Stan. S. Katz

Author of The Emperor and the Spy

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Read the Intro Posts

INTRODUCTION TO THE ART OF PEACE

WELCOME!

Recent Posts

  • Prince Tokugawa’s Pivotal Role in Launching the National Cherry Blossom Festival
  • Welcome to the Colonel Mashbir Archives: Espionage agent Mashbir took a guiding role in the Winning of Two World Wars and in the rebuilding of a strong Alliance with Japan following WWII.
  • Welcome!
  • Introduction to The Art of Peace: the illustrated biography of Prince Iyesato Tokugawa
  • Colonel Sidney Mashbir’s widow Alice gifts a portrait of General MacArthur to Sidney’s good friends Marine Lt. William Warren and Marine Lt. Colonel Robert Warren. Presented here are inspiring tales of heroism.

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Welcome to the Colonel Mashbir Archives: Espionage agent Mashbir took a guiding role in the Winning of Two World Wars and in the rebuilding of a strong Alliance with Japan following WWII.

April 13, 2020 by Stan S. Katz Leave a Comment

Colonel Sidney Forrester Mashbir (1891-1973) wore many hats during his long career: as a spy, a diplomat, a Japanese linguist, military strategist, and as a scientist/inventor. Hoping to maintain good relations between the U.S. and Japan, during the 1920s and 1930s, he was befriended and allied with top Japanese leaders such as Prince Iyesato Tokugawa (1863-1940, aka Tokugawa Iesato) and Baron Eiichi Shibusawa (1840-1931, aka Shibusawa Eiichi) in the mutual pursuit of peace. Prince Tokugawa held the influential position of President of the Japan’s Upper House of Congress (the House of Peers) for thirty years. Baron Shibusawa was a most influential international businessman who is known as the “Father of the modern Japanese economy”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As would be expected of an adept intelligence agent, Mashbir’s influence was entirely behind the scenes. He is an unsung patriotic hero to the highest degree that I hope the world will one day realize. The Mashbir Archives spotlights Colonel Mashbir and his allies’ significant roles in history, drawing from Mashbir’s personal letters, official documents, and photos, as well as other fascinating historical materials gathered during the past twenty years of research.

Mashbir’s goal was to avoid international conflict, but he was not a blind optimist in his pursuit of peace, he also headed a still little known about top secret, quasi-governmental company, called the Washington Institute, that bridged the U.S. military’s industrial/technological requirements with the major corporations of that day who could meet those needs, in the event that war could not be avoided. 

Mashbir served as an intelligence advisor to top ranking U.S. generals in both world wars, General Pershing and General MacArthur, making contributions pivotal to the Allied victory. He was also the individual who orchestrated the Surrender Signing Ceremony with the Japanese that officially ended WWII. That tragic conflict might have continued onto the Japanese mainland, if not for Mashbir’s personal and persuasive influence on the Japanese leadership thru his radio broadcasts, where he represented General MacArthur. Based on his Japanese linguistic skills he was able to present the peace treaty in a fashion that the Japanese could understand and accept.

During the early days of the U.S. Occupation of post-war Japan, Mashbir was the translator and facilitator for the eleven top secret meetings between General Douglas MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito, where he assisted these two world leaders to establish a renewed diplomatic/political partnership and friendship.

Mashbir would have remained unknown, like many heroes and patriots before and after him, but my acquisition of his personal papers motivated me to spend the past two decades trying to share his story in the hope that his contributions would serve as lessons for the current world of peace diplomacy and international cooperation.

Today, we get a sense of the world’s instability with the recent outbreak of the coronavirus. Up till now, militarily we’ve felt generally safe due to mutually assured destruction, with relative peace on a global scale for the last 75 years – But beneath this current peace, there is a growing level of nationalism that must be recognized and prevented from turning into domestic racism & discrimination, as well as international conflict – Colonel Mashbir’s career offers many helpful insights to better understand and deal with the issues of today.

The below Illustrated Timeline gives an brief overview of  Sidney Mashbir’s personal life & some of his significant achievements.

The Emperor and the Spy historical novel brings him to life!

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‘THE EMPEROR AND THE SPY’ Historical Novel Highlights Colonel Mashbir’s Exciting Exploits in the World of International Espionage.

Available in Print, Digital Book, and in Audiobook.

 

 

 

 

Continue Reading...

Filed Under: Mashbir Archives Tagged With: A.T.I.S., Allied Translator and Interpreter Section, ATIS, Baron Eiichi Shibusawa, Baron Shibusawa, Colonel Mashbir, Colonel Mashbir Archives, Colonel Sidney Forrester Mashbir, Colonel Sidney Mashbir, Counter-espionage, Eiichi Shibusawa, Espionage, Espionage novel, General Douglas MacArthur, General John J. Pershing, General MacArthur, General Pershing, History of Espionage, History of the C.I.A., History of the CIA, Iesato Tokugawa, Iyesato Tokugawa, Japanese Surrender Signing Ceremony, Mashbir Archive, Mashbir Archives, Mashbir Illustrated Timeline, Mashbir Timeline, Prince Iyesato Tokugawa, Prince Tokugawa, Prince Tokugawa Iesato, Shibusawa Eiichi, Sidney Forrester Mashbir, Sidney Mashbir, The Emperor and the Spy, The Emperor and the Spy Timeline Gallery, TheEmperorAndTheSpy.com, Tokugawa Iesato, World War One Spies, World War Two Spies

During Ulysses S. Grant’s visit to Japan, he and his wife were honored guests of Shibusawa Eiichi and his wife. This rare, late 1800s, colorful Japanese woodblock print presents them watching festivities commemorating the U.S. Centennial Anniversary, highlighted by hot-air balloons displaying American flags.

