Black Ships Off Japan - The Story Of Commodore Perry's Expedition

BLACK OFF JAPAN THE STORY OF Commodore Perrfs Expedition BY ARTHUR WALVORTH. INTRODUCTION: THE AUTHOR OF THIS INTERESTING, VALUABLE, AND TIMELY book treats the expedition of Commodore Perry primarily as the opening act in a continuing drama of Japanese-American relations, a drama in which the theme is the clash of two na tional cultures, the impact of American evangelism eco nomic, political, and religious upon the traditional con servatism of Japan. He is right to choose this treatment, to describe the expedi tion as an important and indeed a decisive episode in the for eign policy of the United States. This is no doubt where its immediate significance lies. But, for the student of general history, it has a further interest, for as well as being the open ing act in a modern drama it was, seen from another aspect, the culmination of a process which Has continued since antiquity. The story of the gradual penetration of Occidental civili zation is a long and fascinating one. It may be s