easily defeat the last of the country's samurai. But when Algren is captured by the samurai he gets to see the other side of the war. As he learns to become an expert swordsman, he comes to admire the traditions and code of honor of the samurai. In addition, he is able to catch the eye of an attractive Japanese woman.
It's not a great movie, but it is entertaining enough. And one does learn a bit about the lifestyle of the samurai. Dr. Patrick L. Cooney.
Historical Background:
The Opening of Japan and End of the Tokugawa Regime
c. 1638 -- Japan had closed itself to outsiders. The nation would not open again for some 200 years.
1852 -- birth of the future Japanese Emperor Meiji.
1853 (July 2) -- reports from the coast indicated that ships at sea were on fire. But as the ships came closer, it became apparent that these were foreign ships powered by steam engines.
The ships were American under Commander Matthew C. Perry. 5,000 samurai gathered at the shore demanding that the foreigners leave. But Perry soon made his attitude clear. The United States had come of age, was more powerful than Japan and would not be denied.
Perry came ashore making it clear that he was prepared to take Japan by force. He would return in the spring for the Japanese answer. This set off near hysteria among portions of Japanese society. (But at the same time, there was considerable fascination with these foreigners.)
1854 (February 4) -- returning a little earlier than said, Perry had doubled the number of ships and crews. Japan had to negotiate with the foreigners. The talks lasted about 24 days. The resulting treaty was a compromise, but Japan had finally opened.
Japan would soon sign trade agreements with Russia, England, France and Holland.
With the new influences, it became clear that the days of the Tokugawa Regime were numbered. Within ten years, the samurai were officially disbanded.
1861-1865 -- American Civil War.
1866-1869 -- the Meiji Restoration which was the change from the old Shogunate form of government to a more modern (Western) form of government in the Meiji Period. Also known as the Boshin War ("War of the Year of the Dragon). It was a civil war fought between the forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and the forces supporting the return to political power of the imperial court.
The nobles and young samurai were unhappy with the Tokugawa shogunate. Also unhappy was an alliance of southern samurai and court officials.
Emperor Mejii declared the abolition of the two-hundred-year-old shogunate. His imperial forces were more modernized and thus had the advantage. After a number of battles, Shogun Yoshinobu personally surrendered.
About 3,500 men were killed during the civil war.
1867 -- at age 14, Emperor Meiji comes to the throne.
1868-1912 -- THE MEIJI PERIOD
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