성웅이순신 사이트를 찾아주셔서 감사합니다 . [ 아산시 ]

I. Yi Sun-sin: A National Hero of Korea

In a nationwide survey conducted by Soonchunhyang University in April 2005, Yi Sun-sin was chosen as the greatest figure in Korean history by 43.8% of the vote (The Chosun Ilbo, April 15, 2005). During the history of Korea, which spans over five millennia, there have been many great Korean heroes, but the survey confirmed that Admiral Yi Sun-sin, who saved Joseon Korea from the brink of collapse during the Japanese invasion of 1592, is still dearly cherished in the hearts of his Koreans today.

It is very regrettable, therefore, that Yi's noble life and the marvelous deeds he performed for his country and its people are not well-known to many outside Korea. Admiral Yi achieved a battle record that no one in history has ever matched. Genghis Khan lost two battles out of the twenty that he fought, Napoleon Bonaparte four battles out of twenty three, Emperor Frederick four battles out of twelve, and Hannibal one battle out of five. Yet in all of the twenty three battles that he fought at sea, Admiral Yi was never once defeated. Overcoming formidable odds in terms of numbers of ships and troops, he led his navy to victory in every engagement he fought during seven years of war with the Japanese, losing in total only two ships of his own.

In his book, The Influence of Sea on the Political History of Japan, George Alexander Ballard, (1862-1948), a vice-admiral of the British Royal Navy, summarized Yi's life and victories as follows.

It is always difficult for Englishmen to admit that Nelson ever had an equal in his profession, but if any man is entitled to be so regarded, it should be this great naval commander of Asiatic race who never knew defeat and died in the presence of the enemy; of whose movements a track-chart might be compiled from the wrecks of hundreds of Japanese ships lying with their valiant crews at the bottom of the sea, off the coasts of the Korean peninsula...and it seems, in truth, no exaggeration to assert that from first to last he never made a mistake, for his work was so complete under each variety of circumstances as to defy criticism... His whole career might be summarized by saying that, although he had no lessons from past history to serve as a guide, he waged war on the sea as it should be waged ifit is to produce definite results, and ended by making the supreme sacrifice of a defender of his country. (p. 6667)

The following is an extract from a paper published by the Japanese Institute of Korean Studies (日本朝鮮硏究所).

Togo returned from the victorious Battle of Tsushima(1905) in which he had defeated the Russian Baltic Fleet, at that time the world's most powerful naval force. He had been instated as Admiral of the Japanese Navy, and at a celebratory gathering, a member of the company exclaimed, "Your great victory is so remarkablethat it deserves an everlasting place in history. You can be regarded the equal of Admiral Nelson, who defeated Napoleon in the Battleof Trafalgar; you are indeed a god of war." To this Admiral Togo replied "I appreciate your compliment. But......if there ever were an Admiral worthy of the name of 'god of war', that one is Yi Sun-sin. Next to him, I am little more than a petty officer."

Japanese scholar Hujizka Akinao mentions in his essay In Admiration of Admiral Yi Sun-sin ("Kyung Hee" Vol. 8. 1977) that Togo regarded Yi as his master, and held a ceremony for him before the Battle of Tsushima (it is a Japanese custom to hold a ceremony for ancestors or historically significant figures before important occasions). Few of the world's great war heroes have been able to avoid criticism and censure, least of all from those they fought against, enduring such taunts as 'brutal oppressors' or 'starving wolves'. Admiral Yi, in contrast, has been held as an object of admiration and reverence even among the Japanese, whose minds were swayed by his pure and absolute loyalty to his country and people, his brilliant use of strategy and tactics which led invariably to victory, his invincible courage that overcame every adverse circumstance, and his unbending integrity. This admiration is apparent in the many speeches and writings by Japanese military officers and historians which speak of Admiral Yi, and following are some examples.

Throughout history there have been few generals accomplished at the tactics of frontal attack, sudden attack, concentration and dilation. Napoleon, who mastered the art of conquering the part with the whole, can be held to have been such a general, and among admirals, two further tactical geniuses may be named: in the East, Yi Sun-sin of Korea, and in the West, Horatio Nelson of England. Undoubtedly, Yi is a supreme naval commander even on the basis of the limited literature of the Seven Years War, and despite the fact that his bravery and brilliance are not known to the West, since he had the misfortune to be born in Joseon. Anyone who can be compared to Yi should be better than Michiel de Ruyter from Netherlands. Nelson is far behind Yi in terms of personal character and integrity. Yi was the inventor of the iron-clad warship known as the Turtle Ship (Geobukseon). He was a truly great commander and a master of the naval tactics of three hundred years ago.

- Sato Destaro (1866-1942), a vice-admiral of the Japanese Navy,

A Military History of the Emperor (帝國國防史論), p. 399.

Yi Sun-sin is a famous Korean general who defeated the Japanese in every one of the battles at sea when Toyotomi Hideyoshi's troops invaded Joseon Korea. He was unique among Joseon civil and military officers for his honesty and incorruptibility, and in terms of leadership and tactics, as well as loyalty and courage, he was an ideal commander almost like a miracle. He was a renowned admiral before the time of Nelson, and has never yet had an equal in world history. Although the existence of this figure grew to be almost forgotten in Korea, the admiration of his memory was handed down in Japan through generations so that his tactics and accomplishments were researched and subjected to close study when the Japanese Navy was established during the Meiji period.

