| Philipp Franz Von Siebold and the Opening of Japan: A Re-Evaluation Contributor(s): Plutschow (Author) |
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ISBN: 190524620X ISBN-13: 9781905246205 Publisher: Brill OUR PRICE: $112.10 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: April 2007 Annotation: Based on new documents, especially von Siebold's correspondence, written advice, and draft treaties that were placed in the public domain by the Brandenstein-Zeppelin family in 2002, the author argues that such is their significance a full reevaluation of von Siebold's role in the successful opening of Japan in the 1850s is now justified, and that new perspectives emerge in relation to twentieth-century scholarship that was dominated by the exploits of Commodore Matthew Perry and the roles of Townsend Harris and Rutherford Alcock. The author also accepts that even in light of these new primary sources, von Siebold remains a controversial figure whose role was more often than not "tinged with considerable selfish aspirations and a belief in his personal infallibility." |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Asia - General - History | Middle East - General |
| Dewey: 952.025 |
| Physical Information: 0.76" H x 6.49" W x 8.57" (0.93 lbs) 240 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Based on new documents, especially von Siebold's correspondence (including letters to his wife Taki), written advice and draft treaties which were placed in the public domain in 2002 by the Brandenstein-Zeppelin family, the author argues that such is their significance a full re-evaluation of von Siebold's advisory role vis a vis the United States, Russia and the Netherlands in particular, both before and after the successful opening of Japan in the 1850s is now justified. This new study challenges the conventional Western scholarly view that the key figures involved in the opening of Japan were confined to the US Navy's Commodore Matthew Perry, and the diplomats Townsend Harris of the US and Rutherford Alcock of the UK. A close examination of the new sources suggests otherwise and also puts von Siebold's agenda to 'save' Japan from being overtaken by what he referred to as the colonial and commercial ambitions of the West's great maritime nations in a new light. The author also takes pains to debunk the long-held view that von Siebold was a Russian spy. Even so, it is accepted that von Siebold remains a controversial figure whose role was more often than not 'tinged with considerable selfish aspirations and a belief in his personal infallibility'. |