Author of The Emperor and the Spy
These are rare antique photos: the uppermost photo presents a long forgotten 1931 diplomatic event where Prince and Princess Takamatsu, as a gesture of international goodwill, are personally escorted down Pennsylvania Avenue by President Herbert Hoover, as thousands of onlookers gathered to honor the Royal couple’s visit. Surprisingly, this photo appears to be the only one that could be found that presents this reception event in the U.S. Capital.
Prince Tokugawa vigorously promoted the 1940 Olympics come to Japan, hoping it would encourage peaceful international relations. Regrettably, that event was canceled due to the expanding conflict in Europe leading to WWII. Since then, the event was been staged in Japan several times, and Tokugawa would be delighted to know that 80 years after his passing, the Olympics is once again coming to his nation, to be shared with the world.
This Blog and website are a time-capsule honoring the memory of Colonel Sidney Mashbir (1891-1983) and his Japanese allies who strove to maintain good relations between the U.S. and Japan. One of Colonel Mashbir’s most influential Japanese allies was Prince Iyesato Tokugawa (1863-1940). Their alliance is one of the engaging themes in the historical novel The Emperor and the Spy. Many readers of the novel wanted to know more about these great men and the period they lived, leading to an illustrated biography The Art of Peace. According to Colonel Mashbir, Prince Tokugawa was the true hidden power behind the Imperial Throne and that he was so politically influential, it was only after his death in 1940, that Japan was pressured into joining the Axis Powers in WWII.
May 5, 1910 The New York Daily Tribune announced the coming arrival of Prince Iyesato Tokugawa to New York City, following his diplomatic visit to Washington, D.C. Scheduled to coincide with the arrival of Prince Iyesato Tokugawa (1863-1940), was the recent arrival of a delegation of sixty Japanese. Prince Tokugawa and his delegation had all spent time together in Washington, D.C., prior to visiting New York City. Several members of that delegation are shown in the upper newspaper photo. The individual standing behind the gentlemen in the long white coat and next to the individual in the white hat, is Yukio Ozaki the Mayor of Japan’s capital city, Tokyo, who is the Japanese official most often remembered being linked to the Japanese gifting of cherry blossom trees to the U.S. capital city of Washington, D.C.
Prince Tokugawa (above); Baron Shibusawa (left); S. Shimada (right)
In 1917, out of empathy for the enormous suffering, death, and destruction in Europe during World War One (1914-1918), Prince Tokugawa and his Japanese supporters published a condolence booklet honoring their Allies. Japan strongly assisted her Allies militarily and also aided the Allies’ sick and wounded during and after the war. Above is the first page from this condolence booklet that describes the Japanese creating an association that collected a monetary fund that was gifted to Allied nations to help with their health costs.
Clay version of the bronze relief sculpture that is to be presented to the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, San Diego.
President Roosevelt, Prince Tokugawa, Baron Shibusawa, President Taft
During the first decades of the 1900s, they allied together to promote amity between their nations. This website presents additional blog posts revealing the strong alliance between them.
The early 1900s were at times challenging in terms of U.S. Japan engagement:
This October 23rd, 1907 Puck magazine cover shows President Theodore Roosevelt defending the nation of Japan from attack. Roosevelt is wearing a military uniform with the Japanese Imperial seal on his hat. He is holding a rifle and confronting two rolled-up U.S. newspapers labeled the ‘Sun‘ and ‘World‘ who are also holding rifles and confronting Roosevelt – The background shows the flag of the Japanese Imperial Army.
Prince Iyesato Tokugawa (1863-1940 – aka Prince Tokugawa Iesato) devoted his life to promoting international goodwill. Regrettably, he saw the clouds of war growing in Europe, as well as the militants in his own country pushing Japan towards conflict with China. He resisted these aggressions, but in the meanwhile, he wished to protect as many innocent lives as he could. As president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, Prince Tokugawa presided over the 1934 International Red Cross Conference in Tokyo (aka XVth International Conference of the Red Cross), where he urged the delegates to “Serve for Humanity.” It was at this gathering, where there was the first known example in history for the international creation of demilitarized Safe Zones, where civilians could find shelter, as outside warring armies fought one another.
Description of the photo on the book’s cover: Prince Iyesato Tokugawa (aka Prince Tokugawa Iesato) receives an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Southern California. The president of the university Dr. Rufus B. von Kleinsmid hands the degree to Prince Tokugawa. Left to right in photo: Prince Iyesato Tokugawa; Iyemasa Tokugawa; George I. Cochran; Dr. Rufus B. von Kleinsmid. This presentation took place during a special luncheon given March 19th, 1934 in Los Angeles, hosted by George I. Cochran, the president of the school’s Board of Trustees. Prince Iyesato Tokugawa was accompanied by his son Iyemasa, the newly appointed Minister to Canada.
The Art of Peace presents the life of Prince Iyesato Tokugawa (1863-1940), an amazing international statesmen and humanitarian. The biography is available in two EBook versions: the more streamlined ‘general reader’ edition and the ‘expanded’ edition. [Note: the ‘expanded’ edition presents additional historical notes and an Index.]
This blog presents the INDEX to the ‘expanded edition’ of THE ART OF PEACE. It is made available to assist historians/educators/students doing research about this intriguing and understudied period of history. It also serves the general public pursuing genealogical research about their family members who were socially or politically active during that period.