- Siba Ryotaro, "Clouds over the hill" , Sankei Newspaper, March 27, 1972.

Of Admiral Yi's twenty-three sea battles, the most crucial were the Battle of Hansan and Battle of Myongnyang. In the Battle of Hansan, considered as among the greatest naval engagements in history, Yi, by means of his famous 'Crane Wing' formation, achieved a great victory by sinking and capturing fifty-nine of the seventy-three Japanese ships which opposed him, thereby frustrating Hideyoshi's plan of advancing along the coast. The Battle of Myongnyang, in which he defeated 130 enemy ships with 13 ships his own, is regarded among maritime historians as nothing less than a miracle.

Yi is often compared with Admiral Nelson and Admiral Togo. All three men were heroes who fought for the destiny of their countries and saved their countrymen from foreign invasion by the securing of key naval victories. However, the circumstances of Nelson's Battle at Trafalgar and of Togo's Battle at Tsushima differ strikingly from those of the Battle of Myongnyang fought by Admiral Yi.

At the Battle of Trafalgar, England, a nation traditionally strong on the sea, was facing an enemy who was at that time inexperienced in naval warfare, and who commanded a fleet not much larger than her own (27 English ships against 33 French and Spanish ships). In the case of the Battle of Tsushima, also, the Japanese navy had the upper hand in many respects. The Russian crews of the Baltic fleet which opposed them were exhausted after a seven-month voyage which had taken them halfway round the world the Arctic-born Russian crews had suffered greatly from outbreaks of disease as they sailed through the equator area. Taking this into account, it is of little surprise that an intensively trained Japanese Navy, in high morale and fighting near the mainland of Japan,emerged victorious over the dispirited Russian forces. The battles discussed above may be summarized in a chart as follows:

Naval Battles of Togo, Nelson, and Yi

Home Forces

Enemy Forces

Outcome

Togo, Heihachiro
Battle of Tsushima
May 27-28, 1905

4 warships
27 cruisers
Other vessels
(Japan)

11 warship
8 cruisers
Other vessels
(Russia)

Japanese Victory
25 enemy ships
sunk and captured

Nelson, Horatio
Battle of Trafalgar
October 21, 1805

27
(England)

33
(France & Spain)

English Victory
23 enemy ships
sunk and captured

Yi, Sun-sin
Battle of Myongnyang
September 16, 1597

13
(Korea)

330
(Japan)

Korean Victory
31 enemy ships sunk
90 enemy ships
severely damaged

Admiral Yi achieved a truly legendary naval record. His greatness, however, lies not in mere battle figures, but rather in the great and noble sacrifice which he made for his country. The Seven Years War, to which he dedicated both his life and his death, was not a war driven by a politician's desire for imperial expansion, but by his pure wish to defend his country and people against a foreign invader.

II. Historical Background

The closing years of sixteenth century found Joseon Korea beset with considerable political and economical difficulties. Incessant conflicts between political parties had led to corruption, which in turn had led to confusion in the tax system. The effects of inter-party wrangling had inevitably spread to regional governments, destabilizing national politics as a whole. The unjust and unreasonable appointment of officials, and the poor administration which naturally followed, stirred up feelings of distrust and resentment in the people. As a result, there was a decline in military discipline, and national defense was put seriously at risk.

Meanwhile, across the Korea Strait, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had in the year 1590 put an end to 150 years of civil conflict by successfully unifying Japan under his rule. As he was dealing with the task of unification, he had looked for a way to dilute the power of feudal lords (daimyo), who at that time represented the most serious threat to his authority, and thereby reinforce the power of the central government. With this end in mind, he planned the invasion of neighboring countries so that he would be better able to control their internal feuding and divert the energy and attention of the daimyos abroad. At first he requested that Korea aid him in an attempt to conquer Ming China. When his overtures met with steadfast refusal, he resolved to invade the Korean peninsula, on the euphemistic pretext of 'borrowing a road to China.' Korea had sent delegates to Hideyoshi before he took this decision, in order to assess the likelihood of a Japanese invasion, but their conflicting opinions had only managed to divide further a Royal Court already torn apart by factionalism.

Korea, a nation for centuries accustomed to peace, was therefore completely unprepared when Japan presently invaded with 160,000 troops, in the April of 1592. Before the Japanese, with their superior numbers, training, and new arms called muskets, the poorly-equipped Korean military were as good as helpless. The southern defense perimeter was breached with a matter of days, and the forces of Japan began to make their way the north without facing any serious difficulty.

The Korean King, Son Jo, fled with his son to Pyung Yang on April 30 two days later the Japanese reached the capital Seoul, only eighteen days having passed since their unopposed landing in Pusan. As the Japanese army continued their relentless advance northwards, defeating every Korean force which had the courage to face them, King Son Jo and his Court abandoned the defense of Pyung Yang and fled again to Uiju, at the northern tip of the Korean peninsula. The Korean people were furious with the incompetence and irresponsibility of King and his Court. After only two months, the entire country had all but fallen to its victorious Japanese invaders.

