American Perspective on 'First Contact' With Japan (1853) // Perry's Expedition // Primary Source
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This is the American perspective as it was partially related by Commodore Perry of the initial days of his 'opening' of Japan in 1853.
Extract taken from Robert Tomes, The Americans in Japan: An Abridgement of the Government Narrative of the U.S. Expedition (New York: D. Appleton & Co, 1857)
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Pratyeka
"Open the country, stop having it be closed."
You beat me too it
The quarantine is over
Speech: 100
I came for this comment. Was not dissappointed.
Yeah cause I'm totally going to take medical advice from a man in the 1800's
"You may not see it now but this is the start of a beautiful friendship" - Commodore Perry
*one world war, two nukings, and one occupation later*
"Yup, beautiful friendship."
Like Goku and Vegeta
@@nowhereman6019 I'm not going to argue about whether or not it was worth it or "a good thing", but few countries have ever benifited so much from losing a war as the Japanese did in WWII. The US was determined not to have a repeat of the treaty of Versailles, and gave remarkably generous rebuilding aid to both West Germany and Japan.
@@jesseberg3271 yea same with Germany Britain and France just wanted Germany to not exist anymore.
Let's not forget Japan started that war, they were very much the agreessors, invading China and attacking basically all the nearby nations. (For years prior to ww2, they started the war first)
"So he boldly steamed where steamer had never ventured before". Sounds like Star Trek took this line.
The aliens showed up in advanced vessels, and they were...American. Yes, weird does not begin to cover it.
I always find it funny and flattering when Brits put on American accents. I'm so used to Americans acting fake British that it's a welcome and entertaining change of pace.
That line in Star Trek was inspired by something Captain Cook said:
"I had ambition not only to go farther than any one had been before, but as far as it was possible for man to go"
But yeah, the Commodore's line is more similar to the Star Trek line, and funnier too
And the Commodore is also the name of an ancient Computer.
@@thegreatestpepe Brits do a good job with American accents but doesn't work vice versa.
American negotiations to Japan in 1853:
“It opens up the country or else it gets the steamboat again!”
Hahahahahaha! YES!!!🤣 "It does as it is told!"😂
“It puts the treaty in the basket.”
@@tomvolz3760 holy shit you made me spit out my drink
Underrated comment.
Japanese in 1853 is like North Korean.
It's insane how quickly Japan developed after this. They beat Russia in the 1904 war a mere 51 years later, and the attack on Pearl Harbour was still within a century. Their naval technology caught up with the superpowers of the world in just a few decades.
Yeah, from being a backwards medieval country to being a world power. All the while maintaining control of their country. The exception to what typically played out in Colonialism.
Had no idea about honour until they met the Dutch!
@@Mirokuofnite but Japan was never subjected to colonialism
@B Whit The Japanese still beat the Russian fleet at Tsushima, which would have been unthinkable a half a century earlier.
Yeah and after getting the masculinity bombed from them they're now the center of robotics and the Mecca of cartoons for anti-social shut-ins everywhere
I got an ominous feeling when he said "Nagasaki is the only place a message can be received."
@Timothy Dexter you missed the point.
@@MrRinoHunter I dont think he did, he understood the point and added more facts to it
We sent the message properly the second time.
1945 copy that
hi, since you may not be aware of it, we're happy to announce you that WW2 is over.
with love, the USA
One of my ancestors was Ship's Surgeon on Commodore Perry's expedition. He was also the personal doctor of President James K. Polk.
Thank you for this.
Cool family history !
Nice.
How ironic I'm related to James K Polk.
@@mockcosine4479 You have no right to be in American lands
@@wildearth3992 ?
This channel is a must watch for History Lovers
I did not think to find you here
Yes, Go-Ku man. Shaggy man also said this.
@@TheSaul70 the absolute last place I thought I would find him wtf
black scape? why are you here
Except he can't bother to pronounce "bow" correctly?
Lazy. Or is it stupidity?
