Oleg Benesch

Thrilled to have been awarded a Vandervort prize for my recent article "The Invention of the Kamikaze: Dissent and Resistance in the Japanese Military" by the Society for Military History, as one of the two best articles last year in the Journal of Military History!

The Portland Timbers tifo yesterday went full samurai (with an axe instead of a sword):
www.reddit.com/r/MLS/commen...

We are looking at a black and white photo of a woman in a long skirt, waist length jacket with a big hat and fur stole around her neck. She is standing on a set of stairs to the Hall.

We are looking at a woman with white bobbed hair wearing a red robe with faux fur lining. She is wearing a jewel of office around her neck. She is sitting in an old oak chair in the Great Hall.

Happy #InternationalWomensDay!

It won't come as a surprise to you, that the Merchant Adventurers were mostly male, however women did play an active role in the Company. In other words; they kicked ass.

Here below is a shorter than it should be thread of these very cool women:

Recently digitised - at Ramree Town in Burma's Arakan region, two Indian soldiers (prob from the 1st Tripura Rifles) stage a mock duel with captured Japanese swords. Filmed by cameraman John Sprague in April 1945 #filmcataloguing #ww2 #history

Full film: IWM JIN 40 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

Join us in March for our lecture with Rosina Buckland who will explore the British Museum’s major new exhibition (on now until 4 May) which examines the centuries-long trajectory of a Japanese icon, the samurai 🎌
Monday 16 March 2026. Find out more 👉 https://loom.ly/XA6T5dw

【英国から】サムライ1,000年の歴史をひもとく「Samurai」展、5月４日(月)まで大英博物館（ロンドン）で 英国ロンドンの大英博物館で「Samurai」展が開かれています。大英博物館のコレクションを中心に、世界に知られる「サムライ」に関する280点以上が展示されています。戦場をかける武者として、また社会的エリートとしての武士階

A very nice and detailed writeup of the British Museum Samurai exhibition in Japanese:
artexhibition.jp/topics/news/...

BBC Radio 3 - Sunday Feature, Samurai culture Samurai: warrior or poet and musician? Chris Harding visits a British Museum exhibition.

Chris Harding kindly hosted a conversation with Rosina Buckland and I on BBC 3 about the Samurai exhibition at the British Museum.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

I'm a bit late to this announcement but wanted to share that the newest issue of the JJS is now out! Very proud of the essays and book reviews inside. My coeditor Sabine Frühstück, the book review editor Jessamyn Abel, and our managing editors David and now Athena all did incredible work.

York History Department - Academic Jobs Uncover the past to define the future. We are seeking research-led historians to join our world-class, collaborative community. Discover career-defining opportunities within one of the UK’s most disti...

We are advertising 4 jobs at York for historians (1 year medieval, 2 years modern Britain and public history, 3 years modern China, and open ended modern Middle Eastern) features.york.ac.uk/history-jobs/

We attended a brilliant talk @york.ac.uk
on Monday, all about the Samurai exhibition at the British Museum

We’ve got copies of the accompanying book #SIGNED by authors Rosina Buckland @olegb.bsky.social … but only 2 left!

Grab yours!

www.foxlanebooks.co.uk/product-page...

#Samurai #BookSky📚💙

Great that you've received it! Thanks so much for being part of it!

Thanks, Margot!! It's a really nice review and I appreciate the engagement with the material!

The British Museum’s Samurai show proves the brush is mightier than the sword A magnificent exhibition reveals how these fearsome warriors lived on, long after their fighting days were over

Great review; great exhibition. With a sharing link for 3 non-subscribers. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Marshal Nie Rongzhen in a blue military uniform on a large brown horse. There are flowers in the foreground and a rainbow in the background.

With the Year of the Horse approaching at a canter (sorry…), I was delighted to stumble on this excellent 1983 series of paintings of the Nine Marshals of the People's Republic of China at the brilliant Chineseposters.net. chineseposters.net/themes/nine-... #China #History #Chinesenewyear #horses

Rosina Buckland and I recently had an enjoyable chat about the Samurai book (and exhibition!) with the excellent
@newbooksnetwork.bsky.social
hosts Nathan Hopson and Ran Zwigenberg:
newbooksnetwork.com/rosina-buckl...

Samurai Everyone recognises the figure of the samurai - a global icon of the fearless, virtuous warrior. But how much of the legend is true?

NEW! The British Museum’s Samurai exhibition explores historical reality behind the legend, featuring expert insights and a collection of stunning artifacts

Join experts as they discuss how the exhibition interrogates the stereotype.

Samurai - 16 Feb

https://ow.ly/B7fM50Y7xFV

The National Diet Library is exploring the possibility of extending its Digitized Transmission Service for Individuals (DCTI) to those residing outside of Japan. To understand potential demand, the NDL and CULCON have created a survey. Deadline for responses 3/31! forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

It's interesting to see what different reviewers pick up from the exhibition, from women's firefighter robes to Noguchi Tetsuya's glorious sculpture of a samurai riding a rubber duck.

Guardian website with review of Samurai exhibition and woodblock print

Come for the history, stay for the sexy, demonic glory.
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Thanks! I'd love to hear what you think!

Samurai review: Japan’s lethal warrior class are shown in all their sexy, demonic glory Extraordinary battle armour, complete with moustachioed masks, enlivens this scintillating show, which brilliantly captures the theatrical side of a chivalrous epoch

Congratulations to @olegb.bsky.social on a five-star review of the new Samurai exhibition at the British Museum. Opens on 3rd Feb.

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Thanks, Chris!!

Samurai, Castles, and the Making of Modern Japan - A Conversation with Professor Oleg Benesch YouTube video by The East Angle

If you want to hear more from our January Third Thursday Lecture speaker Professor @olegb.bsky.social, he's a guest on the latest episode of The East Angle podcast, run by Dr Ra Mason and Dr Sherzod Muminov from @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social @politicsuea.bsky.social! youtu.be/29YY-7mQvls?...

Woodblock print of 47 Ronin in striking black and white outfits

Photo of warship in black and white "dazzle" camouflage

Who wore it better? The 47 Ronin or the HMS London?

www.britishmuseum.org/collection/i...

publicdomainreview.org/collection/d...

Thank you!!

Thanks!!

Third Thursday Lecture - Samurai, Knights, and Nationalisms: The Middle Ages in Modern Japan YouTube video by Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures

I was very fortunate to have the chance to speak at @sainsbury-institute.org in Norwich last week, and the recording is now online. I really appreciate the invitation, and all of the great questions and comments following the talk.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDGo...

Really looking forward to this, and to being back in Norwich!

Kanazawa is a fantastic one, also because of those layers of history. The university has been largely erased, but there are still traces of the Imperial Japanese Army scattered around, including the divisional HQ and a few postwar memorials.