III. The Major Naval Battles of Yi

Fortunately, however, Korea had not yet lost control of the sea. Since an over-land supply route would have cost too much in time and resources, the Japanese had hoped at the outset that they would bebe able to convey supplies to their soldiers in the field by boat as the army moved northwards, making use of the southern and western coasts for landing. In this, however, they were disappointed; the series of naval successes that fell to the sailors of Yi Sun-sin not only compensated richly for the losses endured by the beleaguered Korean land forces, thus doing much to restore the country's tattered morale, but also greatly imperiled the situation of the Japanese soldiers by severing their lines of communication and supply, thus bringing their hitherto unchallenged invasion to an abrupt standstill. Following are brief accounts of the most crucial victories won in the extraordinary counter-campaign waged by Admiral Yi.

1. The Battle of Hansan and the 'Crane Wing' Formation

Admiral Yi Sun-sin, having enjoyed a continuous run of successes since May 1592, was now engaged in the task of reorganizing and restoring his naval forces at his headquarters in Yosu.Hideyoshi meanwhile was anxiously looking for an opportunity to blot out the disgrace he had incurred in the recent defeats on the sea. His first task was to re-establish a safe supply-route, and this would necessarily involve the humbling of the Korean navy. With this end in view, he sent Wakisaka Yasuharu, one of his ablest generals, together with 70 ships and an elite detachment of his own troops to Ung-Chun as the First Fleet. The Second Fleet of 40 vessels under Kuki Yoshitaka, and the Third, under Kato Yoshiakira, later joined Wakisaka by Hideyoshi's special command.

Aware of these developments, Admiral Yi assembled a fleet of 51 ships by combining the forces of Admiral Yi Ok-ki with his own, and set off for Kyonnaeryang, where Wakisaka and his fleet were riding at anchor, being joined by Admiral Won-Kyun on the way. He then learned that the channel of Kyonnaeryang was an unfit place for battle, being narrow and strewn with sunken rocks; his board-roofed ships, he reasoned, would be in danger of colliding with one another, and the nearby land would offer the enemy too near a place of refuge if they were defeated. He therefore decided to attempt to lure the enemy out into the open sea before the island of Hansan-do. Since Hansan-do lay between Koje and Kosong, and was thus remote from the safety of the mainland, the Korean navy would be at liberty to attack the enemy in safety, and the enemy, if they chose to swim ashore, would face death by starvation.

According to this plan, he positioned the greater portion of his warships near Hansan, and sent five or six Panokseon (board-roofed ships) into the Kyonnaeryang Channel. Seeing their meager number, the Japanese fleet set sail immediately to offer them battle. Yi then ordered the board-roofed ships to pull back as if in retreat toward Hansan, where the rest of the fleet was lying in wait. As expected, the Japanese fleet, elated by Korean navy's feigned cowardice, and perhaps also by the prospect of the material form Hideyoshi's satisfaction would take, redoubled their fire and began to give chase. Yi, meanwhile, took care to maintain a fixed distance between his own ships and those of the pursuing enemy, and when they emerged into the open sea, and had reached the agreed spot before the island, he shouted suddenly,

"Now, turn and face the enemy! Turn about in Hagik Chin*! Attack the flagship first!"

*Crane Wing formation (Kor. Hagik-jin): One of Admiral Yi's famed naval formations. A Turtle-ship sails at the head of a detachment of board-roofed ships, which spread out in a curved line resembling a crane's wing when they come close to the enemy, thus surrounding him before attacking. The renowned Japanese history journal, History Studies (歷史硏究, May 2002) revealed that Admiral Togo's 'T' formation, used in the Battle of Tsushima, was based on this formation by Admiral Yi.

Immediately, the Korean fleet turned to facethe Japanese and spread out in Hagik-jin, surrounding the foremost vessels in semi-circle; these, before they knew it, were trapped with little to maneuver, and little choice but to remain where they were and weather the storm of cannon balls and fire arrows which Yi's ships now poured upon them. Seeing the fate of their comrades, the remaining enemy ships scattered and fled in all directions and in great confusion, pursued hotly by the Korean fleet. In this engagement, without the loss of their own, Admiral Yi's navy burned and sank 47 enemy ships and captured 12, leaving Wakisaka only 14 ships out of 73, a thousand men out of ten thousand. (footnote 1: No conclusive evidence exists for the loss of 9000 men, but it is by no means an improbable estimate. The Japanese Navy lost 35 large-sized ships, each of which would have typically held 200 men, as well as 17 medium-sized and 7 small-sized ships which would have carried 100 and 40 men each respectively, producing a total of 8980, a figure which is supported by the account of Je Man-chun, an eye-witness of the battle who, while held as a prisoner-of-war in Japan, was able to inspect the "Official Record of the Number of Personnel Recruited and Sent Overseas" (兵糧調發件記), in which it was recorded that Wakisaka had initially 10,000 men under him but later 1,000.)

James Murdoch and Isoh Yamagata write in their book, A History of Japan as follows.

