Summary
This detailed biography by William Elliot Griffis, published in 1910, chronicles the life and legacy of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry—a pivotal figure in American naval history.
Best known for his 1853–1854 expedition that opened Japan to the West, Perry is portrayed here as the embodiment of the evolving American naval officer: disciplined, innovative, and ambitious, with a strong belief in national progress and technological advancement.
Griffis, a scholar of East Asian culture and history, presents Perry not merely as a military man but as a diplomatic bridge-builder whose efforts reshaped international relations in the Pacific.