Lawrence Olson
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Olson was an American
historian
specializing in Japan
who served as the Professor of History at Wesleyan University
. In 1987, the Government of Japan
honored him with the Order of the Sacred Treasure
, the highest honor available to a foreigner, in recognition of his efforts in raising awareness of Japan
in the United States. He was a Professor of History at Wesleyan University.
, Tennessee
, Olson grew up in Mississippi
and received his undergraduate training at the University of Mississippi
, graduating in 1938. He completed a master of arts
at Harvard University
in 1939 and following the interruption of the Second World War, earned his doctorate there in 1955. During World War II, Olson graduated from the United States Navy
Japanese Language School in Boulder, Colorado
. He served in naval intelligence as a lieutenant with the Pacific Fleet Radio Unit
, Station HYPO
, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This unit intercepted and attempted to decipher the Japanese military code messages.
in Washington DC between 1948 and 1950, and he served as cultural attaché at the American embassy in Manila
, Philippines
from 1951 to 1952, before finishing his PhD at Harvard. In 1955, he joined the American Universities Field Staff, an educational foundation dedicated towards providing in-depth studies of contemporary foreign society. He lived in Japan for the majority of the next twelve years, serving initially as a staff associate with the body. From 1962 to 1966 he was a senior staff associate. He and his family also retained a home in Manchester, Massachusetts, during that period. He returned to the United States to take up an academic post.
Olson was responsible for developing the program in Asian studies at Wesleyan University
, Middletown, Connecticut
. He served on the faculty at the school from 1966 until his retirement in 1986. He continued his scholarly work after retirement, and his new book, Ambivalent Moderns: Portraits of Japanese Cultural Identity, was published in the month he died.
Olson wrote many pieces on the social, political, and economic issues that faced Japan in that era. His work was important reading for U.S. government officials and others concerned with making policy towards Japan. He also lectured extensively on Japan. In addition to his new book, he authored Dimensions of Japan (1963) and Japan in Postwar Asia (1970), as well as a poetry anthology, The Cranes on Dying River and Other Poems (1947). Olson knew the importance of language and history in the study of East Asia and drew upon these in his own writing and teaching about Japan.
He was decorated in 1987 by the Government of Japan with the Order of the Sacred Treasure
in recognition of his role in spreading knowledge of Japan in the United States.
Olson died of cancer at his home in Washington, D.C. on March 17, 1992.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
specializing in Japan
History of Japan
The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...
who served as the Professor of History at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
. In 1987, the Government of Japan
Government of Japan
The government of Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the 1947 constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected...
honored him with the Order of the Sacred Treasure
Order of the Sacred Treasure
The is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, the highest honor available to a foreigner, in recognition of his efforts in raising awareness of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the United States. He was a Professor of History at Wesleyan University.
Early years
Born on May 7, 1918, in MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Olson grew up in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and received his undergraduate training at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
, graduating in 1938. He completed a master of arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1939 and following the interruption of the Second World War, earned his doctorate there in 1955. During World War II, Olson graduated from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Japanese Language School in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
. He served in naval intelligence as a lieutenant with the Pacific Fleet Radio Unit
Fleet Radio Unit
Fleet Radio Units were the major centers for Allied cryptological and signals intelligence during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Initially two FRUs were established in the Pacific, one at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, called Station HYPO or FRUPAC , and the other, called Station CAST or Belconnen,...
, Station HYPO
Station HYPO
Station HYPO, also known as Fleet Radio Unit Pacific was the United States Navy signals monitoring and cryptographic intelligence unit in Hawaii during World War II. It was one of two major Allied signals intelligence units, called Fleet Radio Units in the Pacific theaters, along with FRUMEL in...
, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This unit intercepted and attempted to decipher the Japanese military code messages.
Academic career
After the end of the war, Olson worked at the Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
in Washington DC between 1948 and 1950, and he served as cultural attaché at the American embassy in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
from 1951 to 1952, before finishing his PhD at Harvard. In 1955, he joined the American Universities Field Staff, an educational foundation dedicated towards providing in-depth studies of contemporary foreign society. He lived in Japan for the majority of the next twelve years, serving initially as a staff associate with the body. From 1962 to 1966 he was a senior staff associate. He and his family also retained a home in Manchester, Massachusetts, during that period. He returned to the United States to take up an academic post.
Olson was responsible for developing the program in Asian studies at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
, Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. He served on the faculty at the school from 1966 until his retirement in 1986. He continued his scholarly work after retirement, and his new book, Ambivalent Moderns: Portraits of Japanese Cultural Identity, was published in the month he died.
Olson wrote many pieces on the social, political, and economic issues that faced Japan in that era. His work was important reading for U.S. government officials and others concerned with making policy towards Japan. He also lectured extensively on Japan. In addition to his new book, he authored Dimensions of Japan (1963) and Japan in Postwar Asia (1970), as well as a poetry anthology, The Cranes on Dying River and Other Poems (1947). Olson knew the importance of language and history in the study of East Asia and drew upon these in his own writing and teaching about Japan.
He was decorated in 1987 by the Government of Japan with the Order of the Sacred Treasure
Order of the Sacred Treasure
The is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
in recognition of his role in spreading knowledge of Japan in the United States.
Olson died of cancer at his home in Washington, D.C. on March 17, 1992.