It [the Battle of Hansan]may well be called Salamis of Korea. It signed the death-warrant of the invasion. It frustrated the great motive of the expedition - the humbling of China; and thenceforth, although the war dragged through many a long year, it was carried on solely with a view to mitigating the disappointment of Hideyoshi.

(p. 337)

Having made a catastrophic loss in this last serious gamble, Toyotomi Hideyoshi forbade sea battles to be fought against the Korean navy from then on. The Battle of Hansan, apart from being one of the three most glorious Korean victories in the Seven Year War (footnote 2: The other two being those won at Jinju and Haengju, both land battles), is also considered as ranking among the greatest naval battles of world history.

George Alexander Ballard (18621948), a vice admiral of the British Royal Navy, paid the following tribute to Admiral Yi's extraordinary achievements leading up to the Battle of Hansan in his book, The Influence of the Sea on the Political History of Japan.

This [the Battle of Hansan] was the great Korean admiral's crowning exploit. In the short space of six weeks he had achieved a series of successes unsurpassed in the whole annals of maritime war, destroying the enemy's battle fleets, cutting his lines of communication, sweeping up his convoys,...and bringing his ambitious schemes to utter ruin. Not even Nelson, Blake, or Jean Bart could have done more than this scarcely known representative of a small and cruelly oppressed nation; and it is to be regretted that his memory lingers nowhere outside his native land, for no impartial judge could deny him the right to be accounted among the born leaders of men. (p. 57)

The effects of Yi's latest victory were considerable; the Koreans were now the undisputed masters of the sea, and the Japanese on the Korean mainland completely cut off from their country's support. Shortly after the battle, Pyung Yang fell once again into Korean hands, with the aid of the Ming Chinese forces who had arrived to relieve the land army, and two months later Seoul was abandoned by the invaders, who were shortly after compelled to submit to a truce agreement. In recognition of his ample role in bringing about this happy outcome, Yi was instated as Tongjesa, that is, given the command of the combined naval forces of three provinces, which was then the highest honour in the Korean navy.

2. The Battle of Myongnyang, A Maritime Miracle

In December 1596, when negotiations between Ming China and Japan had broken down, Hideyoshi renewed his invasion plans after a standstill of four years. Admiral Yi was meanwhile in difficulties due to an accusation laid against him by General Won Kyun, and suffering also from the intrigues of the Japanese double-agent Yoshira. Won Kyun, who always taken it extremely ill that Yi should hold a position higher than his own, had not only deliberately countermanded many of his orders in past, but also frequently made false reports to the King's Court concerning the state of the Navy and the results of battles with a view to defaming Yi's character. There was as a result a growing suspicion at court that the flourishing admiral could not be trusted.

The Japanese, moreover, aware that if they were to succeed in their fresh invasion plans, they would need first to eliminate the man who had been the ruin of all their former attempts, devised a plan to oust him from the favor of the King. A Japanese soldier named Yoshira was sent to the camp of the Korean general, Kim Eung-su, to whom he represented that he would be prepared to work for the Koreans as a spy. The general readily agreed, and so Yoshira was able for a long time to act the role of an informer, giving the Koreans what appeared to be valuable information. One day he reported to General Kim as follows, 'Before long, General Kato Kiyomasa of Japan will arrive in Joseon. I will soon be able to provide you with full details regarding the exact times and the ship on which he is sailing, but in the meantime, let Joseon send the Tongjesa to intercept him.'

General Kim believed him, and requested permission from King Son Jo to send Admiral Yi to the scene of the enemy's expected approach, which he received. Yi, however, knowing as he did that the location given by the spy was one made highly dangerous by the many submerged rocks beneath the water's surface, and that it would be an act of suicide to attempt any kind of operation in such conditions, found himself unable to obey his orders. When informed of this by General Kim, King Son Jo was greatly angered, assuming that Yi was disobeying him out of mere haughtiness. Consequently, Yi was placed under arrest and taken to Seoul in chains, where he was beaten and tortured. The King wanted at first to have him put to death, but the Yi's supporters at Court convinced him to spare the admiral in view of his many past services to the throne. Spared the death penalty, the Tongjesa was demoted to the rank of common foot soldier, a humiliation he accepted without a word of complaint or resentment.

Won Kyun, thanks to the exertions of his partisans the Suin faction at court, was instated as Tongjesa in Yi Sun-sin's place, as he had wished for so long. He was, however, far inferior to Yi in his direction of naval affairs, and lazy in the duties of managing the soldiers and the fleet. Meanwhile, the spy Yoshira continued to urge General Kim to send the Korean navy to intercept the fleet of Japanese ships, which he announced were now on the point of arriving. The order was given, and Won Kyun, having marshaled together every ship he could find, reluctantly set sail. The result, as might have been predicted, was disastrous, and made even worse by Won Kyun's inept and clumsy maneuvers, by which he very narrowly avoided bringing the entire Korean fleet to destruction. Panic-stricken, and having lost the confidence of all his men, the admiral fled to land, only to be beheaded by a Japanese soldier lying in wait for him. This battle was the sole naval defeat experienced by the Korean navy throughout the whole course of the Seven Years War, but its outcome was devastating and irreparable. Of the Korean Navy's 134 warships, a mere 12 escaped to safety under Commander Bae Sull.

