I mean this is manifest destiny USA and the USA although not a great european power certianly was forming into one at the time so they would have won. There not much a few ancient muskets, bows, and swords can do against modern artillery and rifled barrels. They would have experienced a loss simmialr to what the conquistadors did to the Native Americans.
@@reaperking2121 They would have lost, but more like africans versus europeans, they were not decimated by diseases, and had steel weapons and old firearms, rather than stone weapons ^^
@@reaperking2121 you underestimate the benefits of japan's terrain, they could have staged a campaign of guerilla warfare had they been dedicated enough, and an occupation of a foreign hostile country thousands of miles away in an age before flight would have been very difficult to pull off. however, the japanese decided biding their time was a much better idea than a costly a draw out campaign of war.
@Trashthlete, “racism”, sure buddy, definitely didn’t get power hungry, it’s not like Italy also got cheated, or how China lost land despite being in the Entente, definitely racism.
The real question who was worst maybe Japan seen the government like pretend to didn't happen not sure about the people wouldn't be surprised if the people pretend too but Japan is not the only one
Or MAYBE the national superiority complex and xenophobia were fueled by 200+ years of isolation and government demonizing everything foreign, and an attempt to turn them into a less jingoist society so people could peacefully trade was pushed back by reactionaries who played nationalism to the max.
A few interesting details: The Americans grossly underestimated how much the Shogun knew about the outside world, which is demonstrated by the letters from Fillmore and Perry. In fact, the Shogun had a subscription to the London Illustrated News, so he knew all about both the U.S.A. and western technology. I used this history in my ethnic studies classes to illustrate "contact" between advanced and less advanced civilizations. The Japanese initially tried to make Perry leave by putting up a big sign written in French, because apparently no one knew English. The Shogunate held the negotiations in a special pavilion with a false floor, crowded with samurai ready to climb out and slice up the U.S. delegation at a single signal.
Doubt swords would've worked if the delegation had firearms. As the fall of the Aztecs and Incas proved, you don't bring a blade to a gunfight. Evidently, the Shogunate knew that too.
You're telling me that the Shogun had a subscription to London Illustrated News but he and no one around him knew English? Someone had to translate it because there certainly wasn't someone in London making a Japanese version of the paper.
@@mrreyes5004 The Shogunate was much more worried about the guns on the ships. In the 1860s, Britain and France devastated forts in Shimonoseki and Kagoshima with seapower. This confrontation was like those in sci fi books about encounters between humans and aliens from a more advanced civilization.
@@mrreyes5004 Depends. If you're sitting there chatting with diplomats and suddenly a mob of people wearing swords pop out of the literal woodwork and mob you, you're not going to shoot them all. I'm pretty sure Japan has more samurai than an American ship has diplomatic delegates by a fairly significant margin. The cannons on the ship, on the other hand....and more specifically the prospect of an unknown number of ships with more cannons coming....that's a much bigger problem. Especially when you're Japan and tend to have mostly coastal settlement.
yeah I like them it's pretty cool they stuck with them thru their ups and downs through losing the best narrator and the videos where they get a bit too political
@@itsZach05 Their videos have always been political tho, this isnt new nor have they ever shied away from talking about politics. In fact id say some of their best old extra credits game design videos from 2011-2013 ish are their political ones. Their extra sci fi series was also very political, and rightfully so, as many of the works they discussed were very political in their nature, and leaving that out would be a disservice.
Hideyoshi wasn’t Shogun, he only gained the title of “Regent” due to a lack of any Minamoto blood. To be fair, Tokugawa Ieyasu didn’t have any either, but after Sekigahara nobody felt like arguing the point.
@@minhvuongtran5544 Anyone at that time would want a title of Kanpaku more than a Shogun because Shogun had a poor track record of being puppeteered by the regents for centuries. It was Tokugawa who brought the title of Shogun to a new height and made us perceive it as a position of absolute power thanks to the stability he brought to Japan.
Despite what you might think, Matthew Perry is actually a beloved historical figure in Japan. There's multiple statues of the guy around the country and he and his black ships make frequent appearances in Japanese media, usually with a light-hearted tone. Obviously, the country wasn't too pleased when he rocked up and started pointing cannons at people, but it's thanks to him that the restrictive cast system was abolished and Japan became very wealthy thanks to trade with foreign countries.
I've always been fascinated by the hypothetical of what if Japan hadn't closed itself off from the rest of the world during the Sengoku Jidai. They almost certainly had the capability of being an economic superpower if not militarily.
its not easy to tell, they could of ended up like everyone else in Asia or they could of fixed their failings in tech and strategy sooner. what ifs are not easy to figure out, after all its the pro emperor faction that won this and they were anti foreigner, despite ending up being the ones to westernize japan.
japan is superpower bcz. of americans. USA needed japan to counter soviet union. and after collapse of USSR, look at japan. their economy is stagnant. japan may have potential, but they can't rise without the permission of their amrican masters.
@MrKILLINOOBZI don’t think so. An open Japan would’ve happened with oda Nobunaga, who was friendly to western ideas and Christianity (some speculate he was Christian but this is unlikely).
"strangers have come to our shores, they bring with them weapons of smoke and fire that kill without honor... without skill, yet these foreigners and their weapons can give a man power and victory and victory whips away all dishonor"
@@eazy8579 It's the nature of time that the old ways must give in It's the nature of time that the new ways comes in sin When the new meets the old it always ends the ancient way And as history told the old always goes out in a blaze Incercled by a vulture The end of ancient culture. The Dawn of destiny is here.
This is a very wild and strange period of Japanese history, and one where local sources are often very suspect in terms of thoroughness of information. Looking forward to this series!
I’m definitely going to enjoy this series as in my history class we just finished covering the Meiji restoration, our teacher had a lecturer from UNC Chapel Hill come talk about this unique story of modernization. I’d argue the thesis point of it being a violent change in power though. At least as far as the key way the changing of hands in power went. I would even argue that for the most part it was a clean exchange with relatively few deaths and uprisings. Which I’m sure you guys know, being that it’s called a restoration and not a revolution for it’s largely bloodless and fast modernization story. At least until that trip for tech abroad led to them become imperial :o sorry that’s a spoiler. Thanks for all the hours of entertainment Matt and crew. You guys save some people from some bad times. And on the off chance one of the crew is reading this, I have donated and plan to more when I have a real income! To anyone else who thinks donating is dumb for free content. These guys have probably given you hours of entertainment, for me probably over a hundred, however long all of their videos are. Give them the metrics they deserve with a like and throw them a donation. These guys are keeping an interest in history alive in people of all ages, while trying to keep a global lens and not push any biases or specific cultural lenses onto the history examined. That is rare, and important work. Throw them some cash if you have a few dollars to spare and aren’t worried about bills.
