An island nation on the periphery of mainland East Asia and the Pacific Ocean, the history of Japan is marked by internal wars, rebellions and rare incursions by outside forces – whether it be the aborted Mongol invasions of the late 13th century, or the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry and the ‘Black Ships’ of the US Navy in 1853. In Japanese Battles, learn about the emergence of the Samurai warrior class during the Hogen and Heiji rebellions of the 12th century; explore the impact of new technology in the shape of imported European matchlock guns at the Battle of Nagashino (1575) and how this changed the shape and style of warfare during the Warring States period; understand the significance of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory over his enemies at Sekigahara (1600) and the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate, which brought about 250 years of peace and international isolation; examine how Japan’s fledgling navy outthought and defeated the Russian navy at Tsushima in 1905; and see the ferocity with which Japanese forces defended the home islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa against American forces in the final months of World War II. Arranged chronologically by period, Japanese Battles provides an accessible and vividly illustrated introduction to the most significant battle and campaigns in Japan.