With the news of Won Kyun's disastrous defeat, the King repented of his rash decision, and hastily reinstated Yi as Supreme Naval Commander. Even though King Son Jo harboured a perverse jealousy towards Yi, who was in truth more admired by the Korean people than he was himself, there was no one else he could reasonably appoint, for Yi was the only man capable of putting an end to the present troubles of the state. Yi Sun-sin, in spite of his previous shameful demotion and recent heartbreaking news of his mother's death, made his way to headquarters, ready to do his duty, and during the journey he planned his campaign. He ventured to take the longer, more dangerous route around the Cholla Province, before the face of his pursuing enemies, so that he would be able to gather together the remaining ships with the help of refugees, requisition supplies and weapons, and make new recruits. He also visited the officials of each village he passed in order to give them encouragement, and help restore the collapsed local administration. He nursed within himself a passionate sense of duty, and a loyal conviction that the destiny of his country and people now depended on his labors.

When he arrived, he found that he had only 12 ships at his disposal. He managed to obtain one more ship, provided by local residents. The King's Court, learning of the pitiful condition of the fleet, urged Yi to give up the fight on the sea and join his forces with those of the land army, which would mean the effective dissolution of the Korean Navy.Yi, however, submitted the following memorial to the throne insisting on the importance of preserving the country's naval force.

During the past five or six years, since the earliest days of the war, the enemy have been unable to penetrate the Chungchon and Cholla provinces directly, for our navy has blocked their way. Your humble servant still commands no fewer than twelve ships. If I engage the enemy fleet with resolute effort, even now, as I believe, they can be driven back. The total decommissioning of our navy would not only please the enemy, but would open up for him the sea route along the coast of Chungchong Province, enabling him to sail up the Han River itself, which is my heart's greatest fear. Even though our navy is small, I promise you that as long as I live, the enemy cannot despise us.

- The Complete Works of Yi Sun-sin, Vol. 9

Yi's memorial convinced the King and his courtiers, and the plans to abandon the navy were themselves set aside. Meanwhile, despite his seemingly hopeless situation, Yi was doing his best to make preparations for the coming battle. To cope with the enemy's vastly greater numbers, therefore, the engagement would have to take place in a long narrow strait which the enemy fleet would only be able to enter by dividing into smaller groups. On the southern coast, only were two places answering to this description: Kyonnaeryang and Myongnyang. The former was already under Japanese control, and so Yi moved his headquarters to Myongyang with all speed.

On the 15th September 1597, one day before the decisive battle, Admiral Yi called together all his staff officers and ships' captains, and delivered the following address.

"According to the principles of strategy, 'He who seeks death will live, and he who seeks life will die'. And again, 'If one defender stands watch by a strong gateway, he may drive terror deep into the heart of an enemy coming up by the ten thousand.' To men in our condition, these sayings are worth more than gold. You, my Captains, are expected to render strict obedience to my commands. If you do not, not even the least error will be pardoned, nay, but severely punished according to Martial Law".

-War Diary, September 15, 1597

On the 16th September, early in the morning, Yi was brought news that a large fleet of Japanese ships was approaching his base. He called on all his captains to take the Oath of Valour, then himself weighed anchor and put out to sea at the head of his fleet, ready to engage an enemy fleet of 330 war vessels with only 13 of his own.

The thirteen ships of the Korean Navy stood arrayed against the enemy in Ilja-jin (One Line Formation). Ilja-jin is one of the simplest formations, consisting of a group of ships lined abreast with their prows facing the enemy; understandably, with only 13 ships, Yi was not at liberty to attempt anything more complex or diverse. Thus a single battle line of the Korean Navy faced a huge enemy fleet of over 300 vessels.

Owing to the narrowness of the channel, only 130 Japanese ships were able to come in to attack; before long, they had surrounded Admiral Yi's fleet. Outnumbered by ten to one, the overwhelmed captains of the Korean Navy stealthily began to pull back in fear. The flagship of Yi, however, sped forward alone into the midst of the advancing enemy, fearlessly bombarding them with a constant volley of arrows and gun-fire.

As the Japanese fleet enveloped the flagship with line after line, the sailors on board lost heart, and crouched down, motionless. Admiral Yi quietly remonstrated with them, "Though the enemy may boast of his thousand warships, he will not dare come near us. Have no fear! Engage the enemy with all your might!"Yi looked about for his other ships, but they had already fallen astern from the flagship by some distance.

He raised the military command flag and hoisted a call signal towards the captains, whereupon they drew nearer to the flagship. Admiral Yi called to one of them furiously "Do you want to be hanged under court martial? Do you want to die by military command? Do you think you can live by hanging back?" Awakened by these words, the ships of An and Kim charged the enemy line at full speed, and fought desperately. But they soon grew exhausted in the face of the countless enemies who crowded in unceasingly against them.