I remember learning in a history class I took in Japan that american ships on their way to china needed to stop for supplies and repairs on their way, so they tried to stop at Japan. The Japanese just fired upon them at a couple of points along their coastline and damaged the ships further. Japan was very into isolationism and its people were ordered to fire on foreign ships i think.
This was considered incredibly rude and aggressive since when international trade ships needed assistance it was customary for them to stop at civilized countries ports and resupply. This led to Perry's expedition and forcing Japan to allow ships in the pacific to stop at their ports. Its why Perry acted like such a dick and wouldnt take no for an answer.
The guy who was teaching it had studied this stuff for decades and had info not found in conventional history books. That being said, its been years since I took his class so correct me if I'm wrong.
That is indeed very plausible
El Cid Gaming its confirmed fact. Japan even refused to take back shipwrecked Japanese sailors that had been rescued by foreign ships. Even after meeting with the captain and knowing why he was there.
Perry interviewed several people who had failed to open negotaitions with Japan before and concluded that being as blunt as possible and refusing to take no for an answer where the only way to cut through the bullshit.
Whether he was right or not we don’t know.
@@mrfunnyperson100 All true! I didnt know perry had interviewed those people, very interesting. Thank you for the info.
I think he made the right call personally.
@@gbeepee9995 We don't really know. The Japanese government realized since the Opium Wars a few years ago that the Sankoku policy as-it-is wasn't long for the world, which is part of the reason they caved to Perry so easily.
A large part of the Japanese governments reaction was more like "Finally. Now maybe the Conservatives will get a clue..." Many of said conservatives, of course, had a very different idea.
Your comment helped me a lot . Thanks, and greetings from Germany.
I love how this mainly boiled down to
"Perry! We'd love you to have your request, but you need to do x"
"...But I came here so x didn't need to happen."
"I'm sorry bu-"
"shhhh.... or I will send in the steamboat"
Man this is so funny put like this!
Fun fact . When the Japanese surrendered aboard the USS Missouri at the end of WW2. On a bulkhead they displayed the same Flag which was flown on Commodore Perry’s Flagship when he steamed in to Tokyo Bay.
That is correct.
The lucky flag.
Supposedly my middle school has a flag flow on one of the ships from pearl harbor. Big ol thing displayed in the gym.
Looks really dusty, dark and yellow.
@@StrickerRei-ChnYes and Gen. MacArthur and Jonathan Wainwright were on board for the ceremony, Wainwright was the commander of the Philippines garrison and was the commander at Bataan when the surrender of US forces took place April 1942
“上喜撰(蒸気船) たつた四はいて 夜るもねられす”
“Only four cups of Jokisen brought sleepless nights.”
A famous satirical poem was made at that time. Jokisen is a name of expensive tea but same pronunciation as steam boat.
“Jeez, I’m seriously tired of waiting. Are you going to open up the country or what?”
“You Americans are so pushy. We have our reasons you know.”
“Yeah, like, whatever.”
your language is hegemonic. The japanese had every right to tell the american merchands to fuck off. Opening the country ?! A SOVEREIGN NATION can live in isolation if they choose to. This was violation of a nation. You are misdirecting the issue to be about "being pushy" that's a huge euphemism, violating a country's sovereignity is FAR more than being pushy, it's an act of war. This was not as easy as sending maranos christos conquistadors to slay all the native form of government and hope not to be caught by the inquisition.
@@goognamgoognw6637 and what effective war could they fight at that time
@@goognamgoognw6637 I believe he was just joking around...
@@goognamgoognw6637 He was sarcastic...
@@goognamgoognw6637 when you say "Japanese" do you mean the Japanese feudal elites? Because Americans had every right to trade with Japanese people despite what their feudal lords wanted. Are you against free trade?
Can you do a video on the British reaction to the American Civil War
Ideally by another highly patronising Scotsman
didn't many europeans support the Confederacy because they depended on them (and their use of slave labor) for cotton? should be interesting
@@kirbysauce Yes, Britain leaned in favour of the Confederacy, but the ship carrying the Confederate envoy to the UK was sunk, if I recall.
