Author of The Emperor and the Spy
This is the only known photo of a significant 1915 U.S. Japan diplomatic event. The description on the lower left corner states:
Dinner to Baron Shibusawa. East & West Meeting, Sherry’s [restaurant] New York City, December 3, 1915. (Actual photo size: 20 by 12 inches.)
The above original photo is age-darkened and torn, and is also missing a corner and a segment of the left edge. These imperfections have been corrected during the restoration process as shown in the photo below:
Twenty years ago, Stan S. Katz was a Specialist in Rare Books and Ephemera when he acquired the personal papers of a Master Spy, Colonel Sidney Forrester Mashbir (1891-1973). These unique materials, combined with Stan’s passion for history and many years of research has resulted in the exciting historical novel THE EMPEROR AND THE SPY and an illustrated biography THE ART OF PEACE.
When war first erupted in Europe in 1914, there was uncertainty as to whether or not, or to what degree, Japan would support Great Britain and her other allies in their struggle with Germany. Prince Tokugawa and Baron Shibusawa along with their Japanese supporters had spent the prior decade promoting peace. But when war erupted, they guided Japan to play a significant role in aiding the Allies – However, many of Japan’s important contributions to the winning of that conflict, are little remembered today. Japan strongly assisted militarily and also aided the Allies’ sick and wounded during and after the war.
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, these four accomplished statesmen allied together to promote amity between their nations. This website presents additional blog posts revealing the strong alliance between them.
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 (USC). Dr. Rufus B. von Kleinsmid President of USC bestows this degree to Prince Tokugawa.
Left to right in photo: Prince Iyesato Tokugawa; Iyemasa Tokugawa; George I. Cochran; Dr. Rufus B. von Kleinsmid.
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.
It is an honor to announce the publication of:
The 65th Anniversary Edition of Colonel Sidney Forrester Mashbir’s exciting 1953 autobiography:
I WAS AN AMERICAN SPY
Besides being a fascinating story, Colonel Mashbir’s autobiography is almost a textbook in the art of espionage and counter-espionage.
Colonel Mashbir (1891-1973) led an adventurous life – At the age of thirteen, he started his military career as a bugle boy in the Arizona Guard, in the still untamed Arizona Territory. During 1914-1916, he served under General Funston and General Pershing, and went on daring missions across the U.S./Mexican border during the Mexican Revolution, attempting to maintain peace between those nations. He personally escorted the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa to a peace parley with General Pershing in 1914.