> From: Michael Lorimer <mijalo_jp@...>
>
>I tend to agree, Nobunaga was neither the unifier, or the first 'dictator', he wasn't even shogun. In terms of the question itself, surely a leader (anywhere) could be both dictator and unifier, they are not mutually exclusive terms.
>Sprouting from the term 'unifier' though I have a question? When was Japan unified?
>
I agree that's a tough question, it wouldn't be irrational to claim that
Japan wasn't a nation until Meiji forced it to become one. It had no
national army or many of the other characteristics of the nations of
Europe or later on of the Americas You could look at the Edo jidai as
one long occupation by an invading force for half of the country.
> From: "Edward Alexander" <edy@...>
>
>He tried to conquerKorea but he was forced out because the Koreanswere helped by the Chinese
>
>
I think the Korean navy might disagree with that. The Japanese did great
on land, but failed horribly at sea against Korean naval forces. I
suspect the Korean peasants and commoners didn't welcome them either.
> From: "Anthony J. Bryant" <ajbryant@...>
>
>
>And, sadly, Musashi is probably the one.
>
>
Why sadly? He was definitely an interesting character and he left some
good paintings behind! I have to ask my freshly arrived who the most
famous American historic character in Japan, I think the answer will be
a bit scary. Of course some of my favorite Americans are among the
founding fathers, the wierdest group ever assembled I think in part
because America was the first place in the West that ordinary people
could rise to the top without any form of nobility baggage. So all the
nuts and flakes came and then continued west ;)
> From: Nate Ledbetter <ltdomer98@...>
>
>
>>If the question is "best known", then I would go
>>with Musashi, at
>>least in the USA. No one knows who Uesugi Kenshin
>>is here...
>>
>>
>
>And more is the pity...
>
>If he had written a best selling business tactics
>book, we'd know him, wouldn't we?
>
>
I'm grateful that it's published as that in English since it means cheap
copies everywhere, but I always laugh at the though of it as a business
manual. Prabably better than anything coming out of Harvard though.
>From: "Anthony J. Bryant" <ajbryant@...>
>
>
>Basically that there are many, many samurai who should be famous for their
>achievements, but all the samuraifanboys are in love with Musashi because he
>wrote a book.
>
>
What's more important, it was translated into English! You can't say is
unpopular in Japan, so he appeals to a wide range of people. Besides do
fanboys read ^_^ Though in some ways he's more like Billy the Kid or
some Hollywood cowboy hero in some ways.
> From: Eponymous13@...
>
>Hey.
> At the risk of being branded heretical, I personally wouldn't have
>even thought of Musashi. To me "Musashi" is the first set of sounds of a name of
>a sumo heya (Musashigawa) and part of the shikona of the last yokozuna to
>retire (Musashimaru), and that was the only thing I associated it with.
>
>
How about Takezo?
> From: "Anthony J. Bryant" <ajbryant@...>
>
>Nate Ledbetter wrote:
>
>
>>Oh come on, he's so cool! I used his business strategy
>>to build my dot.com!
>>
>>And here I am, in the Army now....lol
>>
>>
>
>I rest my case.
>
>
Probably why the dumb Westerners were told that :)
Jim Eckman