At that moment, the tide of the battle was turned by a single fortunate circumstance. On Admiral Yi's Flagship there was surrendered Japanese named Toshisuna, who worked for Yi as a translator. As he looked down upon the enemy soldiers and sailors swimming in blood on the surface of the sea, the dead body of a man clothed in a red brocade uniform caught his eye; it was Matashi (Kurushima), the Japanese general. Straightaway, Admiral Yi ordered his men to haul up the floating body and display it to the enemy, suspending from the top of the mast. As expected, the sight of their dead commander sent terror and dread sweeping through the Japanese navy.

Just then, the current of the Myongnyang, which changed direction four times a day, every six hours, turned against the Japanese navy, in favor of the Korean fleet, putting the formations of both sides out of order. Admiral Yi quickly took command, and at his encouragement the Korean ships darted forward beating drums and calling out battle cries. The Japanese fleet scattered and took to flight. Taking advantage of the tide's new direction, the confined nature of the battleground, and the cumbersome size of the enemy fleet, now a weakness rather than a strength, Yi's fleet drove the enemy into a melee of chaos and destruction.

As they lost order, the Japanese ships became entangled, ramming into one another, as if fighting amongst themselves. The Korean navy meanwhile kept up the attack, hailing down arrows and firing the cannons marked "Earth" and "Black." (footnote 3: for an explanation of these terms, see section IV on the Geobukseon). Of the 130 enemy war craft that entered the Myongnyang Strait, 31 ships were sunk and more than 90 were severely damaged; none of the Korean ships were lost. Such was the Battle of Myongnyang, won, as Admiral Yi wrote in his diary, purely by the grace of heaven, and regarded accordingly by subsequent generations as a miracle in the history of marine warfare.

3. The Battle of Noryang:

Japan's second invasion of Korea in 1597 was encumbered once again by the formidable presence of Admiral Yi on the sea, as well as the volunteer Korean patriots and Chinese relief forces on land. The death of Hideyoshi in the August of the following year brought with it the recall of the Japanese forces from Korea. Admiral Yi conceived an ambition to block the enemy's return route in collaboration with the Ming Chinese Navy, at that time under the command of Admiral Chen Lien.

Chen Lien, however, had been offered a bribe by Konish Yukinaga, a Japanese general, in return for his granting the Japanese navy a safe passage back to Japan. The two admirals, therefore, with opposite purposes, each attempted to persuade the other, the one hoping to destroy the retreating Japanese force, the other to spare it. In the end, Lien could do nothing but accept Yi's adamant intention to intercept the fleeing enemy forces. While these plans were being made, Yukinaga sent a message to his colleague Simath Yoshihiro, requesting him to assemble the entire Japanese fleet at Noryang, planning, in the process of their retreat, to make one final attack on the combined naval forces of Korea and China.

Yi therefore ordered his crews to sail out to Noryang, where he engaged the Japanese in a fierce battle, in which 50 enemy ships were destroyed. Around daybreak the following day, the Japanese navy, unable to resist any longer, began to flee towards Kwaneumpo, imagining that they were heading for open sea. Upon reaching it, however, they discovered that they were blocked in on every side. Left with no choice but to turn back and fight, the Japanese ships charged at the flagship of Admiral Yi. Chen Lien, discovering that Yi was in trouble, penetrated the encircling line of the enemy fleet and brought him to safety. As the battle continued, however, it was now Chen Lien who found himself surrounded by circles of enemy ships. Yi, noticing three enemy generals standing in the bow the Main Command ship directing and encouraging their fleet, ordered all his gunners to aim for them. Of the three, one was killed. The noose then loosened as the encircling ships headed towards their Main Command ship for her protection, and Chen Lien was safe.

The combined Korean and Chinese navies then renewed their attack on the Japanese, sinking 200 of their ships. As Admiral Yi, roaring out the call to advance, led the fleet in a final foray against the forces that remained, he was hit by a stray bullet from an enemy vessel, and fell, mortally wounded. Yi bid his men cover him with a shield. "The battle is at its height," he said to them, "Tell no one of my death." These final words he left behind him as a bequest of loyalty to his country. By his side stood his eldest son Hoe and his nephew Wan with bows in their hands. Holding back their tears, they continued to wave the flag and beat the drum, signaling to the navy to fight on.

Admiral Yi's sailors did not slacken in their efforts until the very last moments of the battle were over. As a result, only 50 out of the 500 Japanese were able to escape. And it was this, the Battle of Noryang, which finally put an end to the Seven Years War.

IV. The Geobukseon or 'Turtle Ship'

The Geobukseon, also known as the Turtle Ship, was the first ironclad warship in the world.

Boasting unparalleled firepower and mobility, it proved a pivotal instrument for victory in the sea battles under Admiral Yi. Effectively a sea tank, it was capable of sinking large numbers of enemy vessels, and so did much to maintain the morale of Korean sailors, so often outnumbered by the vast fleets of the Japanese navy.

It should not be supposed that Admiral Yi designed and built the Turtle Ship entirely by himself. The planning and the actual construction of the Geobukseon required the combined efforts of a large number of people, both craftsmen and naval officers. On the practical side of the work, for instance, Na Dae-yong (1556~1612) played one of the most important roles in bringing the plans for the first ship to fruition.