One thing I do remember reading of was that British attachés noted that Americans did not do bayonet charges, as their leaders believed that their men would be too fearful. This lead to higher casualties, as both sides just stood and blasted each other instead of just charging in, and either getting destroyed before reaching the opponent, or breaking the opponent's morale.
@@Jupiter__001_ It was kind of mixed - generally speaking, the wealthy supported the Confederacy because they didn't wan't to lose their supply of cotton. The poor on the other hand supported the Union because they didn't want to lose their supply of food.
@@Jupiter__001_ They weren't that big on bayonet charges because the rifles they used had about triple the effective range of those used in the Napoleonic era (which is how many in Europe still assumed wars were fought).
“Free trade or we shoot”
Sounds about right.
Recently they got very pissy when Mexico imposed a tax on sugar too since it affected US high-fructose corn syrup.
merica - our way or the highway
@@cwg9238 and all three are only getting higher...
You mean Freemason trade
@@cwg9238 What does that mean?
10:24 - The governor looks like one of those guys who, if he were an anime character, would either be a veteran warrior who gets cut down when the bad guy finally enacts his plan, or who would himself be a major villain character.
There’s a serious toned 1976 musical called “Pacific Overtures,” that revolves around Perry’s expedition to Japan if anyone is interested. It’s told from the hypothetical perspective of the Japanese and in the Kabuki style of theatre. The music and lyrics were composed from Broadway’s most legendary figure, *Stephen Sondheim* , and directed by equally as esteemed *Hal Prince*
Cool
The original Broadway production featured pretty much every well-known Asian-American actor of the time except George Takei (seriously, you name them, they were probably in it). Interestingly, the cast also featured legendary Marvel Comics writer and editor Larry Hama.
You can find it on CZcams!
Commodore Perry then later went on to discover Anime
Naw, Scrooge McDuck is who we can thank for anime.
One of my first semester history books in college had the Japanese woodblock rendering of the arrival of Commador Perry and the Americans in Tokyo Bay as its front cover. It is one the few college books that I kept instead of selling, and I still have it to this day.
How the hell do you do such a good yankee accent?
This is my favorite comment and I'm not going to read any of the other ones that are inevitably going to come 😅
As a yank, you did a good impression
Yeah it's good , similar to a New Hampshire accent.
Good new England accent
It was what I call 'BBC American'. I don't mean that as an insult because I think he did a good job, but it didn't sound particularly natural.
The commander, Matthew Perry is the guy who said the famous words "open up your country, stop having it be closed!"
To think if Perry wasn't so based Anime wouldn't exist.
@Wyatt Earp lol
I thank Perry for DBZ every day.
Perry indirectly brought about the creation of the soda Ramune when he brought bottles of bottled Lemonade to Japan. Ramune is a Japanese bastardization of the English word Lemonade.
@@inisipisTV Shidare Hotaru, is that you?
it is based or supremely confentent in his men and ships, there is a difference you know.
You can never have too much Japan.
You might want to ask the Chinese about that.
*china and korea sweats nervously*
Tell that to the Koreans, Phillipeans, and Manchurians lol
Tell that to most of east asia
@@patrickmcglonejr8163 Yeah Manchurians were exterminated by CCP.
"You must deliver all messeges to the Japanese Government through the city of Nagasaki. I mean, you could try dropping it off in Hiroshima, but they'll probably make you continue on to Nagasaki, anyway." -some Japanese official
I see what you did there
Ooh, that is dark.
This channel is like a time machine. Wonderful.
Amazingly good narration bringing history to life.
*[Insert History of Japan by Bill Wurtz comment here]*
We've got another channel called 'The Entire History of The Earth'. I've heard 'em all!
@@VoicesofthePast what a coincidence Bill Wurtz has that too lol
OPEN THE COUNTRY
STOP HAVING IT BE CLOSED
Man, I really appreciate that for every story of the past you read, you try to put a little bit of an accent, depending on where the writer is from. It really raises the quality of the stories you read. Keep it up!