Extra Credits: **Mentions their series on the Sengoku Jidai** EC:"... Hideyoshi's desastrous invasion of Korea..." EC: **Doesn't mention they also sorta covered the Imjin War** Yi Sun Shin: *WEAK*
December 7, 1942 at Pearl Habour ???: Knock Knock USA: Who's there? Japan: It's me, Japan whom you teach to be industrialized and militarized. Come now and accept the hundreds of these bombers. TORA!!! TORA!!! TORA!!!
The Shinsengumi are coming up next! I'm so excited! Especially for my man Hijikata Toshizo. :) I hope that the Republic of Ezo will be covered in this series. BTW I assume that the "live comedy" mentioned at 4:39 is (or includes) rakugo. This interesting form of art/entertainment technically is not always comedic. It's a bit shame that it's apparently not an instantly recognizable term, like kabuki.
Thanks guys, I've been waiting for a series on the Bakumatsu. It is a complex and endlessly fascinating slice of history. Big props for tackling it and trying to form a narrative out of it. That is writing in HARD MODE.
4:58 The Chosokabe clan was removed from power during the Sengoku Jidai, when they sided the Toyotomi Faction in the Seige of Osaka. Yamauchi Clan took over Tosa after that, which is a branch clan of the Tokugawa. The discontent with Tosa was far more complex than the enemy of the Tokugawa Bakufu, since there is a strict social class within the samurai class of Tosa, the Joshi and Kashi. The Joshi, which were related to the Yamauchi (not locally from Tosa) as the higher class, and they are allowed to higher and actual military and bureaucratic power; they are genneraly more pro-shogunate in the beginning, but changed overtime when the wind blew against the favour of the shougnate. The Kashi, however are the original locals of Tosa, which doesn't hold much power in Tosa, but just merely the name. The Kashi was generally more discontent over the bakufu, and supported the idea to overthrow the bakufu. These later ideas formed the Tosa Kinnoto, where Sonno Joi "Revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians" gave the bedrock of overturning the power in Edo. Many of the famous Tosans that were Kashi was Sakamoto Ryoma, which is one of the most important person during the Meiji Restoration. Just a little detail for Extra Credit to focus on the complex society and discontent of the south.
@@oceanberserker US business, obviously. (don't forget how the US army has been used as a strong arm for corporations for a long time, like the banana wars, wars which most Americans probably don't even know about)
Not really, seeing as they didn't want to surrender even after the second bomb and would've stubbornly waited for more if not for the Emperor's intervention... I suggest you watch the Shaun video on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for a very well-researched explanation of the Japanese surrender.
@@Vict0r1984 i mean, yeah they where stupid enough to want to keep fighting even when that would probably spell total doom for Japan, we are talking that the americans mobilized the entirety of their pacífic forces into Japan and the soviets where preparing their own invasión force too, the united states was also building another six nuclear bombs just in case, if they invaded mainland Japan chances are Japan wouldnt exist currently, or they would be a shadow of their current selves Pre 1945 Japan (and to an extent modern Japan too) was honor before reason
@@carso1500 Tojo: We will fight to the last! Hirohito: *looking at the Soviets and Americans preparing* Yeah, I see where this is going. Get the surrender speech ready.
2:50 Do note that there was something called Rangaku (literally Dutch learning), where the Japanese translated Western books, including scientifical texts, already laying a foundation for the scientfic aspects of the industrial revolution in Japan.
"After the Sengoku Jidai, peace reigned for 200 years. In Kyoto, the Emperor continued as divine head of state. But real power was held by the Tokugawa Shogunate. For two centuries, they ruled with absolute authority. Japan prospered. The people were content. In 1853, American warships changed everything. The Shogun abandoned his people, and signed the treaty of peace and amity. The gates to Japan were opened. Trade was established, but the agreements favoured the western powers. The economy faltered and the people suffered. In 1863, the Emperor overruled the Shogun. An Imperial decree orders the expulsion of all western powers. No longer would Japan be westernized. The western powers gave their answer. The treacherous westerners brought death to our people. The Shogun no longer commanded respect or authority. Imperial rule had to be restored." Total War Shogun 2, Fall of the Samurai introduction. My ancestors were from Japan...
Yeah although the decision to expel the westerners was even then a terribly stupid idea, it was driven by rhetoric rather then practicality. They where overwhelmingly, hilariously, out gunned.
@@generalamsel437 Are you referring to the Choshu Incident? Sonno joi samurai raiding a naval entrenchment and firing on western merchant ships in 1863? Also, weren't you killed by a sniper in Stalingrad?
Woah - what a coincidence. I'm currently working on a story for Wattpad inspired by Japan and the Samurai Warring states. Your videos really helped me so much!!! ❤
I like to precise here that fireweapons were common in Japan even during the isolation periode: the potugese had sold Musquets to the Japanese before the Sakoku periode, and they were used during the Sengoku-jidai.
The Samurai during the Edo period began to increasingly view firearms as beneath them, as they became increasingly nostalgic for the wars of their ancestors.
To be specific, guns became incredibly popular right before the isolation. In a proto Meiji restoration, Japan took to Portuguese guns like a duck to water, and quickly amassed hundreds of thousands in a matter of years. *However, once Japan became isolated, guns became incredibly restricted,* as the shoguns took away any potential threat to their rule(like hundreds of thousands of matchlocks). This is actually part of why the katana is so revered. In the Edo era, the Katana & wakizashi combo was one of the few exceptions(for samurai) to the tight weapon control. It was the ceremonial side arm of the samurai class, that showed their class. A katana is a poor main weapon against armored opponents in a battlefield, but is a great weapon for cutting down shirtless bandits, or for honor duels.
