Sarah Paine

If a samurai had murdered a Westerner, okay, the diplomats had to come in and watch the proceedings.

They just about lost their lunch.

So the Japanese think that they are showing and what the Westerners think they're seeing aren't aligning.

And I'm going to use Nito Bay to be the cultural bridge.

He said, in our minds, this mode of death is associated with the instances of noblest deeds and most touching pathos.

So this vilest form of death assumes a sublimity and becomes a symbol of new life.

It's a way to escape from disgrace.

And in Japanese literature, there is the tragic hero who is pursuing noble but unattainable aims, and rather than making disagreeable compromises, goes down in flames.

This is what seppuku is all about.

And Nitobe is saying, look, death involving a question of honor was accepted in Bushido as a key solution to many complex problems.

And you can think in World War II, yeah,

It was.

Complex problems like battle plans not working out and a war that was truly not working out.

And you could see the suicide going on, both individual and group.

And I remember going in the caves in Okinawa and understanding how that works, because you could see a lot of the damage.

If your commanding officer decides to commit suicide and tosses a grenade in the right direction, the entire room goes with him.

All right, so in addition to death and suicide and honor, we've got loyalty.

It's another key value.

And back to Yamamoto, being a good retainer is nothing other than being a supporter of one's Lord.

A man is a good retainer to the extent that he earnestly places importance in his master.