Titans of the East

Welcome Back! Today we are discussing the rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the man who unified Japan and established the Tokugawa Shogunate, which stood for over 250 years. Sources: Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Ieyasu by A.L. Sadler  Tokugawa Ieyasu: Shogun , by Conrad Totman  Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle for Power by Anthony  Bryant A History of Japan 1334-1615 by George Bailey Sansom

Welcome back! Today I'm going to be talking about Yasuke, a mysterious African figure during the Sengoku Jidai period in Japan. Who was he? Where did he come from? And was he a samurai? Sources: African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan by Thomas Lockley and Geoffrey Girard

Welcome back! Today, we will do a deeper dive on the signs and symptoms of Neurosyphilis. And was it responsible for Toyotomi Hideyoshi's behavioral changes in later life? Sources: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/neurosyphilis-when-an-antipsychotic-is-not-enough https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10560128/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033318285728605 https://pmc....

Welcome back, we have another episode today on one of the three modern unifiers of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a true "rags to riches" story. Hideyoshi rose from a peasant upbringing to be the most powerful man in Japan until his death is 1598. Although known for restraint, caution, and diplomacy in his younger years, he became increasing erratic, impulsive and cruel in his later years. What was th...

Welcome back! Today I'm going to look at the life of one of Japan's three great modern unifiers: Oda Nobunaga. We're going to especially feature his most famous battle at Nagashino (1575), his forward-thinking with regards to firearm use, and the attributes that led to his success and downfall. Towards the end, I try to answer the question: Was Nobunaga mentally ill? Sources: The Chronicle of Lord...

Welcome back! Today we are continuing on with the story of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin, looking at the final years of his life. Specifically, I focus on his "last stand" at the Battle of Myeongnyang, as well as the Battle of Noryang. After the narrative, I spend time doing some character analysis and talk about the qualities that made him great. Sources: Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, the Turtle Ships, and Modern As...

Welcome to the first episode! Today we will cover the rise of Korea's finest : Admiral Yi Sun-Sin . With a perfect battle record of 23-0, Admiral Yi repelled the Japanese Navy time and time again during the Imjin War (1592-1598) to save his country from destruction. Sources: Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, the Turtle Ships, and Modern Asian History by Marc Jason Gilbert Admiral Yi Sun-sin: A Brief Overview o...