Friday, April 10, 2009

Can Money Buy Real Alliance?

This story today has relation to my yesterday's post "Write without Visual Aid". I was not sure how accurate I can write about the historical fact happened and convey the message, asking you the question. Especially my 2nd language, English, not my original.

It is about the general I wrote in the article "The General Who Prevailed "Love" in Japan's Dark Age
". His name again is "Kanetsugu Naoe" When this worrier was 19, he was engaging in civil war involving who became the local lord after "Kenshin Uesugi" (refer to my post" "GI" was this local king's driving force") died. Kenshin had 2 step sons. Both were from his enemies and both loved Kenshin, trusted him.



Left : Kanetsugu Naoe's Armor. The Character on his Helmet is Chinese - Japanese Character means "Love".

Right: Portrait of Kanetsugu Naoe. He looks more religious people than a general or worrier. He was an excellent governor, premier.

Copyright Notice:

Copyright (c) 2009 Shaw Funami.Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this documentunder the terms of the GNU Free documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".





But still they ended up fighting over Kenshin's successor to be the local lord. Ones name is "Kagetora", the others "Kagekatsu". Earlier, Kagetora was almost winning to be supported by 2 powerful neighbor countries "Hojo" and "Takeda". Kanetsugu was closest subject of Kagekatsu who is almost losing. Kanetsugu advised Kagekatsu to ally with Takeda. Takeda fought against Kenshin several times but could never have decided who was the winner. Kanetsugu advised Kagekatsu to give 2 counties close to Takeda territory. But Takeda was not moved. Kanetsugu needed to do something to realize this alliance.

Takeda was fighting against other enemy for more than 10 years then, and their treasury was almost used up. Kanetsugu brought 1 Million Dollars worth gold and met Lord of Takeda. In Japanese culture, or any culture of Chivalry, using money to buy enemy is one of the worst strategy and being avoided. The one offered money used to have felt insulted. Kanetsugu's lord, Kagekatsu was not sure if Takeda's honorable lord accepted it.

As imagined, Takeda refused the offer and alliance. Then Kanetsugu told Takeda. "There was a time when Kenshin sent salt to Takeda when Takeda was cut the supply from enemy countries (Takeda's territory was mountain country, not having access to sea and could not produce salt in their territory that time). This gold is same as salt that time. Especially gold, or money, can change the value, vice or virtue depending on how it will be used. In this sense it all up to you if it can be vice or virtue."

Do you think Kanetsugu succeeded in allying with Takeda? How do you think Kanetsugu's strategy to give money to form a friendship and alliance? Did I make the point? Is this article clear and understandable? Please let me know.

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi


Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

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4 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Shaw .. the English language is a 'difficult' language to master - so you do incredibly well speaking and being prepared to write it.

When you're explaining Japanese ideas or history .. because we do not have the background knowledge .. it can be difficult to work out what you are trying to do.

Two errors that keep popping up in peoples' posts are:

Your - your pencil (the pencil belongs to you)
You're - you are going into town (you are driving, walking into the town)

It's - it is
its - does not need an apostrophe (it means: "of it(self)"

I expect my use of '..' irritates readers and isn't gramatically correct - however it allows me to flow ideas together in a relaxed way, particularly when I'm posting comments.

Your command of English very good .. and you do really well -

I hope this helps - all the best ..

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Shaw .. I've just seen that I made a mistake in Hugo & Roxanne's latest post about seeing a glass half full. I forgot to put in an apostrophe:
"and it's unlikely were going to die" it should be we're ..

They were going to town
We're going to town in a car

Go well!!

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters

Unknown said...

Dear Hilary,

Thank you for your replying to my question. Your adivice will be kept in my mind. You are always helping me on my blog going. Now what do you think if money (this case gold) should be used to seek for an alliance or friendship?

Best regards,
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Unknown said...

Hi Hilary,

Thank you for your 2nd post here. I sent to Hugo & Roxanne's blog and found that you corrected it. "Imperfect Action is always...", right?

Thank you for your coming back to me on the notice.

Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link