The Berlin Conference and the Bombardment of Kagoshima

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore an unexpected connection between the Berlin Conference and the bombardment of Kagoshima in 1863. They dive into the story of the Namamugi Incident, where a British merchant was killed by Satsuma samurai, leading to a naval retaliation by the Royal Navy. The conversation then links this early example of gunboat diplomacy to the principles of effective occupation and spheres of influence that would later be codified at Berlin. Along the way, they discuss the rapid modernization of Japan under the Meiji Restoration and how events in East Asia foreshadowed the scramble for Africa. A fresh angle that reveals how the Berlin Conference's rules were shaped by earlier colonial encounters worldwide. #BerlinConference #Kagoshima #NamamugiIncident #Satsuma #MeijiRestoration #GunboatDiplomacy #RoyalNavy #EffectiveOccupation #SpheresOfInfluence #AngloSatsumaWar #Shogun #EmperorMeiji #Colonialism #ScrambleForAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #19thCentury Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo