Samurai Pageant of History Author:H. Paul Varley The samurai warrior caste, which for centruies held sway as the ruling aristocracy of Japan, was a prime contributor to the country's feudal, militaristic tradition. Even with Japan's entry into the modern age in the late nieteenth century and the formal dissolution of the samurai, their spirit remained alive amongh the Japanese people. Their ... more »intense code of honor, family pride, and fearlessness in the face of death influenced the code of the Japanese military well into the twentieth century.« less