Ive seen your vids recommended s few times, but they never seemed interesting to me despite history being a passion and fascination of mine. Who knows why, because I was so so so wrong. This is amazing! Genuinely the delivery, content, and real 1st hand accounts blow my mind. Theres just something so special I feel. Thank you! :)
ah this is so exciting!! I cant wait for part 2
I love the character you put in each of your videos. Good job!
Really enjoying these, love the choice of artwork in every one too, keep up the good work!
But when did the game of baseball happen?
Very interesting.
Voices of the past is a great channel.
If you are reading off a script, you can just upload that text-file to youtube in the subtitles & CC section, and youtube will automatically process the text-file to figure out the timings.
Yed
"boldly steamed where steamer had never ventured before" star trek reference over 100 years before star trek was a thing... time travel confirmed
You think "boldy go" is a modern term? lol
To live in a world where the repertoir of aphorisms and poetic expressions goes as far as.... "star trek"...... a world of wonders and miracles.....
@@MysteryD It is not good literary form.
It wasn’t said 100 years ago, it’s just in the narrators script
@@whocares9906 I checked the source this video is based on and the line is there
Love this channel.
Big thumbs up for the accent. You really know how to immerse into the narration!
This is the thing I was most excited about!!
Dude literally just squatted in the bay like President Fillmore was going to kick his ass if he didn't make 100% sure that document wound up in the hands of the emperor.
Good fake accent. Better than most, better than mine!
Its actually a voice actor
His Yankee accent is probably a good deal better than my British accent
@@justicevanpool9025 I'm British, I can help...
1) Drink Tea
2) look down your nose at the working class
3) Drink more Tea
Wrong American accent. In 1853, an American would have sounded more like Billy Bob Thorton.
Really, when you are used to received pronunciation and you're trying to do a passable American accent, the secret is to just remember that "r" exists.
It's always interesting to see the other side perspective
Such an amazing channel
Admiral Karen Perry wants to speak to your manager.
*Commodore
i keep comin back to this story i love it only up 4 hours ago lucky
1853 - U.S.: "Open up!"
*88 years later*
1941 - U.S.: "This was a mistake."
1945 - 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🗾🗾🗾🗾🗾🗾🗾☢️☢️ ( freedom intensified )
If only Com. Perry had tried to open up the country through a much more peaceful and diplomatic manner Japan would likely not have seen the west as such a big threat to the point where they felt the immediate need to become a highly militant and aggressive country. And to that effect, it's quite possible that Japan's role during WWII (several decades later) could've been completely reversed; they could've been allies instead enemies. And "WWII" itself likely would've been referred to as just "The European War" as there would've been no fighting in East Asia during this time (besides the Chinese fighting their own civil war), just fighting in Europe only. And last but not least, we might not have even needed to build the A-bomb out of desperation. Could you even imagine the world today without weapons of mass destruction? Seeing it through this lens, Com. Perry messed up *BIG TIME.*
1945 - Japan: "This was a mistake."
More like 1941: America HULK SMASH but you know.
i'm loving this series on relations between japan and the west
Hell yes, as soon as you did the japanese series, I knew we would have to have something involving Commodores Perry's point of view.
USA: "LET US SELL YOU OUR STUFF!!"
Proof that Perry was just a yandere
@Erik Jonsson
Nope! That’s incorrect.
Perry was being Gemini Saga on Japan. Trying go all ”shion” on them.
Regardless, he was the very first weeb
>telling Americans to go to Nagasaki
I love your videos
Perry is the master of the Uno reverse card.
Also I love the insight of the use of lying as a tool. Michael Crichton's Rising Sun deals with this. Although fictional, it is a really cool look at the shrewdness of the Japanese culture.
As I understand it, there was some cultural misunderstandings going on with this interpretation. Japanese diplomatic culture had different standards considering what conduct was honorable and polite. Flat-out refusing a request during a negotiation would be considered impolite, so a reason has to be given why such a request can not be honored. It's best if the reason given is outside of the negotiators powers so that the negotiator can not be blamed for it. Citing some law that may or may not exist is therefor a very convenient thing to do, so that neither party is insulted or lose face.