No, the Japanese were making their own muskets by time the Tokugawa took over. The Shogunate de-emphasized firearms because they made it much easier for Daimyo to start a rebellion (you can make a peasant into a serviceable musketeer in a couple months, Swords and bows take YEARS). The Samurai were kept in line with their koku salary, which was a "fixed income" and one reason the merchants were doing so well (THEY could deal with inflation). Something was due to happen (the Opium wars were writing on the wall). Perry and company showing up, just helped get things kicked off (FIRST we need to establish who's in charge, THEN we can work on these dang treaties). Japan was able to get all that settled in under 25 years (part of why China had it so bad, was that the government was weak, but not weak enough to get replaced (the Taiping rebellion overlapped this era). Whereas Korea tried to stick to isolation and ended up getting "opened" by Japan, after they got this succession crisis worked out.
Multiple earthquakes? A tsunami? 3 opposing clans? A whole class against the government? An economy in free fall? Jesus christ this is worse than the 3rd century crises of rome.
Ah this is great! I've been wanting to learn more about this but It's always a foot note in American and Japanese history. It's such an important date in history, its sad to see it get relegated to an "honorable mention" in the history books.
Imagine having centuries of tradition as proud warriors and frigging Chandler from Friends shows up and is all like "Could I BE any more of an imperialist?" and screws it all up.
Kenshin fought during the Meiji revolution that overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate and returned Emperor Meiji to power (he was a puppet ruler beforehand).
@@tonyfriendly4409 It's funny because I know all of the names, but I never bothered to look up the actual history. I'm probably going to fall down a UA-cam/Wikipedia rabbit hole over this
The timing of those earthquakes is so surreal, I love the story telling aspect to that, coming out of a long "peaceful" time and into a more "interesting" time. The very foundation of two centuries of peace shaking to the core at the bloodshed that would last almost as long. To think that this could be seen as the start to a period so violent that it would only be ended by the most terrifying weapon ever to have been made by man. Good stuff.
Oh, man. Most of this history I learned reading rurouni kenshin (or samurai x). The editor here in my country used to include the real historical background of characters and of the people these character were based on. Pretty cool... I think I will re-read the Manga again 😁
Finally covering the end of the Shogunate and the Meiji restoration, super cool! Clavell was my first introduction to East Asian history and I've really enjoyed researching it ever since. The Sengoku Jidai series was great, can't wait for the rest of this one.
1:45 Not a Shogun. He was Chancellor. 2:23 Most foreign books were indeed banned yet those of Duch were tolerated and even adapted in official education.
I am soooooo here for this. The senguko jidwi was one of the best EH serieses, and the years before the meiji restoration are even more fascinating. And it looks sooo beautiful!!!!
@@speedy01247 They were the Professional Murderer Class. Never forget that. Plus, they could kill any peasant for any perceived insult without repercussion. Not to mention that they enforced a caste system which prevented entryism and social mobility.
One of the best books I’ve read this year (A World of Empires) was about a Russian expedition that arrived a few months after Perry’s fleet seeking to take advantage of the opening of Japan. It’s so interesting to see the clashing cultures and imperial ambitions behind the powers that came knocking on Japan’s doors.
Fun fact: the samurai were acctually mostly just horse archers. And they weren't as "honorable" as the samurai in movies/media, they killed without hesitation.
Yeah, I find it funny when people-weeaboo, anime OCs, the Last Samurai, and making rpg character based on pseudo samurai-basing it on Akita Kurosawa movies. Consider that entire movies are deconstruction of Samurai and nuanced critique of honor (I mean we did see peasants fearing Samurais, the protagonists being out of work, and their successes being the result of bending their code to save people).
Nice, I was just playing Shogun 2 and starting up a campaign as my favorite clan, the Takeda! Maybe I'll start a Jozai campaign in Fall of the Samurai next...
The Satsuma were originally pro-Shogun, they weren't open supporters of Sonno Joi until 1866 where they entered an alliance with the Choshu. Before then, their daimyo, Shimazu Tadayoshi's offical stance was that they were loyal to the Shogun. The military leaders, however, (such as Saigo Takamori, and Sakamoto Ryoma) were vheminent supporters of the sonno joi.
I recommend that you all to watch the UA-camr epic history. That channel talks about Napoleon rise and fall to power. They even go into detail of all the events taking place and the battles Napoleon fought in
Imagine a negotiation between the US and Japan at that time “So you are the emperor?” “Oh, no, no I’m the man acting as regent to the 12 year old shogun, who is acting as ruler of Japan on behalf of the emperor”
19th Century USA : "I heard, you Samurai have oil and in need of Democracy" 21st Century USA : "I heard, you middle easterner have oil and in need of Democracy"
@@EgoEroTergum Dont think most dictatorships were anything like the serfs, more similar to Stalin's Soviet Union. In short, not so ideal either ways. And then the US came, and left the place in a bloody shambles. Horray to being stuck as bad and/or worse situation like before.
It wasn't oil they were after. Oil didn't become really prominent to fight over until WWI and WWII. Whales was the big fish(pun not intended) there were after when they came to Japan. That silk and general access to Asia,
I glanced at the title and I saw Samurai” and “Black” in there, thinking for a second it’s about Yasuke.. I was kinda disappointed to realize that wasn’t the case, but I’m still interested to learn more about the last days of the samurai.
I heard there is gonna be an Anime about him in 2021 or something. (just checked the WIki, it looks like its true) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuke#Representation_in_other_media
4:57 Slight correction: Chosokabe stopped being a ruling clan of the Tosa domain after Sekigahara (1600) and Osaka (1615) when they supported the losing Toyotomi side. The ruling clan of this era was Yamauchi.
AHHHHH this couldn’t come at a better time I just played Japan in vic2 and was so confused about all the events and now I have u guys to explain the Japanese history at that time
IIRC, there were some people in Japan who specialized in "Western Studies" even before Sakoku was ended. Frex, Fukuzawa Yukichi and his teachers and colleagues
Way before Perry came, They even built an electric device that gives people an electric shock (for good laughs, because they couldn’t think of other practical purposes.)
They deadass sent them their *own* surrender flag, they were that confident they'd win
Well the next time they did brought two nuclear weapons and two armies on its doorsteps
I think its also a nice touch to recognize the difficulty of cross-cultural communication.
