Battle of Myeongnyang
Encyclopedia
In the Battle of Myeongnyang, on October 26, 1597, the Joseon
admiral
Yi Sun-sin
fought the Japanese navy in the Myeongnyang Strait, near Jindo Island
. With only the 13 ships remaining from Won Gyun
's disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chilchonryang
, Admiral Yi Sunsin held the strait against a fleet of 133 Japanese warships and at least 200 logistical support ships. Many Japanese warships were sunk or disabled during the battle and the Japanese were forced to retreat. Given the disparity in numbers, the battle is regarded as one of Admiral Yi's most remarkable victories.
court, Admiral Yi Sunsin was impeached and almost put to death. Yi was instead tortured and demoted to the rank of a common soldier. Yi's rival, Admiral Won Gyun
, took command of the Joseon fleet, which under Yi's careful management had grown from 63 heavy warships to 166.
Won Gyun
was an incompetent military commander who immediately began squandering the Joseon Navy's strength through ill-conceived maneuvers against the Japanese naval base at Pusan. In the Battle of Chilchonryang
, the Japanese navy, with Todo Takatora
in overall command, outmaneuvered the Korean navy and virtually wiped it out. Soon afterwards, the Japanese reinforced their garrisons in Pusan and various forts in the southern coast of Korea, and began the second invasion.
With the Joseon Navy taken out of the scene, the Japanese believed that they now had access to the Yellow Sea
and could resupply their troops through this sea route as they advanced northward. In the 1592 campaigns, Admiral Yi prevented the Japanese from resupplying their troops in this manner and kept their ships holed up at their main bases in Pusan Harbor.
was hastily reinstated as Supreme Commander of the Regional Navies after Won Gyun
was killed at the Battle of Chilchonryang
. Yi only had 12 panokseon
ships at his disposal, which had been saved by Bae Seol, a Joseon officer who escaped early in the Battle of Chilchonryang
. At that time, King Seonjo, who judged that the Joseon navy had lost its power and would never be restored again, sent a letter to abolish the navy and join the ground forces under General Gwon Yul. Admiral Yi famously responded with a letter written "...I still have twelve battle ships...as long as I am alive, the enemy shall never be safe in the Western Sea." Later, one more ship joined with Yi and his small fleet numbered 13. Although Yi only found 100 sailors initially, some of the survivors of Chilchonryang flocked to him, and he had at least 1,500 sailors and marines by the end of September.
After studying numerous arenas for his last stand
with the Japanese navy, Admiral Yi decided on the Myeongnyang Strait. It had very strong currents that flowed at approximately 10 knots, first in one direction, then in the opposite direction, in three hour intervals. Admiral Yi realized he could use this unique condition as a force multiplier
. The narrowness of the strait would prevent the Joseon fleet from being flanked by the numerically superior enemy fleet, and the roughness of the tide prevented the Japanese from effectively enveloping them. By using the shadows of the surrounding hillsides, Yi would be able to establish a visibility advantage for his fleet. And finally, the strait was sufficiently narrow that steel wire could be strategically tightened across its whole width.
On the morning of 26 October, Admiral Yi sent a single battleship to the Japanese navy's base to draw them into his trap. It was a misty day, to the advantage of the Koreans. The Japanese surged into the strait on a favorable tide, and Admiral Yi was waiting for them at the opposite end, using the shadows of the hills to obscure his ships. As the Japanese ships came close to the end of the strait, Admiral Yi ordered his ships to open fire.
Using double salvo cannon fire, the Koreans threw a fierce barrage which quickly began damaging Japanese vessels. In the shadow of the hillsides, Yi's ships were difficult to target. The Joseon ships had flat bottoms that provided more stable and accurate cannon firing platforms than the Japanese ships, which had keel bottoms. To further hamper the enemy ships, Yi had steel ropes tightened across the channel between Japanese fleet groups, which severely dampened the Japanese numerical advantage.