However if in your diplomatic culture blatantly distorting the truth is considered impolite or dishonorable, there is going to be a culture clash. It seems to me that both sides here thought they were being very diplomatic and polite, and the other side was being very impolite, all due to a difference in the notion of proper diplomatic conduct.
@@dv7533 Very true, that is a great observation that I completely agree with. I don't really think either side was at fault, I mean the Americans were very blunt and brash to the point of being offensive as well. It's a dynamic that I find very fascinating and some aspects I feel carry over to today when dealing with foreign relations.
I think Perry had an insight on Japanese diplomacy and was probably briefed on some of the nuances. The fact that he understood lying to be part of that culture makes me think so.
You'll find that Perry had studied what little was available on the matter of Japanese politics. Whether his info was right or wrong, he took it seriously and acted according to best information that was available to him.
D V Exactly. The idea that ‘lying is part of their culture’ is very shaded and misleading, much like ‘the have a band of people trained to murder their enemies’ is a somewhat shaded way to refer to a country having an army. The sort of diplomatic falsehoods given weren’t considered lies by the Japanese any more than ‘It’s so good to see you’ would be when said to an unwanted arrival. Were we to be honest in that case ‘I don’t actually like you very much, Aunt, and I was going to watch sports on TV, go away’ it would be considered terribly rude. Japanese culture takes this even farther. Instead of ‘no,’ more often than not you’ll get ‘that’s an interesting idea, perhaps’. Which everyone understands to mean ‘no’.
I never knew you were so handsome! And the man holding you too Coco.
alternate title "How the US Karened their way into trade with Japan" seriously this whole video is Perry going "Let me speak to the manager" then the Japanese go "we are the manager" and he's like "NO! THE manager!"
Actually its more like a guy going to the store and wiping a gun to the clerk so he can buy a drink.
Yeah, i don't think Karens would be made fun of if they came in on warships and with letters from the president.
As an american I can tell you your American accent is pretty good. It doesn't sound modern if that was what you were going for. It sounds transalatic or new england. Which fits for this time period.
It is east coast Canadian mixed with some Ontario.
That sound like a New Hampshire accent.
Did a bit of American accent roleplay there. 😁 👍
It was so terrible, but it is the thought that counts.
@@WiseGuy508 He sounds like an ESL who practiced really, really hard.
@Abraham Girt I was just trying to be nice, but yes you are right.
@@WiseGuy508 I'm an American and it sounds fine to me lol
2:32 Coco is the brains, the brawn, and the heart of the channel
That's what he says: but he only wants to do english civil war stuff, he throws his nose up at anything else--Coco. Friggin' Coco.
What a cliffhanger. I'd very much like to hear descriptions of the ensuing events, despite knowing the broad strokes.
As an American, good accent. The only word I caught was "bow", which would be pronounced "bow" like the action rather than "boh" like the garment. If someone told you it was pronounced "boh" in American, they were wrong, I only hear that in the circles of those who don't know anything about ships.
This video was excellent, all the videos I've seen of yours are. I haven't subscribed to you yet simply because I keep meaning to do a proper comb of your channel, but rest assured I will subscribe as soon as I do.
EDIT: Comma'd excellent.
USA: Wait what, Britain, France and the Netherlands haven't colonized it yet?
*sends fleet*
To defend the US they didn't colonize Japan either.
Colonialism was never really the end goal in itself, just the benefits it offered. That's why today advanced countries let their corporations siphon resources instead of expensive government occupations.
Us had some left over british colonize dna so they went ahead and got some juicy rocks in the middle of the ocean
Oh and Puerto Rico
@@hoticeparty Are you joking the us have done and still are doing more damage world wide than the Britain ever did. The US don't even bother to colonise they just start coups then profit off the carnage at least the British left some sort of infrastructure when they colonised.
@@speedy01247 America just invented its own flavor of Imperialism and Colonialism.
fascinating
You guys need a podcast!
I crave the continuation.
