Michael Gibson (1) (1936–)

from cover

The Samurai were fierce, grim warriors who dominated the long and bloody civil wars which shook Japan in the Middle Ages. Sword and bow were their most prized possessions, loyalty and honour their cherished ideas. Confident of their strength and skill, they fought courageously in battle and, when defeated, died bravely. Yet gruesom tales have also been told of how they tortured, impaled, roasted and boiled their enemies, quite without pity.

In this book, the author traces the history of the Samuri from the dynastic battles of medieval times to the suicide missions of the Second World War. He describes in detail their miilitary tradition, their weapons and armour, and the role which they plalyed in Japanese society. He also paints a vivid picture of the more peaceful side of their lives-their houses, food and pastimes, their religion and their culture.

Michael Gibson is a Senior Lecturer in History at Gipsy Hill College of Education. He has written several books, including The Rise of Japan in the Wayland Documentary History series, and Genghis Khan & The Moguls in the Sentinel Series.

Contents

List of Illustrations
Introduction
1. The rise of the samurai
2. Everyday life in feudal Japan
3. The way of the warrior
4. Weapons and armour
5. Troubled times
6. Tokugawa Japan
7. The Meiji restoration
8. Growintg militarism
9. The Second World War
10. The end of the samurai?
Table of dates
Glossary
Further Reading
Index
Picture Credits… (altro)