Japanophilia and Japanophobia

September 9, 2006 6:37 AM

Japan in America: the Turn of the Twentieth Century - an exhibit of ads, cartoons, art and other popculture artifacts from the decades leading up to WWI. (image menu is at the bottom of the page)
posted by madamjujujive (14 comments total)

Delicious post thank you.
I suspect I may have fallen to an attack of the mondegreens with that catchy number - 'The Little Soldier Man'.
He's a Japanese soldier man. Susso susso susso.
Gone to fight the Russian man. Susso susso susso.
Light swept heart and sword in hand to save the honour of old Japan. Susso susso susso.
When he's fought that Russian soldier man, he'll come back to sweet your son.
Playing softly on her samizan to welcome back the soldier man.
When outside her shawl she grabbed. Susso susso susso.
Sits this fair maid all chair bad. Susso susso susso.
'Neath the cherry blossom cake, she's singing softly of her babe. Susso susso susso.
When he's fought that Russian soldier man, he'll come back to sweet your son.
Playing softly on her samizan to welcome back her soldier man.
Marching on through shot and shell. Susso susso susso.
Over soldier boys who fell. Susso susso susso.
Like the mighty Samurai, with victory their joyous cry. Banzai, banzai, banzai.
She has bought that Russian soldier man, though he turns to old Japan, victory for his gracious emperor. The little fighting soldier man.
posted by tellurian at 8:19 AM on September 9, 2006

all chair bad = of Japan
Not sure what "your son" is exactly, but I think it's the name of the the woman, but I'm not familiar enough with Japanese names to guess at it.
posted by luftmensch at 8:50 AM on September 9, 2006

tellurian : "'Neath the cherry blossom cake, she's singing softly of her babe."

I think that's "Neath the cherry blossom gay, she's singing softly of her day."

The "sweet your son" is "sweet somethingorotherinJapanese", but since the song mispronounces "shamisen", I'm not going to try to guess what name it is (probably made up anyway, like "susso" is).

And "bought that Russian soldier man" is "fought that Russian soldier man".
posted by bugbread at 9:14 AM on September 9, 2006

Er, and "She has bought" is "He has fought".
posted by bugbread at 9:14 AM on September 9, 2006

Ta, luftmensch and on preview, bugbread. [If I listen one more time…]
posted by tellurian at 9:23 AM on September 9, 2006

and hey, I didn't even highlight the 'cake' and 'babe'. I reckon it sounds more sorta poetical that way.
posted by tellurian at 9:29 AM on September 9, 2006

The Russo-Japanese War in Political Cartoons:

...they do reflect certain key themes that emerge in the broader American discourse concerning the Russo-Japanese War:

• the admiration for and anxiety about Japan’s military presence and expansionist ambitions
• the need to account somehow for Japan’s victories and to estimate the effect of the Russo-Japanese War on geopolitical relations, particularly concerning the role of China
• the pressing concern with assessing the power and the prestige of the United States in Asia and the Pacific at the beginning of a new century.

Warily admired, little Japan surprisingly defeated big Russia (although not without a sneaky stab in the back and some American aid.) In the 1905 peace treaty^ brokered by the United States, Japan's role in Asia was officially recognized.

The unexpected consequences of the Russo-Japanese War^ were world-changing. Russia's monarchy took a body blow to its prestige that contributed to its fall within a dozen years to the Bolsheviks. Japan defeated a major Western military power, established itself as the dominant nation in Eastern Asia, and later annexed Korea. Japan fought with the Allies against Germany in World War I, strengthening its position in the Pacific and setting the stage for World War II.

War is like a box of chocolate bombes: you just never know what you're going to get.
posted by cenoxo at 10:55 AM on September 9, 2006

sweet your son == "sweet Yoh-san" ?
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 11:12 AM on September 9, 2006

Great stuff! I really like "I Want To Go To Tokio"—and who can resist a line like "Soon you're going to be sitting on my Japa-knee"?
posted by languagehat at 11:30 AM on September 9, 2006

wonderful stuff--thanks juju!

for stuff produced in Japan between the wars (mostly), check out this amazing illustration museum i went to in Tokyo--Yayoi / Yumeji Museum (google translated link)
posted by amberglow at 12:27 PM on September 9, 2006

Nice, thanks mjjj!
posted by carter at 8:13 PM on September 9, 2006

Look at this image. Squint, looking at the space between the rickshaw driver and the tree: instant naked woman!!! Maybe its just my mind, but it popped out at me looking at the lo-res version.
posted by fcummins at 4:14 AM on September 10, 2006

No bukkake?
posted by zorro astor at 11:39 AM on September 10, 2006

zorro astor : "No bukkake?"

Not pre-WWI, no, sorry.
posted by bugbread at 12:47 PM on September 10, 2006