I mean this is manifest destiny USA and the USA although not a great european power certianly was forming into one at the time so they would have won. There not much a few ancient muskets, bows, and swords can do against modern artillery and rifled barrels. They would have experienced a loss simmialr to what the conquistadors did to the Native Americans.
@@reaperking2121 They would have lost, but more like africans versus europeans, they were not decimated by diseases, and had steel weapons and old firearms, rather than stone weapons ^^
@@reaperking2121 you underestimate the benefits of japan's terrain, they could have staged a campaign of guerilla warfare had they been dedicated enough, and an occupation of a foreign hostile country thousands of miles away in an age before flight would have been very difficult to pull off. however, the japanese decided biding their time was a much better idea than a costly a draw out campaign of war.
"The truth is...the game was rigged from the start" -Matthew Perry
Ring a ding ding, baby
Uh, wrong Matthew Perry. I think...
Where is that checkered suit wearing f***
Knock knock its the United states
Matthew Chandler The Benny-Bing Perry from Fallout: New Nippon.
I'm sure Japan going through massive change at every level from governmental to cultural won't cause any problems later on in the 20th century.
We call that foreshadowing, kids.
I know, right? What's the worst that could happen?
@Trashthlete, “racism”, sure buddy, definitely didn’t get power hungry, it’s not like Italy also got cheated, or how China lost land despite being in the Entente, definitely racism.
The real question who was worst maybe Japan seen the government like pretend to didn't happen not sure about the people wouldn't be surprised if the people pretend too but Japan is not the only one
Or MAYBE the national superiority complex and xenophobia were fueled by 200+ years of isolation and government demonizing everything foreign, and an attempt to turn them into a less jingoist society so people could peacefully trade was pushed back by reactionaries who played nationalism to the max.
Choshu and Statsuma hated this. "This sucks" They said. "THAT SUCKS!"
"that" comes first
A man of culture
*foreshadowing*
And with little outside help they overthrow the goverment
*Bill Wurtz intensifies*
A few interesting details:
The Americans grossly underestimated how much the Shogun knew about the outside world, which is demonstrated by the letters from Fillmore and Perry. In fact, the Shogun had a subscription to the London Illustrated News, so he knew all about both the U.S.A. and western technology. I used this history in my ethnic studies classes to illustrate "contact" between advanced and less advanced civilizations.
The Japanese initially tried to make Perry leave by putting up a big sign written in French, because apparently no one knew English.
The Shogunate held the negotiations in a special pavilion with a false floor, crowded with samurai ready to climb out and slice up the U.S. delegation at a single signal.
well I am fairly sure the US has gone to war for lesser reasons then a delegation getting sliced up.
Doubt swords would've worked if the delegation had firearms. As the fall of the Aztecs and Incas proved, you don't bring a blade to a gunfight.
Evidently, the Shogunate knew that too.
You're telling me that the Shogun had a subscription to London Illustrated News but he and no one around him knew English? Someone had to translate it because there certainly wasn't someone in London making a Japanese version of the paper.
@@mrreyes5004 The Shogunate was much more worried about the guns on the ships. In the 1860s, Britain and France devastated forts in Shimonoseki and Kagoshima with seapower. This confrontation was like those in sci fi books about encounters between humans and aliens from a more advanced civilization.
@@mrreyes5004 Depends. If you're sitting there chatting with diplomats and suddenly a mob of people wearing swords pop out of the literal woodwork and mob you, you're not going to shoot them all. I'm pretty sure Japan has more samurai than an American ship has diplomatic delegates by a fairly significant margin.
The cannons on the ship, on the other hand....and more specifically the prospect of an unknown number of ships with more cannons coming....that's a much bigger problem. Especially when you're Japan and tend to have mostly coastal settlement.
Shout out to Ahmed Ziad Turk. Dude, you have been a patron for forever... as a lowly poor viewer. thankyou.
yeah he shows up at the end of all 1000 extrA HISTORY VIDEOS
Maybe he's forgotten he's a patreon 😅
Fun fact: You can date an extra credits video by whether he was a patron
yeah I like them it's pretty cool they stuck with them thru their ups and downs through losing the best narrator and the videos where they get a bit too political
@@itsZach05 Their videos have always been political tho, this isnt new nor have they ever shied away from talking about politics. In fact id say some of their best old extra credits game design videos from 2011-2013 ish are their political ones. Their extra sci fi series was also very political, and rightfully so, as many of the works they discussed were very political in their nature, and leaving that out would be a disservice.
"Satsuma and Choshu hated this. 'This sucks!', they said. 'This sucks!'".
Hideyoshi wasn’t Shogun, he only gained the title of “Regent” due to a lack of any Minamoto blood. To be fair, Tokugawa Ieyasu didn’t have any either, but after Sekigahara nobody felt like arguing the point.
They'll probably say this in the lies episode as it's a bit semantic to waste video length on explaining the naming system.
Hideyoshi didn't "only" gain the title of "Regent". Kampaku outranked Shogun by a lot in terms of prestige
Yes, but it's also worth to mention that Ieyasu came from samurai family, Hideyoshi was just a farmer.
@@minhvuongtran5544 Anyone at that time would want a title of Kanpaku more than a Shogun because Shogun had a poor track record of being puppeteered by the regents for centuries. It was Tokugawa who brought the title of Shogun to a new height and made us perceive it as a position of absolute power thanks to the stability he brought to Japan.
hey boss how do you want to "celebrate" 4th of july?
*fire blanks at the nearby town and give them a massive scare*
Sounds like something we’d do.
If I had a canon I'd fire that sucker in my front yard for the fourth July, no prompting needed
@@haberak3310 umm, sorry but photo cameras aren't as loud as you think they might be....
‘MURICA!!!
Refuge in audacity
Despite what you might think, Matthew Perry is actually a beloved historical figure in Japan. There's multiple statues of the guy around the country and he and his black ships make frequent appearances in Japanese media, usually with a light-hearted tone. Obviously, the country wasn't too pleased when he rocked up and started pointing cannons at people, but it's thanks to him that the restrictive cast system was abolished and Japan became very wealthy thanks to trade with foreign countries.
This is true, I've been to Japan and can testify to this.
That’s really interesting
USA! USA! USA!
"The Commodore that opened Japan to the world"
Official narrative.