An Overview of Geobukseon:

The following are the main features of Geobukseon, as recorded by Yi Sun-sin's nephew, Yi Boon, in his book, Haeng Rok.

1. Its dimensions are 34.2m in length, 6.4m in height, and 10.3m in width; it is thus roughly the same size as a Panokseon (the standard warship of the Korean Navy at the time of the Seven Years War).

2. The prow is fashioned in the shape of a dragon's head; cannon balls are fired through the mouth.

3. The stern is in the shape of a turtle's tail. Additional gun ports are stationed beneath it.

4. The turtle's 'back' is a roof made with planks, and is covered with iron spikes. Amid the spikes is a narrow, cross-shaped alley that serves as a passageway along the roof for the crew to use.

5. Six gun ports are positioned on each side of the deck.

6. During combat the spikes on the roof are concealed with straw mats, on which an unsuspecting enemy will be impaled if he tries to board.

7. Any attack from port or starboard is repelled by arrows and cannon-fire, which can be launched from every part of the ship.

8. From the inside, the outside can be seen, but the inside cannot be seen from the outside.

9. It employs every variety of projectile-based weapon, including long-ranging cannon such asChon (Heaven), Ji (Earth), Hyun (Black) and Hwang (Yellow).

10. As such, it is able to roam freely and unopposed amid many hundreds of enemy ships.

Detailed Description:

The Geobukseon was mounted with a dragon's head at the bow, and a turtle's tail at the stern. It had two decks, a lower deck for oarsmen and the storage of supplies, and an upper deck for archers and gunners. It was specially designed so that its sailors could see their enemies outside while themselves remaining invisible.

In the naval warfare of the day, it was usual to attempt to board an opponent's ship and engage him in hand to hand combat. The Geobukseon was designed with a view to making this kind of assault particularly difficult. Not only was the ship roofed over, protecting both combat(45) and non-combat(80) personnel alike, but the roof itself was fitted with deadly iron spikes, often concealed beneath innocent-looking straw mats.

Unlike other warships, the Geobukseon had guns stationed not only along its sides, but also in the bow and in the stern, allowing it unprecedented accuracy and flexibility of range in fire power. The dragon head was designed not only to 'breathe out' flaming arrows and cannon balls, but also sulphurous fumes and clouds of smoke, which provided the Korean Navy with cover for tactical maneuvers, as well as frightening the more superstitious of the Japanese sailors.

A little below the bow, there protruded the head of a gargoyle, which served as a charging device, and together with the dragon head constituted the secret of the Geobukseon's tactic of ramming. In battle, the Geobukseon would charge an enemy ship and, once the gargoyle's head had breached its hull, cannon balls would be fired from the dragon's head into the breach as the ship withdrew. The gargoyle had the further effect of improving the ship's hydrodynamic performance by cutting the waves as the ship sped along, thus increasing its ramming speed.

Two further features of the Geobukseon made it particularly serviceable for the execution of this tactic. First, it was built with Red Pine timbers no less than 12cm in diameter; the advantage offered by this type of wood was that its relative density of 0.73 was much higher than that of average timber, which lay typically between 0.41-0.47. Secondly, wooden nails were used in the construction of the Geobukseon; unlike metal, which was quick to rust, the wooden nails absorbed water and expanded, and thus over time the joints became more secure. Indeed, the Geobukseon as a whole was constructed on this principle: support beams were fitted to the roofs by means of a system of matching indentations and interlocking teeth, thus making the entire structure of the vessel stronger and more resilient.

The Japanese ships, built out of wood with a low density, were light and swift, but the relative weakness of the wood to withstand the recoil of a cannon put a restriction on the number of heavy fire-arms that could be carried on one ship, and consequently they normally preferred to use muskets, which had a maximum range of 100 meters. The Geobukseon, on the other hand, were able to carry a whole array of different cannons on board, including long-distance cannons such as the Chon (Heaven) with a range of over 500 meters, the Ji (Earth), its slightly smaller companion, which had a range of 350 meters, and the Seung (Victory), a portable cannon, with a range of up to 200 meters.

Geobukseon had 8 oars on either side, with a team of five men a leader and four regular oarsmen - assigned to each oar, making a total rowing crew of 80. During combat every oarsman was expected to be on duty, but at other times they would take turns at the oar in pairs. The leader would direct his colleagues to row forward or backward, to increase or decrease speed, to halt or turn about, according to the changing circumstances of the battle. This innovative division of duties thus gave the Geobukseon superior potential of movement not only in terms of speed but also in terms of the range of its possible maneuvers.

The combat personnel on board the Geobukseon were divided into three groups: Gunners, Chargers, responsible for the loading of cannons with shells and gunpowder, and Archers. It was thus possible for the Geobukseon to produce an uninterrupted shower of cannon balls and fire-arrows, wreaking havoc on everything that came within its range.

The number of gun ports generally varied from ship to ship, but the Tong Je Young Geobukseon which we find described in the Complete Works of Yi Sun-sin, had a total of 74: 12 ports on either side of the turtle's back, 44 on either side of the shielded boards underneath, 2 above and below dragon's head, and so on.