Floating in the water and moving towards the Koreans along the current was a body with the ornate armor of a Japanese daimyo
. The body was hauled aboard by Admiral Yi's men and identified as Kurushima Michifusa
, the commander of the vanguard units of the Japanese fleet and the brother of the late Kurushima Michiyuki, killed in 1592 by Admiral Yi at the Dangpo Battle
. Yi ordered Kurushima's head cut off and posted on the mast of his flagship. At the sight of their commander's head, Japanese morale dropped.
The tide soon shifted and the Japanese ships began to drift backwards and collide with each other. In the confusion, Admiral Yi ordered his ships to advance and press the attack, destroying ships out of all proportion to their relative numbers. The dense formation of Japanese ships crowded in the narrow strait made a perfect target for Joseon cannon fire. The strong tides prevented those in the water from swimming to shore, and many Japanese sailors who abandoned sinking or damaged ships drowned. After the Japanese lost 31 warships and many others received significant damage, their fleet was no longer combat effective, and thus they retreated.
This victory prevented the Japanese from entering the Yellow Sea and resupplying their army, which had recently fought against Joseon and Chinese armies in the Battle of Jiksan
(Cheonan
) and was headed towards the capital city of Hanseong
(Seoul). With their supplies and reinforcements cut off via the sea route, the Japanese had to halt their advance and begin a general retreat.
The victory also freed up the Chinese navy to join Admiral Yi in early 1598. After the destruction of most of the Joseon fleet at Chilchonryang, the Ming
kept their navy stationed at important port cities to guard against possible Japanese naval attacks. The victory at Myeongnyang convinced the Ming government that they could ease security at their major ports and mobilize a fleet to Joseon's aid.
The Japanese navy was heavily damaged (at least 31 battleships destroyed and 91 other ships damaged beyond repair). As previously mentioned, Kurushima was killed, and Todo Takatora
(the hero of Chilchonryang) was wounded. The Japanese navy retreated to Pusan to rest and refit and would not be in fighting condition for several months , providing time for the Koreans to rebuild their fleet and the Chinese to bring naval reinforcements.
First of all, when attacking the Koreans, the Japanese had to do so in smaller groups. The Japanese could not advance all their ships into the channel at the same time; although the current was moving north, it was still unpredictable, with isolated eddies
and whirlpool
s, and sending a mass of ships into the channel would cause them to collide with each other.
Secondly, when the current reversed and flowed south at the end of three hours, the Japanese ships not only drifted away from the battle, but could not maneuver and ended up colliding with each other even if they avoided the eddy problems. This is probably the major reason why there were so many damaged Japanese ships.
Lastly, the rough currents of Myeongnyang made it difficult for anybody who fell overboard or jumped from sinking or burning ships to swim to shore; most of the Japanese in the water ended up drowning.
Joseon
Joseon, Chosŏn, Choseon or Chosun are English spellings of the Korean *word for "Korea". It may refer to:*Korea*Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, from 2333 BC to 108 BC.*Joseon Dynasty of Korea, from AD 1392 to 1910....
admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-shin was a Korean naval commander, famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty, and is well-respected for his exemplary conduct on and off the battlefield not only by Koreans, but by Japanese Admirals as well...
fought the Japanese navy in the Myeongnyang Strait, near Jindo Island
Jindo Island
Jindo Island is the third largest island in South Korea. Together with a group of much smaller islands, it forms Jindo County.It is located in South Jeolla province, just off the southwest corner of the Korean peninsula...
. With only the 13 ships remaining from Won Gyun
Won Gyun
Won Gyun was a Korean general and admiral during the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for his campaigns against Japanese during Hideyoshi's Invasions of Korea. Won was a member of Wonju Won family, which was well known for its members' military accomplishments. He was born in 1540 near Pyeongtaek,...
's disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chilchonryang
Battle of Chilchonryang
The naval Battle of Chilcheollyang took place before dawn on August 27th, 1597 during the Imjin War in Chilcheollyang, which is a narrow strait near Geoje island. It took place during the second invasion of the Japanese...
, Admiral Yi Sunsin held the strait against a fleet of 133 Japanese warships and at least 200 logistical support ships. Many Japanese warships were sunk or disabled during the battle and the Japanese were forced to retreat. Given the disparity in numbers, the battle is regarded as one of Admiral Yi's most remarkable victories.
Prelude
Due to Japanese intrigue taking advantage of the fractious politics of the Joseon DynastyJoseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
court, Admiral Yi Sunsin was impeached and almost put to death. Yi was instead tortured and demoted to the rank of a common soldier. Yi's rival, Admiral Won Gyun
Won Gyun
Won Gyun was a Korean general and admiral during the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for his campaigns against Japanese during Hideyoshi's Invasions of Korea. Won was a member of Wonju Won family, which was well known for its members' military accomplishments. He was born in 1540 near Pyeongtaek,...
, took command of the Joseon fleet, which under Yi's careful management had grown from 63 heavy warships to 166.
Won Gyun
Won Gyun
Won Gyun was a Korean general and admiral during the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for his campaigns against Japanese during Hideyoshi's Invasions of Korea. Won was a member of Wonju Won family, which was well known for its members' military accomplishments. He was born in 1540 near Pyeongtaek,...
was an incompetent military commander who immediately began squandering the Joseon Navy's strength through ill-conceived maneuvers against the Japanese naval base at Pusan. In the Battle of Chilchonryang
Battle of Chilchonryang
The naval Battle of Chilcheollyang took place before dawn on August 27th, 1597 during the Imjin War in Chilcheollyang, which is a narrow strait near Geoje island. It took place during the second invasion of the Japanese...
, the Japanese navy, with Todo Takatora
Todo Takatora
was a Japanese daimyo of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through Edo period. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru to become a daimyo...
in overall command, outmaneuvered the Korean navy and virtually wiped it out. Soon afterwards, the Japanese reinforced their garrisons in Pusan and various forts in the southern coast of Korea, and began the second invasion.
With the Joseon Navy taken out of the scene, the Japanese believed that they now had access to the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
and could resupply their troops through this sea route as they advanced northward. In the 1592 campaigns, Admiral Yi prevented the Japanese from resupplying their troops in this manner and kept their ships holed up at their main bases in Pusan Harbor.
Battle
Admiral Yi Sun-sinYi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-shin was a Korean naval commander, famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty, and is well-respected for his exemplary conduct on and off the battlefield not only by Koreans, but by Japanese Admirals as well...
was hastily reinstated as Supreme Commander of the Regional Navies after Won Gyun
Won Gyun
Won Gyun was a Korean general and admiral during the Joseon Dynasty. He is best known for his campaigns against Japanese during Hideyoshi's Invasions of Korea. Won was a member of Wonju Won family, which was well known for its members' military accomplishments. He was born in 1540 near Pyeongtaek,...
was killed at the Battle of Chilchonryang
Battle of Chilchonryang
The naval Battle of Chilcheollyang took place before dawn on August 27th, 1597 during the Imjin War in Chilcheollyang, which is a narrow strait near Geoje island. It took place during the second invasion of the Japanese...
. Yi only had 12 panokseon
Panokseon
Panokseon was an oar- and sail-propelled ship that was the main class of warship used by the Korean Joseon Dynasty during the late 16th century. The first ship of this class was constructed in 1555...
ships at his disposal, which had been saved by Bae Seol, a Joseon officer who escaped early in the Battle of Chilchonryang
Battle of Chilchonryang
The naval Battle of Chilcheollyang took place before dawn on August 27th, 1597 during the Imjin War in Chilcheollyang, which is a narrow strait near Geoje island. It took place during the second invasion of the Japanese...
