(Voice actor) Ms.Marilyn Lo

Napoleon rose to Emperor of France by resolving the turmoil after the French revolution. Napoleon made his big break in the world through demonstrating his military skill. Other European countries feared the influence of the French revolution reaching their countries and their monarchy being overthrown, so they attacked France to defeat the French revolutionary government. Napoleon, who led the French army, not only fought off each of the government forces, but counter-attacked those countries and expanded the French territory. As such, Napoleon became the hero of France and eventually seized enough power to control politics. Akiyoshi Yamada, a samurai from Choshu domain (now Yamaguchi prefecture), admired Napoleon. Akiyoshi studied at “Shokasonjuku,” a private academy of philosopher Shoin Yoshida, who influenced many samurais of the Choshu domain. Akiyoshi was not as bright as the other pupils at first. He also had an odd personality and others made fun of him. But his master, Shoin Yoshida, encouraged him saying “do not fear being different from others.” Shoin was executed as a criminal by the Tokugawa regime in 1859. However, the pupils taught by Shoin would become leaders of the Choshu domain and the anti-Tokugawa forces. Akiyoshi was one of them. He demonstrated military skill and led the Choshu domain’s army. In this era, a unit called the kiheitai (irregular militia) was said to be the most powerful in the Choshu domain. Kiheitai was a unit made of not only samurais but also farmers and townspeople, obliterating social statuses. The leader of the kiheitai, Shinsaku Takasugi, also recognized Akiyoshi as his successor. Akiyoshi obliterated the Tokugawa regime armies one by one. Those around Akiyoshi praised him as a “genius tactician.” The person Akiyoshi admired was Napoleon, who also demonstrated military skill and took Europe by storm. When the anti-Tokugawa forces led by the Choshu domain won the Boshin War that began in 1868 against the Tokugawa army, Akiyoshi participated in building a new nation as part of the new government. Of course, what the new government expected from him was the founding of a new army. Therefore, the new government selected personnel, such as Akiyoshi as future leaders of Japan and dispatched them to Europe. The idea was to observe the latest systems and introduce them to Japan upon their return. Akiyoshi looked forward to going to Europe, because he could go to France, the birthplace of Napoleon, who he admired. Akiyoshi wanted to study more about Napoleon’s tactics. However, being dispatched to France would catalyze him to abandon his career as a military man. What was the reason he abandoned his path as a military man? What happened in France?