The History of Japan
The first three chapters examine the prehistoric and early feudal foundations of Japan's unique culture. Perez, an expert on Japanese history, places special emphasis on the development and flowering of the religious and cultural aspects of Japanese society. The next three chapters focus on the foundation of Japanese political thought--the basis of Japan's late 19th century modernization. Two chapters cover Japan's descent into the Valley of Darkness: militarism, ultra-nationalism, and World War II, followed by the American occupation and the re-inventing of Japanese culture. The final two chapters detail Japan's struggle from the 1970s through 1997 with a new global identity--that of the world's most productive industrial economy. |