. At that time, King Seonjo, who judged that the Joseon navy had lost its power and would never be restored again, sent a letter to abolish the navy and join the ground forces under General Gwon Yul. Admiral Yi famously responded with a letter written "...I still have twelve battle ships...as long as I am alive, the enemy shall never be safe in the Western Sea." Later, one more ship joined with Yi and his small fleet numbered 13. Although Yi only found 100 sailors initially, some of the survivors of Chilchonryang flocked to him, and he had at least 1,500 sailors and marines by the end of September.
After studying numerous arenas for his last stand
Last stand
Last stand is a loose military term used to describe a body of troops holding a defensive position in the face of overwhelming odds. The defensive force usually takes very heavy casualties or is completely destroyed, as happened in "Custer's Last Stand" at the Battle of Little Big HornBryan Perrett...
with the Japanese navy, Admiral Yi decided on the Myeongnyang Strait. It had very strong currents that flowed at approximately 10 knots, first in one direction, then in the opposite direction, in three hour intervals. Admiral Yi realized he could use this unique condition as a force multiplier
Force multiplication
Force multiplication, in military usage, refers to an attribute or a combination of attributes which make a given force more effective than that same force would be without it. The expected size increase required to have the same effectiveness without that advantage is the multiplication factor...
. The narrowness of the strait would prevent the Joseon fleet from being flanked by the numerically superior enemy fleet, and the roughness of the tide prevented the Japanese from effectively enveloping them. By using the shadows of the surrounding hillsides, Yi would be able to establish a visibility advantage for his fleet. And finally, the strait was sufficiently narrow that steel wire could be strategically tightened across its whole width.
On the morning of 26 October, Admiral Yi sent a single battleship to the Japanese navy's base to draw them into his trap. It was a misty day, to the advantage of the Koreans. The Japanese surged into the strait on a favorable tide, and Admiral Yi was waiting for them at the opposite end, using the shadows of the hills to obscure his ships. As the Japanese ships came close to the end of the strait, Admiral Yi ordered his ships to open fire.
Using double salvo cannon fire, the Koreans threw a fierce barrage which quickly began damaging Japanese vessels. In the shadow of the hillsides, Yi's ships were difficult to target. The Joseon ships had flat bottoms that provided more stable and accurate cannon firing platforms than the Japanese ships, which had keel bottoms. To further hamper the enemy ships, Yi had steel ropes tightened across the channel between Japanese fleet groups, which severely dampened the Japanese numerical advantage.
Floating in the water and moving towards the Koreans along the current was a body with the ornate armor of a Japanese daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
. The body was hauled aboard by Admiral Yi's men and identified as Kurushima Michifusa
Kurushima Michifusa
was a Japanese samurai of the late Sengoku period. The 4th son of . Masamichi belonged to the army corps in Fukushima Masanori in the Seven-Year War. He was killed at the Battle of Myeongnyang by the forces of Yi Sun-sin. He was the only Daimyo who was killed during the war.-Notes:...
, the commander of the vanguard units of the Japanese fleet and the brother of the late Kurushima Michiyuki, killed in 1592 by Admiral Yi at the Dangpo Battle
Dangpo Battle
The naval Battle of Dangpo was a battle during the Japanese invasions of Korea . between Korean and Japanese naval forces. It resulted in a Korean victory.-Prelude:...
. Yi ordered Kurushima's head cut off and posted on the mast of his flagship. At the sight of their commander's head, Japanese morale dropped.
The tide soon shifted and the Japanese ships began to drift backwards and collide with each other. In the confusion, Admiral Yi ordered his ships to advance and press the attack, destroying ships out of all proportion to their relative numbers. The dense formation of Japanese ships crowded in the narrow strait made a perfect target for Joseon cannon fire. The strong tides prevented those in the water from swimming to shore, and many Japanese sailors who abandoned sinking or damaged ships drowned. After the Japanese lost 31 warships and many others received significant damage, their fleet was no longer combat effective, and thus they retreated.
