In the 19th and 20th century, the government of Japan attempted to impose a single national language and culture on a diverse group of people which annihilated all the local non-Shinto religions, resulting in the mass destruction and looting of thousands of these local shrines.
In this episode, the hosts discuss the violent period in Japan's history during which their nationalism and imperialism arose, beginning with their victory in the Sino-Japanese war in 1894 and the Russo-Japanese war 10 years later.
The Russian Navy made a fatal mistake in their attempt to defeat the Japanese, resulting in the loss of their entire north fleet. The aristocratic appointments within the navy proved to be no match for the carefully appointed and trained Japanese fleet.
A discussion on Japan's rise to becoming a superpower and the influence of anti-imperialism in supporting their empire during this period.