Dr Chris Harding

if they need to take on fuel, if they need to take on food, whatever it might be, that they'll be given that.

Because Japan's policy at this point is, if you see a foreign ship, turn it away.

Fire on it if you have to.

That's how strong their policy is.

So the Americans at least want that.

And Commodore Matthew C. Perry does a bit of homework on the Japanese, including in New York City Public Library.

And his view of the Japanese, and it's all about character at this point, because the Japanese aren't that well-known to the Americans.

His big generalisation, I think, is...

The Japanese only understand action and force.

Words aren't going to have much effect.

He sees the Dutch at Dejima as being a bit of a doormat, I think, for the Japanese across these centuries, treated quite badly.

And so he turns up two great military bands on the shore in Japan, not far from Edo, playing Hail Columbia.

He chooses his biggest, burliest men from his ships, brings them on side with him, trying to make this big forceful impression.

And he basically says, here's what we want.

They are demands.

It's a sort of a treaty of friendship that he would like, but it's anything but friendly.

He even gives them a little piece of white cloth and he says, I'm going to come back in a few months' time, once you've had a chance to think about our demands, if you don't give us what we want, there will be a war and you can have this little piece of white cloth to surrender with.

And that's that.

And he points out to scene, he says, you know, look at those ships.

I've got lots more like that in the Pacific.