This victory prevented the Japanese from entering the Yellow Sea and resupplying their army, which had recently fought against Joseon and Chinese armies in the Battle of Jiksan
Battle of Jiksan
The Battle of Jiksan was a battle fought on September 7, 1597, as part of the Imjin War , fought by Ming forces against the Japanese invaders....
(Cheonan
Cheonan
Cheonan is a city located in the northeast corner of South Chungcheong, a province of South Korea, and is 83.6 km south of the capital, Seoul...
) and was headed towards the capital city of Hanseong
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
(Seoul). With their supplies and reinforcements cut off via the sea route, the Japanese had to halt their advance and begin a general retreat.
Aftermath
The immediate results of the battle were a terrible shock to the entire Japanese command. Without being resupplied or relieved with fresh troops, the morale of the Japanese soldiers declined. Joseon and Chinese armies were able to regroup and push the Japanese back to their network of fortresses on the southeastern coast of Korea.The victory also freed up the Chinese navy to join Admiral Yi in early 1598. After the destruction of most of the Joseon fleet at Chilchonryang, the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
kept their navy stationed at important port cities to guard against possible Japanese naval attacks. The victory at Myeongnyang convinced the Ming government that they could ease security at their major ports and mobilize a fleet to Joseon's aid.
The Japanese navy was heavily damaged (at least 31 battleships destroyed and 91 other ships damaged beyond repair). As previously mentioned, Kurushima was killed, and Todo Takatora
Todo Takatora
was a Japanese daimyo of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through Edo period. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru to become a daimyo...
(the hero of Chilchonryang) was wounded. The Japanese navy retreated to Pusan to rest and refit and would not be in fighting condition for several months , providing time for the Koreans to rebuild their fleet and the Chinese to bring naval reinforcements.
Technical notes
The unique tidal conditions of the strait, which Admiral Yi was careful to study beforehand, affected the Japanese in several ways. The Japanese were not incompetent sailors however, and also were not unaware of nor inexperienced in sailing in rough tides as similar conditions existed in Japan. They counted on the rapid tides of the strait and their vastly superior numbers to break through the Korean line. This turned out to be a miscalculation.First of all, when attacking the Koreans, the Japanese had to do so in smaller groups. The Japanese could not advance all their ships into the channel at the same time; although the current was moving north, it was still unpredictable, with isolated eddies
Eddy (fluid dynamics)
In fluid dynamics, an eddy is the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle. The moving fluid creates a space devoid of downstream-flowing fluid on the downstream side of the object...
and whirlpool
Whirlpool
A whirlpool is a swirling body of water usually produced by ocean tides. The vast majority of whirlpools are not very powerful. More powerful ones are more properly termed maelstroms. Vortex is the proper term for any whirlpool that has a downdraft...
s, and sending a mass of ships into the channel would cause them to collide with each other.
Secondly, when the current reversed and flowed south at the end of three hours, the Japanese ships not only drifted away from the battle, but could not maneuver and ended up colliding with each other even if they avoided the eddy problems. This is probably the major reason why there were so many damaged Japanese ships.
Lastly, the rough currents of Myeongnyang made it difficult for anybody who fell overboard or jumped from sinking or burning ships to swim to shore; most of the Japanese in the water ended up drowning.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- History of KoreaHistory of KoreaThe Korean Peninsula was inhabited from the Lower Paleolithic about 400,000-500,000 years ago. Archeological evidence indicates that the presence of modern humans in northeast Asia dates to 39,000 years ago. The earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 8000 BC, and the Neolithic period began...
- Joseon DynastyJoseon DynastyJoseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
- Last standLast standLast stand is a loose military term used to describe a body of troops holding a defensive position in the face of overwhelming odds. The defensive force usually takes very heavy casualties or is completely destroyed, as happened in "Custer's Last Stand" at the Battle of Little Big HornBryan Perrett...