Description of how the movie "The Last Samurai" portrays the effects of Western Imperialism on Japan

This movie was set in Japan during the late 19th century. An American general who was famous for his many victorious battles against the Native Americans was called to Japan for a special task. The Japanese government was looking to make their civilization as western as possible. They adopted Western dress and began to shy away from the old warrior ways. New technologies such as firearms, cannons, trains, and photography were being instituted into their …

…that the ancient Japanese culture will never die. This movie shows the reactions of a select group of people to westernization. Some embraced it and prospered from the positive effects it brought but others fought it to the death. The samurai believed that there way was the true way Japan should be ruled and fought valiantly in order to protect those beliefs. But technology proved to reign supreme and the samurai fell to advanced weaponry.