I've always been fascinated by the hypothetical of what if Japan hadn't closed itself off from the rest of the world during the Sengoku Jidai. They almost certainly had the capability of being an economic superpower if not militarily.
its not easy to tell, they could of ended up like everyone else in Asia or they could of fixed their failings in tech and strategy sooner. what ifs are not easy to figure out, after all its the pro emperor faction that won this and they were anti foreigner, despite ending up being the ones to westernize japan.
Look at Vietnam
japan is superpower bcz. of americans. USA needed japan to counter soviet union. and after collapse of USSR, look at japan. their economy is stagnant. japan may have potential, but they can't rise without the permission of their amrican masters.
@MrKILLINOOBZI don’t think so. An open Japan would’ve happened with oda Nobunaga, who was friendly to western ideas and Christianity (some speculate he was Christian but this is unlikely).
Missed the opportunity to call the series ‘Fall of the Samurai’
Is that a reference?
Shamfur dispray!!!!
@@dreliq981 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_War:_Shogun_2:_Fall_of_the_Samurai
@@dreliq981 Total War Shogun 2, Fall of the Samurai
Damn Living Cowards, our men are running sir.
"strangers have come to our shores, they bring with them weapons of smoke and fire that kill without honor... without skill, yet these foreigners and their weapons can give a man power and victory and victory whips away all dishonor"
That's 300 years late. They had cannons and guns since the 1500s.
Honor means nothing to the dead.
There is no honor in an imbalanced war. Also if your enemies don't play by your rules, there's no reason to follow yours either.
May I know where does this quote comes from or whom it belongs to? Thanks
@@angela_merkeI it's a quote from Shogun 2 at the time it was the sengoku(1500s) period guns were new
As a fictional character once said “I have been looking forward to this”
Im pretty sure someone has actually said that. Like a real person. 🤔
My powers have doubled since we last met
"I've been waiting for this!" Akihiko Sanada from persona 3!
-Some fictional character
@@ilkkarautio2449 /Whoosh
Knock knock, it’s the United States
With huge boats, with guns... gunboats
...through oppressing a foreign nation.
If the japanese had the technology they would have invaded china and korea again.
And they did.
Open the country, stop havingitbeclosed
*fires cannons* Are you winning son?
Last time I was this early, Tokyo was still called Edo.
Last time I was this early, the capital was still Nara.
@@nanba009Last Time I was this late, Emperor Jimmu was still on the throne
Sabaton fans, they are coming.
Into the comment section the Sabaton fans march!
Nah, we’re waiting till the Battle of Shiroyama
@@eazy8579 Indeed.
@@eazy8579
It's the nature of time that the old ways must give in
It's the nature of time that the new ways comes in sin
When the new meets the old it always ends the ancient way
And as history told the old always goes out in a blaze
Incercled by a vulture
The end of ancient culture.
The Dawn of destiny is here.
you probably get the Rurouni Kenshin fans before the Sabaton fans make their presence known
This is a very wild and strange period of Japanese history, and one where local sources are often very suspect in terms of thoroughness of information. Looking forward to this series!
“Why is there still a warrior class if we’re not supposed to have wars anymore?”
-Blue, Overly Sarcastic Productions
Britain: They grow up so fast
Best comment here!
Hi Napoleon, didn’t think you’d make a comment about Britain and the U.S.
The USA and Canada are the Britain of the Americas
@One beat brony The USA was the first British colony while England the first French colony.
@@clementl.9566 we were not a French colony
What the hell is this? No mention of the epic baseball match between the ship crew, locals, a ronin, some swordsman, and a young woman?
Jk, nice video
I see you are a man of culture.
Hoping to see some Samurai X references but I found Champloo instead. I am okay with this.
What in the H-E--Double-Left-Turn is this nonsense?
You, I like you!
Feudal Japanese rap music was lit.
I’m definitely going to enjoy this series as in my history class we just finished covering the Meiji restoration, our teacher had a lecturer from UNC Chapel Hill come talk about this unique story of modernization.
I’d argue the thesis point of it being a violent change in power though. At least as far as the key way the changing of hands in power went. I would even argue that for the most part it was a clean exchange with relatively few deaths and uprisings. Which I’m sure you guys know, being that it’s called a restoration and not a revolution for it’s largely bloodless and fast modernization story. At least until that trip for tech abroad led to them become imperial :o sorry that’s a spoiler.
Thanks for all the hours of entertainment Matt and crew. You guys save some people from some bad times.
And on the off chance one of the crew is reading this, I have donated and plan to more when I have a real income!
To anyone else who thinks donating is dumb for free content. These guys have probably given you hours of entertainment, for me probably over a hundred, however long all of their videos are. Give them the metrics they deserve with a like and throw them a donation.
These guys are keeping an interest in history alive in people of all ages, while trying to keep a global lens and not push any biases or specific cultural lenses onto the history examined. That is rare, and important work. Throw them some cash if you have a few dollars to spare and aren’t worried about bills.
i would donate if i weren't poor
"Open the country. Stop havingitbeclosed."
How bout I do...anyway?!
Boats, with guns... gunboats
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Nice shatner impression.
japan want MORE from china post wwI
"Gangs of Kyoto"...sounds like the Shinsengumi will have a field day next chapter.
"OPEN YOUR COUNTRY, STOP HAVING IT BE CLOSED!"
69 likes Nice
That was a good video, yes.
Extra Credits: **Mentions their series on the Sengoku Jidai**
EC:"... Hideyoshi's desastrous invasion of Korea..."
EC: **Doesn't mention they also sorta covered the Imjin War**
Yi Sun Shin: *WEAK*
And we are still waiting for the promised series on Shingen Takeda.
@Dhruv Gupta Same thing.
They deadass sent them their own surrender flag, they were that confident they'd win
Boshin War and Meji Restoration time let's goooo!!!
*KNOCK KNOCK, ITS THE UNITED STATES.*
*WITH HUGE BOATS, WITH GUNS, GUN BOATS*
Open the county. Stop having it be closed
December 7, 1942 at Pearl Habour
???: Knock Knock
USA: Who's there?
Japan: It's me, Japan whom you teach to be industrialized and militarized. Come now and accept the hundreds of these bombers. TORA!!! TORA!!! TORA!!!
@@runniirunny2903 later:
USA: _sigh_ guess it's time to use the bigger boom maker
@@ccaffie1231 wow, that’s disrespectful... are you one of those Americans that would cry if someone made a 9/11 joke?