I hear you, going for that American accent. 😏
Wow, yeah, that went about exactly as you'd expect it would.
Extremely well actually, by the standards of the time: nobody got killed, nobody got invaded, nobody ceded any territory.
jic1
True lol
Entertaining video! Thanks for uploading?
Should I feel bad that I seem to be one of the only people taking note of someone yelling, in perfect English: "I speak Dutch!" to a boat full of Americans?
Can you do the Japanese perspective of Perry's expedition? I'm curious as to what they thought.
sooo good
You changed your accent! That's a nice touch.
Good to put a face with the voice. I really enjoy the videos too.
As an American, if I didn’t know you weren’t American, I would have assumed that your accent was genuine
I love the serious video, not filled with jokes and memes
Elevator Button
Close:Japanese Flag
Open: American Flag
nice touch of realness u showing at last your face!
That was great, only bad that it ends. Could be listening to a much longer text.
There ought to be a part II of this video.
You could still make a part II, even after all this time.
So is this Japan's black ship incident that made them to open country and develop technologies?
yes
Pretty sure the blackahip happened some time before and was a dutch ship
@@4jqxc There are several "black ships" in Japanese history. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Ships
Japan actually already getting access to technology thanks to Dutch traders years before
Yep. And Japan became a world power within a few decades.
Is there any records from Mr. Harrison when he went to Japan to offer the new treaty with Japan??
A truly momentous moment in World History. Japan found the solution to western Imperialism, if you can't beat them, join them. As such Japan became the only non-western Imperialist country in the Age of Imperialism. What's more they went from being centuries behind technologically to defeating Russia in less than a half century.
Awesome
How do you research/find these????? I need to know man
I forgot you were English while watching this. Your accent is excellent!
Hey, the American accent isn't perfect but you did a pretty good job. The content was as good as ever.
My ancestor is upper class samurai of the Tsugaru clan and part of the daimyō's family. One ancestor samurai was Kanjo bugyo(Finance commissioner) of the Tsugaru clan.I love Edo period's Japan.
Very interesting and nice cat
Imagine the reverse history. A large fleet of WW2 vintage warships including the flag battleship Yamato sailing into 19th century Washington DC area making demands of the USA.
Wouldn’t work, Yamato was made as Japan’s answer to the Dreadnought. The first Dreadnought was made in the beginning of the 20th century.
Very interesting because If Perry never broke Japan’s isolation policy, there would be a possibility of Imperial Japan not existing.
It's so amusing to hear this in an American accent, well done from an American
At first I thought it was a different person, but then a little way in, you fell out of the accent a little and I realized it was you. I think what I'm hearing is the overall good American accent, with here and there a word that is still pronounced in the British fashion, making the accent seem to come and go. Also, within the American accent is variance between sort of a Midwestern accent and a southern accent. I could break it down exactly if that would be helpful. Also, do you ever have opportunities for females? If so I would love to try one out for you. I have experience. Great video as usual of course, thank you!
Please do Captain Cook's Diaries on his encounters in Hawaii
Japan: “ Messages must be delivered directly to Nagasaki.”
US: “Understood.”
Yeees... Best damn channel in the world .
Perry stand boat reminds of the clip of the guy saying "I'm literally in a tank your not"
今も昔も、アメリカにとって日本は無視できない国だったんだろうか？
So basically what you're telling me is
America : " Japan open up the country stop having only the Dutch to get in. And actually see the country while other country leaders are only stuck at the docks. "
Japan : " no you stay at the docks and like it we like the Dutch. "
America : " oh okay " pulls out of gun to Japan's head. " So can we expect it to trade Now "
Japan : " well shit "
Solid work on your American accent. :D
Could you please share detailed accounts of first contact between the spanish explorers and native american tribes from north america between 1500-1600s? As the mississippian culture/chiefdom or other tribes from eastern woodlands? I'm referring about people as hernando de sotos explorations, ect..
@wargent99 No, he does not. I am not talking about christopher columbus or south america for that matter.
Can you tell me what the image at 1:43 is please?
First contact with the Aussie Aboriginals?