January 10, 2020 by Stan S. Katz Leave a Comment

 

Grant’s world tour journey began after completing his two terms as U.S. president. Ulysses S. Grant with his wife Julia, and one of his sons, 29-year-old son Frederick, had planned a vacation to England to visit their daughter, Nellie, but this voyage mushroomed into an unprecedented journey, embarking on a two year world adventure on May 17, 1877 touring Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and being welcomed everywhere they visited.

The Grant family’s last stop was Japan in June 1879, before returning to the U.S. – According to the Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation and Museum, Shibusawa Eiichi (then 39 years old) served as chairman of the Tokyo Committee to Welcome General Grant (18th President of the United States). Continue Reading...

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Baron Eiichi Shibusawa, Baron Shibusawa, Baron Shibusawa Eiichi, Diplomacy, Eiichi Shibusawa, Emperor Meiji, Grant visits Japan, Historical biography, International Friendship, International Relations, Japan History, Japan U.S. Relations, Japanese woodblock print of Shibusawa and Grant, Prince Iyesato Tokugawa, Prince Tokugawa Iesato, Shibusawa Archives, Shibusawa Eiichi, Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation, Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation and Museum, Stan S. Katz, Stan S. Katz blog, The Art of Peace, The Art of Peace biography, Tokugawa Iesato, Tokyo Committee to Welcome General Grant, U.S. Japan relations, U.S.-Japan History, Ulysses S. Grant, Ulysses S. Grant’s visit to Japan, 渋沢 栄, 渋沢 栄一

As President of the Japanese Red Cross, Prince Tokugawa took a leading role in the creation of Safe Zones that helped save the lives of tens of thousands of Jewish European refugees fleeing the Holocaust and over one-half million Chinese civilians during the years leading up to, and during, World War Two.

October 30, 2019 by Stan S. Katz Leave a Comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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. Continue Reading...

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 1934 International Red Cross Conference, 1934 International Red Cross Conference in Tokyo, Ambassador Grew, Ambassador Joseph C. Grew, American Red Cross, Anti-semitism, Chinese History, Diplomacy, History of the Japan Red Cross Society, Holocaust, Holocaust History, International Friendship, International Relations, Iyesato Tokugawa, Japan and the Holocaust, Japan China relations, Japan Chinese relations, Japan History, Japan Red Cross Society, Japanese Humanitarianism, Japanese Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross Society, Jewish History, John Barton Payne, Judge John Barton Payne, Prince Iyesato Tokugawa, Prince Tokugawa Iesato, Racism, Safe Zones, Saving Chinese during World War Two, Saving Jewish Lives in WWII, Saving Jews, Shanghai Ghetto, Shanghai Safe Zone, Stan S. Katz, The Art of Peace, The Art of Peace biography, Tokugawa Iesato, U.S. Japan relations, U.S.-Japan History, World War Two, XVth International Conference of the Red Cross

Dec. 23, 1929 – J. Edgar Hoover oversees the protection detail for the visiting Japanese Naval Delegation in Washington, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of State Stimson and the Japanese Ambassador Debuchi greet the visitors and escort them to the White House to meet with President Hoover

July 8, 2019 by Stan S. Katz Leave a Comment

Dec. 23, 1929 – A rare photo of J. Edgar Hoover as he oversees the protection detail for the visiting Japanese Naval Delegation in Washington, D.C. The Japanese delegation were were on their way to attend negotiations in Europe for the ratification of the 1930 London Naval Treaty (officially the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament). The delegation was greeted at the Washington Union (Train) Station by U.S. Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson and the Japanese Ambassador Katsuji Debuchi; the delegation then visited the White House to meet with President Herbert Hoover.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: 1915 U.S. Japan relations, 1930 London Naval Treaty, Admiral Seizō Sakonji, Aisuke Kabayama, Ambassador Katsuji Debuchi, Count Aisuke Kabayama, F.B.I., Federal Bureau of Investigation, Henry L. Stimson, Herbert Hoover, Hirosi Saito, J. Edgar Hoover, Japanese Ambassador Katsuji Debuchi, Katsuji Debuchi, London Naval Treaty, Madame Debuchi, Madame Takarabe, President Herbert Hoover, President Hoover, Prince Iyesato Tokugawa, Prince Tokugawa Iesato, Reijiro Wakatsuki, Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson, Seizō Sakonji, Stan S. Katz, Stan S. Katz blog, T. Kawasaki, Takeshi Takarabe, The Art of Peace, The Art of Peace biography, The Emperor and the Spy, TheEmperorAndTheSpy.com, Tokugawa Iesato, U.S. Japan Diplomacy, U.S. Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson

Copyright © 2021 Stan S. Katz