Open the country.
Stop having it closed.
The Shinsengumi are coming up next! I'm so excited! Especially for my man Hijikata Toshizo. :)
I hope that the Republic of Ezo will be covered in this series.
BTW I assume that the "live comedy" mentioned at 4:39 is (or includes) rakugo. This interesting form of art/entertainment technically is not always comedic. It's a bit shame that it's apparently not an instantly recognizable term, like kabuki.
To be fair, before watching a certain anime, I had never heard the term rakugo.
@@Slash-XVI I know him the most from another anime where he's way past his prime.
SHINSENGUMI!!!
And Okita. Sadist ass or Daishouri??
Mayonnaise guy?
Thanks guys, I've been waiting for a series on the Bakumatsu. It is a complex and endlessly fascinating slice of history. Big props for tackling it and trying to form a narrative out of it. That is writing in HARD MODE.
4:58 The Chosokabe clan was removed from power during the Sengoku Jidai, when they sided the Toyotomi Faction in the Seige of Osaka. Yamauchi Clan took over Tosa after that, which is a branch clan of the Tokugawa. The discontent with Tosa was far more complex than the enemy of the Tokugawa Bakufu, since there is a strict social class within the samurai class of Tosa, the Joshi and Kashi. The Joshi, which were related to the Yamauchi (not locally from Tosa) as the higher class, and they are allowed to higher and actual military and bureaucratic power; they are genneraly more pro-shogunate in the beginning, but changed overtime when the wind blew against the favour of the shougnate. The Kashi, however are the original locals of Tosa, which doesn't hold much power in Tosa, but just merely the name. The Kashi was generally more discontent over the bakufu, and supported the idea to overthrow the bakufu. These later ideas formed the Tosa Kinnoto, where Sonno Joi "Revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians" gave the bedrock of overturning the power in Edo. Many of the famous Tosans that were Kashi was Sakamoto Ryoma, which is one of the most important person during the Meiji Restoration. Just a little detail for Extra Credit to focus on the complex society and discontent of the south.
Matthew Perry when meeting the Japanese: Could your country _BE_ any more closed!?
Japan to Perry: What business is it of yours, Gaijin!?
I mean, since they still traded with the Dutch... yes?
@@oceanberserker US business, obviously. (don't forget how the US army has been used as a strong arm for corporations for a long time, like the banana wars, wars which most Americans probably don't even know about)
@@speedy01247 Trust me, I'm American and I'm very much aware. I was just going along with the joke.
Don't worry, most of these commenters weren't born, yet.
Japan, 1945: “Anybody remember where we put that flag Perry gave us?”
Japanese guy in Nagasaki: "Uuuh yea it disintegrated in Hiroshima, better prepare a new one"
"HERE COMES THE SUN, DODODODODODO!!!!"
Not really, seeing as they didn't want to surrender even after the second bomb and would've stubbornly waited for more if not for the Emperor's intervention... I suggest you watch the Shaun video on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for a very well-researched explanation of the Japanese surrender.
@@Vict0r1984 i mean, yeah they where stupid enough to want to keep fighting even when that would probably spell total doom for Japan, we are talking that the americans mobilized the entirety of their pacífic forces into Japan and the soviets where preparing their own invasión force too, the united states was also building another six nuclear bombs just in case, if they invaded mainland Japan chances are Japan wouldnt exist currently, or they would be a shadow of their current selves
Pre 1945 Japan (and to an extent modern Japan too) was honor before reason
@@carso1500 Tojo: We will fight to the last!
Hirohito: *looking at the Soviets and Americans preparing* Yeah, I see where this is going. Get the surrender speech ready.
2:50 Do note that there was something called Rangaku (literally Dutch learning), where the Japanese translated Western books, including scientifical texts, already laying a foundation for the scientfic aspects of the industrial revolution in Japan.
Is that true that they learned about electricity during this period?
@@ankokunokayoubi Yes
The Shinsengumi and the Boshin War would be inevitably mentioned in this series but I think those 2 subjects deserve video series of their own.
-"You shall not pass"
.Perry: Hold my beer.
"After the Sengoku Jidai, peace reigned for 200 years. In Kyoto, the Emperor continued as divine head of state. But real power was held by the Tokugawa Shogunate. For two centuries, they ruled with absolute authority. Japan prospered. The people were content.
In 1853, American warships changed everything. The Shogun abandoned his people, and signed the treaty of peace and amity. The gates to Japan were opened.
Trade was established, but the agreements favoured the western powers. The economy faltered and the people suffered.
In 1863, the Emperor overruled the Shogun. An Imperial decree orders the expulsion of all western powers. No longer would Japan be westernized.
The western powers gave their answer. The treacherous westerners brought death to our people. The Shogun no longer commanded respect or authority. Imperial rule had to be restored."
Total War Shogun 2, Fall of the Samurai introduction.
My ancestors were from Japan...
finally some one who played total war
Yeah although the decision to expel the westerners was even then a terribly stupid idea, it was driven by rhetoric rather then practicality.
They where overwhelmingly, hilariously, out gunned.
All I could think about seeing them put up which regions were against the tokugawa.
@@generalamsel437 Are you referring to the Choshu Incident?
Sonno joi samurai raiding a naval entrenchment and firing on western merchant ships in 1863?
Also, weren't you killed by a sniper in Stalingrad?
Yeah I've never understood why America didn't just invaded and steamrolled japan but whatever
As a Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X) fan, I was really expecting this one :3
Woah - what a coincidence. I'm currently working on a story for Wattpad inspired by Japan and the Samurai Warring states.
Your videos really helped me so much!!! ❤
What is the name of your story on wattpad?
I like to precise here that fireweapons were common in Japan even during the isolation periode: the potugese had sold Musquets to the Japanese before the Sakoku periode, and they were used during the Sengoku-jidai.
The Samurai during the Edo period began to increasingly view firearms as beneath them, as they became increasingly nostalgic for the wars of their ancestors.
@@Thoralmir id i remember correctly they stop using them cus they simply run out of bullets
To be specific, guns became incredibly popular right before the isolation. In a proto Meiji restoration, Japan took to Portuguese guns like a duck to water, and quickly amassed hundreds of thousands in a matter of years. *However, once Japan became isolated, guns became incredibly restricted,* as the shoguns took away any potential threat to their rule(like hundreds of thousands of matchlocks).
