The military leader of [[Satsuma han|Satsuma]] during the waning days of the [[Tokugawa Bakufu|Tokugawa Shogunate]], Saigô played a pivotal role in the [[Meiji Restoration|restoration of Imperial rule to Japan]]. While his daimyo, [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]], tended to vacillate on his position regarding supporting the shogunate or not, Saigô was resolute in his distaste for the [[Tokugawa clan|Tokugawa]] regime and was determined to completely crush Tokugawa power at almost any cost. Saigô was one of [[Sakamoto Ryoma|Sakamoto Ryôma's]] closest allies and friends, but some historians have speculated that he may have had a hand in Ryôma's assassination by leaking the location of Ryôma's hideout to Bakufu officials. The logic behind this speculation is that Saigô deemed that Ryôma would be a formidable roadblock in his plan to crush the Tokugawa. Surprisingly, Saigô went on to become the commander-in-chief of the Meiji army, laying the groundwork for what became the modern [[Imperial Japanese Army]]. | The military leader of [[Satsuma han|Satsuma]] during the waning days of the [[Tokugawa Bakufu|Tokugawa Shogunate]], Saigô played a pivotal role in the [[Meiji Restoration|restoration of Imperial rule to Japan]]. While his daimyo, [[Shimazu Hisamitsu]], tended to vacillate on his position regarding supporting the shogunate or not, Saigô was resolute in his distaste for the [[Tokugawa clan|Tokugawa]] regime and was determined to completely crush Tokugawa power at almost any cost. Saigô was one of [[Sakamoto Ryoma|Sakamoto Ryôma's]] closest allies and friends, but some historians have speculated that he may have had a hand in Ryôma's assassination by leaking the location of Ryôma's hideout to Bakufu officials. The logic behind this speculation is that Saigô deemed that Ryôma would be a formidable roadblock in his plan to crush the Tokugawa. Surprisingly, Saigô went on to become the commander-in-chief of the Meiji army, laying the groundwork for what became the modern [[Imperial Japanese Army]]. |