Block+D+Saigo+Takamori+Eric+Shim+Grace+Chung


 * Slogan:**
 * Why can't we conquer Korea when we're called as Short Dogs(**倭狗) **by the Jo-Sen-Jings of the West?**
 * We don't need Barbarians' influence--we're JAPANESE!**
 * Power! Centralization! Samurais! These are what represent us, and these are what fit us the most.**

Saigo's main purpose was to conquer Korea and keep the Japanese Samurai's pride. Short Dogs(Wa-Goo) is a word used by Koreans to make fun of short men in Japan. Jo Sen Jing means a "person from Chosun dynasty", but was used to insult Koreans during Japanese imperialism in Korea.

Even though these words might not come from the exact time period as Saigo's life time, it does represent what Saigo might have wanted to say.

=**Grace Notes**=
 * Saigo Takamori was a samurai who led an effort to prop up the Japanese emperor in a period of the Meiji Restoration in 1867
 * He advocated the emperor to wage imperial war against Korea in 1873
 * Saigo and a troop of samurai feel that Japan can only survive by being strong, and they set a modernizing revolution known as the Meiji Restoration
 * the encrusted caste system is shredded
 * a system of modern law is settled
 * designs for industrial machines and weapons are obtained from American and Europe
 * The reforms required to modernize Japan, and affected the feudal privileges of Saigo and his fellows
 * They got rid of the samurai right to wear swords
 * Samurais' public wages have been cut and extinguished
 * These made Saigo feel guilty because he felt that he was forced to choose foreign modernity and tradition of old Japan
 * At that time, a true samurai preferred loyalty
 * Saigo left the government and gathered an army of 40,000 rebels to make amends
 * Saigo and his army was devoted to wipe out the Western state influence
 * When the rebellion fails after a bloody fight, Saigo commits ritual suicide

http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002048182 http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001347482
 * Sources**

=**Eric Notes**= -Restoration almost did not happen, but coup succeeded, restoration of imperial rule(osei fukko)

-1874-Saigo says let's invade Korea, government says **NO! Saigo first only wanted military modernization.**

-Withdraw to his clan in Kagoshima when his Satsuma brethren and gov. officials fought

-Saigo Takamori from Satsuma -Satsuma Rebellion -Rebellion against Saigo's former friends/colleagues -Took command of the rebel -10,000 involved, 3000 dead -Samurais vs Reformers(under Kwamura Sumiyoshi) -ARMY OF COMMONERS VS Saigo--shows that Meiji revolution's political+economic reforms were significant

-Ironic--The Samurais fought for the position of samurais but still used western weapons and Saigo wore Western military uniforms.

-Committed to hara kiri(seppuku) after the Satsuma Rebellion loss at Kumamoto/Kido Takayoshi died of illness/Okubo Toshimichi(greatest Meiji leader) died(1877~1878)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saig%C5%8D_Takamori Pacific Century
 * Sources**