This is actually part of why the katana is so revered. In the Edo era, the Katana & wakizashi combo was one of the few exceptions(for samurai) to the tight weapon control. It was the ceremonial side arm of the samurai class, that showed their class. A katana is a poor main weapon against armored opponents in a battlefield, but is a great weapon for cutting down shirtless bandits, or for honor duels.
No, the Japanese were making their own muskets by time the Tokugawa took over. The Shogunate de-emphasized firearms because they made it much easier for Daimyo to start a rebellion (you can make a peasant into a serviceable musketeer in a couple months, Swords and bows take YEARS). The Samurai were kept in line with their koku salary, which was a "fixed income" and one reason the merchants were doing so well (THEY could deal with inflation). Something was due to happen (the Opium wars were writing on the wall). Perry and company showing up, just helped get things kicked off (FIRST we need to establish who's in charge, THEN we can work on these dang treaties). Japan was able to get all that settled in under 25 years (part of why China had it so bad, was that the government was weak, but not weak enough to get replaced (the Taiping rebellion overlapped this era). Whereas Korea tried to stick to isolation and ended up getting "opened" by Japan, after they got this succession crisis worked out.
@@trla6505 We're not talking modern cartridges here. They'd be loaded with simple ball shots that anyone could manufacture.
Multiple earthquakes? A tsunami? 3 opposing clans? A whole class against the government? An economy in free fall?
Jesus christ this is worse than the 3rd century crises of rome.
Worse than 2020 too
536 is *the* academically recognised worst year in history
@Kroi Albanoi
In the Asian continent as a whole, either go great or go gone. Forget going home, you're gone.
I have been waiting patiently for this since you guys covered the Sengoku Jidai all those years ago and now my patience is finally rewarded
Ah this is great! I've been wanting to learn more about this but It's always a foot note in American and Japanese history. It's such an important date in history, its sad to see it get relegated to an "honorable mention" in the history books.
Finally you took my suggestion. I can’t wait to see you guys video series on the Boshin War and the Satsuma rebellion.
Imagine having centuries of tradition as proud warriors and frigging Chandler from Friends shows up and is all like "Could I BE any more of an imperialist?" and screws it all up.
Better than having Joey under his short lived name Joe Stalin.
YES!! More Japan content, exactly what I've been waiting for. Just made my day go from bleak to bright, thanks a ton!
Now I know what Kenshin was banging on about every time he talked about the violence in Kyoto
Kenshin fought during the Meiji revolution that overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate and returned Emperor Meiji to power (he was a puppet ruler beforehand).
@@tonyfriendly4409 It's funny because I know all of the names, but I never bothered to look up the actual history. I'm probably going to fall down a UA-cam/Wikipedia rabbit hole over this
Yes yes yes, bloody brilliant. I'm studying Japan and this is a marvellous period to make a series on. Can't wait for the rest.
The worst part about your channel is having to wait a week in-between new episode lol
Patience, my young Padawan, patience
Hunter severson, you gotta understand the amount of time it takes to draw the animations and the amount of research put together.
@Egg T I do
Do you even have patience?
The timing of those earthquakes is so surreal, I love the story telling aspect to that, coming out of a long "peaceful" time and into a more "interesting" time. The very foundation of two centuries of peace shaking to the core at the bloodshed that would last almost as long. To think that this could be seen as the start to a period so violent that it would only be ended by the most terrifying weapon ever to have been made by man. Good stuff.
Oh, man. Most of this history I learned reading rurouni kenshin (or samurai x). The editor here in my country used to include the real historical background of characters and of the people these character were based on. Pretty cool... I think I will re-read the Manga again 😁
Ah... the true history that inspired Samurai X / Rurouni Kenshin! This video brings joy to my anime- and history-loving heart
loved learning about some of the background stuff in Ronin Kenshin back in the day
Finally covering the end of the Shogunate and the Meiji restoration, super cool! Clavell was my first introduction to East Asian history and I've really enjoyed researching it ever since. The Sengoku Jidai series was great, can't wait for the rest of this one.
Respect to the Shimazu. Their charge on the fields of Sekigahara shall not be forgotten.
THIS IS SUPER INTERESTING. Back to the good ol’ extra history!
1:45 Not a Shogun. He was Chancellor. 2:23 Most foreign books were indeed banned yet those of Duch were tolerated and even adapted in official education.
3:44 I just instantly pictured a guy in full samurai armor sitting in a cubicle filing paperwork
Matthew Perry's done a lot in his life. He was key in opening up Japanto the western world, played Chandler on friends
Wrong Matthew Perry
Benny in FNV
I am soooooo here for this. The senguko jidwi was one of the best EH serieses, and the years before the meiji restoration are even more fascinating. And it looks sooo beautiful!!!!
Ensign Joey Tribbiani: "Hey I know! Lets celebrate the 4th of July!"
Mathew Perry: "Could that BE more obvious?"
Lol i get the reference
The best thing that ever happened to Japan was the end of Samurai.
An useless warrior caste for modernization was a great deal.
I agree, but simultaneously that doesn't mean there couldn't have been a better way for the samurai to go.
@@speedy01247
No! There isn’t. Rurouni Kenshin made a lot of brutal points of the end of Jidal Genki Era.
@@speedy01247 They were the Professional Murderer Class. Never forget that. Plus, they could kill any peasant for any perceived insult without repercussion.
Not to mention that they enforced a caste system which prevented entryism and social mobility.
@@Thoralmir n thatz why they wer madt righ?
Yeah, the end of feudal rule is a good thing, but achieving it with a bit less blood would have been even better...
One of the best books I’ve read this year (A World of Empires) was about a Russian expedition that arrived a few months after Perry’s fleet seeking to take advantage of the opening of Japan. It’s so interesting to see the clashing cultures and imperial ambitions behind the powers that came knocking on Japan’s doors.
Awesome, EH is finally talking about one of my favourite periods in history!!
And here I was hoping for an episode about the God-Emperors Most Holy Inquisition and the the scourge upon humanity that is the unsanctioned Psyker
I would seriously love to see videos like this themed around WH 40k lore.
The emperor protects
Doesn't that take place like... 37k years in the future? This is a history channel.
