<000097#Isolationist Japan saw the persecutions of followers and missionaries of western religions such <001018#as Christianity.*<002017 Richard Tames<003000<004090#Commodore Perry's modern fleet cowed Japan into opening up its economy which resulted in <005032#the downfall of the shogunate.*<006018 U.S. Air Force<007000<008080#The Meiji Restoration saw the ascension of Emperor Meiji who ushered an era of <009017#westernization.*<010033 Time Life Picture Syndication<011000<012091#The Meiji Restoration saw the introduction of a modern style of government which embarked <013047#on a programme of the modernization of Japan.*<014030 Mary Evans Picture Library<015000<016089#Modernization brought sweeping changes such as steam engines for ships and trains which <017055#increased communications within and outside of Japan.*<018018 British Museum<019000<020089#Japan became the first Asian power to defeat a western power in modern times during the <021029#Russo-Japanese War of 1905.*<022014 ET Archive<023000<024067#A 1905 propaganda depicting Japanese supremacy over the Russians.*<025017 Richard Tames<026000<027083#Painting of Emperor Meiji presenting standards (flags) to units departing for the <028021#Russo-Japanese war.*<029015 B.N./Foliot<030000<031093#The Japanese battle fleet at Tsushima heading towards confrontation with the Russian fleet.*<032012 P. Peral<033000<034080#Admiral Heihachiro Togo leading a victory parade after the Russo-Japanese War.*<035033 Time Life Picture Syndication<036000<037086#Map illustrating the extent of Japanese influence in East and Southeast Asia (1942).*<038019 Illustra Design<039000<040091#The American destroyer Shaw exploding after a direct hit by Japanese planes bombing Pearl <041022#Harbor, Dec 7, 1941.*<042014 U. S. Navy<043000<044090#A launch rushes to rescue survivors of USS West Virginia as the big battleship burns and <045040#settles to the bottom of Pearl Harbor.*<046014 U. S. Navy<047000<048092#The flagship of the US Pacific Fleet, USS Pennsylvania miraculously escapes damage unlike <049039#the two destroyers in the foreground.*<050014 U. S. Navy<051000<052092#The US was irrevocably drawn into WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. "Remember Pearl <053028#Harbor" was its battlecry.*<054060 George Strock, Courtesy of Time Life Picture Syndication<055000<056074#Another picture of rescue crews at USS West Virginia, Pearl Harbor 1941.*<057012 U.S Army<058000<059095#A print of the Japanese surprise air attack on Pearl Harbor. The 94 US Navy vessels moored at <060063#Pearl Harbor, presented a perfect target that Sunday morning.*<061030 Mary Evans Picture Library<062000<063033#USS Arizona sinks, Dec 7, 1941.*<064039 Military Archive & Research, London<065000