@@ccggenius That just makes it history that hasn't happened yet
WiTnEsS YoUr DoOoOoMaH!
My heart leapt with joy when seeing this. I studied this for a project and this is one of my favourite periods in history.
Ohhhhhhh...... Here comes the meiji restoration :)
Batosai the manslayer you know what I mean
I am sooooo happy to see more samurai episodes
Fun fact: the samurai were acctually mostly just horse archers.
And they weren't as "honorable" as the samurai in movies/media, they killed without hesitation.
Yeah, I find it funny when people-weeaboo, anime OCs, the Last Samurai, and making rpg character based on pseudo samurai-basing it on Akita Kurosawa movies.
Consider that entire movies are deconstruction of Samurai and nuanced critique of honor (I mean we did see peasants fearing Samurais, the protagonists being out of work, and their successes being the result of bending their code to save people).
You mean... like knights? Duh..
Whoa really? Can I see the source so I can read more about it?
and the ninja were actually loyal.
Where did I learn that? Oh right 1:30
@@Scarletraven87 lol same
Ah yess total war shogun finally getting episodes for fall of the samurai
gawd! a whole unit is dead sir!
If the next episode is going to take place in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu, I expect at least one "Rurouni Kenshin" reference.
At last, the Bakumatsu period! Personally, this is the most fascinating time in Japanese history. Thank you.
Nice, I was just playing Shogun 2 and starting up a campaign as my favorite clan, the Takeda! Maybe I'll start a Jozai campaign in Fall of the Samurai next...
OMG OH MY GOOOOD THIS IS PERFECT! thank you extra history!!!
Gunboat Diplomacy: History's first Black Friday sale
The musical "Pacific Overtures" covers this topic beautifully. Great show!
The Satsuma were originally pro-Shogun, they weren't open supporters of Sonno Joi until 1866 where they entered an alliance with the Choshu. Before then, their daimyo, Shimazu Tadayoshi's offical stance was that they were loyal to the Shogun.
The military leaders, however, (such as Saigo Takamori, and Sakamoto Ryoma) were vheminent supporters of the sonno joi.
YESSS I WAS WAITING SOO LONG FOR THE BOSHIN WAR
This dude's narration is great. But i miss the old dude narration. The guy with pretty strong nasal voice.
yeah me to
Same
Big peepee
For "old dude narration" check New Frame Plus about game animations ^^
what Happened to him tho?
can not tell how much i enjoy your videos
This whole episode just sounds like another 2020 news outlet
Hell yeah. I was hoping you'll cover this topic.
I hope after "End of Samurai", Extra Credits make series about Napoleon Bonaparte...
me too
YES
I recommend that you all to watch the UA-camr epic history. That channel talks about Napoleon rise and fall to power. They even go into detail of all the events taking place and the battles Napoleon fought in
EC said they are going to cover Saladin next
Imagine a negotiation between the US and Japan at that time
“So you are the emperor?”
“Oh, no, no I’m the man acting as regent to the 12 year old shogun, who is acting as ruler of Japan on behalf of the emperor”
19th Century USA : "I heard, you Samurai have oil and in need of Democracy"
21st Century USA : "I heard, you middle easterner have oil and in need of Democracy"
20th Century USA: "I heard, you Hispanics have oil, bananas, & sugar; and in need of a democracy"
@@shinsenshogun900 Banana wars: owO helo there
@@EgoEroTergum Dont think most dictatorships were anything like the serfs, more similar to Stalin's Soviet Union. In short, not so ideal either ways.
And then the US came, and left the place in a bloody shambles. Horray to being stuck as bad and/or worse situation like before.
It wasn't oil they were after. Oil didn't become really prominent to fight over until WWI and WWII. Whales was the big fish(pun not intended) there were after when they came to Japan. That silk and general access to Asia,
@@breloompauncher5593
Now what will happen since oil is a yesterday's news in 21st century economy.
I glanced at the title and I saw Samurai” and “Black” in there, thinking for a second it’s about Yasuke.. I was kinda disappointed to realize that wasn’t the case, but I’m still interested to learn more about the last days of the samurai.
I heard there is gonna be an Anime about him in 2021 or something. (just checked the WIki, it looks like its true)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasuke#Representation_in_other_media
*Patiently prepares to post the Lyrics of Sabaton's Song 'Shiroyama' on the last Video of this Series*
then the winged hussars arrived
@@MercenaryPen coming down the mountainside
Then bismark was in motion..
@@vmae21 facing 500 samurai!
HIGHER! KING OF THE SKIES
I've always wanted a series about the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, since we saw the beginning. Nice mindread!
**Battousai the Manslayer has entered the chat**
Knock knock extra history, you have awoken the sabaton fans.
4:57 Slight correction: Chosokabe stopped being a ruling clan of the Tosa domain after Sekigahara (1600) and Osaka (1615) when they supported the losing Toyotomi side. The ruling clan of this era was Yamauchi.
I am so glad that this series is finally happening!!!!!
Do I even have to start singing the song
It's the nature of time that the old ways must give in
So no one told you life was gonna be this way..
*clapping noises*
@@SidheKnight you, sir, deserve a medal.
Was hoping for ages that you'd do a series about bakumatsu. Thank you so much!
Alright everyone with me
*It's the nature of time that the old ways must give in*
It's the nature of time that the new ways comes in sin
When the new meets the old
It always end the ancient ways
And as history told, the old ways go out in a blaze
Encircled by a vulture
The end of ancient culture
Hell yes! I flippen LOVE the Meiji restoration period.
ik this isnt related to japan , but could u please do a series on the illyrian revolt . or maybe the illyrian wars
Oh I'd love to hear more about Romes enemies. I hope they do one about Gaul and Germanica.
AHHHHH this couldn’t come at a better time I just played Japan in vic2 and was so confused about all the events and now I have u guys to explain the Japanese history at that time
IIRC, there were some people in Japan who specialized in "Western Studies" even before Sakoku was ended. Frex, Fukuzawa Yukichi and his teachers and colleagues
Way before Perry came, They even built an electric device that gives people an electric shock (for good laughs, because they couldn’t think of other practical purposes.)
But those were mostly learning from he Dutch.
FINALLY!! Someone other then 3 minute History is doing the Boshen War!!! This is going to be GOOD!!!!!