Invented late in the 16th century, Geobukseon was a unique warship, the like of which cannot be found used anywhere else in world naval history. Planned with meticulous care, and the result of much detailed scientific research, it boasted unsurpassed structure and performance. Above all, much meaning lies in the fact that Geobukseon was a refinement and a remodeling of Panokseon, the existing warship of Korea, based on careful investigation of the primary Japanese tactic of grappling and boarding.

Replicas of Geobukseon are on display in various national museums, such as the War Memorial of Korea, as well as in other museums throughout the world, such as the Wasington D.C. War Memorial Museumin North America, the Maritime Museum of Great Britain, and in many other countries including China, Japan, Germany, France, Canada and so on.

V. The War Diary of Yi Sun-sin

Yi Sun-sin kept a careful record of daily events in his diary. This diary, when completed, contained some 2539 entries, both private and official, together comprising an account of his life in the camps during the period of the Seven Years War, the first entry appearing on January 1, 1592, the day of his appointment as Admiral of the Left Cholla Province, and the last on November 17, 1598, two days before his death at the battle of Noryang. Two copies of the diary have survived to us: one is the original diary (designated National Treasure No.76), and is housed at the Asan Memorial Shrine, and the second is to be found in The Complete Works of Yi Sun-sin, a work edited and published by Yoon Haeng-im by Royal Command in the 19th year of King Jeong Jo's reign, 1795. Admiral Yi did not give an official title to his diary, but it has been known as War Diary (Kor. Nangjung Ilgi) since Yoon conceived it as a convenient title when compiling his Complete Works.

War Diary is a source of the utmost historical importance, as its detailed pages provide for us the most reliable information about the course of events during the Seven Years War. Not only this, but it is from its entries that we have learned much of what we know today about the mind and character of a hero who saved Korea almost half a millennium ago. War Diary presents a vivid description of Admiral Yi's daily life, military affairs, secret strategic meetings, of social visits from friends, family, colleagues and celebrities, of rewards and punishments, correspondence, personal reflections on the state of the country, and so on. Its thoroughness of detail and its style, straightforward and sincere, reflect the true spirit of a warrior the very strokes of the brush illustrate the nobility of the author's soul, a nobility which makes the War Diary a true artwork.

VI. Life and Death of Admiral Yi Sun-sin

This chapter is based on a paper entitled His Leadership, a Historic Turning Point by Kim, Hoon,

the author of Song of Knife

The life and splendid accomplishments of Admiral Yi took place amid grim hardships and constant adversities his country was in crisis and his people were suffering. From the outside he had the Japanese to contend with, from within, the jealousy and mischievous slanders of the King and his Court. The war in which he took part was a desperate fight on which the fate of his nation depended. His was a heavy responsibility, and one undertaken in spite of the almost total absence of material support and reinforcement from central or local governments.

The one thing Yi receivedfrom the government was the position of Tongjesa, Supreme Naval Commander, which immediately made him the target of political antagonism and intrigue, and later became the cause of his demotion and imprisonment. The local governments were officially obliged to provide the navy with supplies for battle, but the collection and distribution of these supplies weremade almost impossible by the constant desertion of farmers from the land, and the incorrigible venality of local officials. The results spoke for themselves. In 1593, the Korean navy suffered from serious starvation in their camp at Hansan. Around 600 sailors (that is, around 10% of the total manpower) died of hunger, while the rest endured malnutrition and serious illness. In such circumstances, it was a hard task indeed for Admiral Yi to muster sufficient numbers of men to fight for him.

Yi's work was not limited to commanding his men in battles; he was also responsible for provisions, military supplies, distribution, recruitment, care for the wounded, shipbuilding, manufacture of cannon and ammunition, farming, and salt production, as a source of raising money. In short, he had to provide for every aspect of warfare by and for himself. The government, meanwhile, so far from lending him support, would even occasionally send for supplies of paper and weapons for the Royal Court from his camp.

Yi's political misfortunes dated back to the days before his appointment in the Royal Navy, when he began his military career as a junior officer. His promising career was suddenly cut short when, at the age of 46, he became an innocent victim of the bitter struggle for power between the warring parties at court. Yi Sun-sin was a man whose only loyalties were to his country and to his principles; a man of this kind, for whom personal glory and influence held so little interest, and who never paid deference to power for its own sake, was naturally a thorn in the side of the corrupt politicians who were his contemporaries; it was in actual fact his upright character which constituted the true substance of the accusation laid against Yi Sun-sin at Hansan. Officially, however, it was charged that he had:

(1) Deceived and thereby held in contempt the throne and his court.

(2) Betrayed his country by failing to attack a retreating enemy.

(3) Assumed credit for others' accomplishments, and slanderedthe innocent.

(4) Shown treasonous disrespect to the King by not answering His Summons.

These grave allegations were the fruits of Yi Sun-sin's disastrous relationship with General Won Kyun, which had begun soon after the outbreak of war, and also the result of the efforts of the Japanese double agent, Yoshira, working to eliminate Yi and thus clear the path of the Japanese campaign.

Seven Royal Assemblies were held in order to determine Yi's fate. The discussion held among the courtiers was recorded for us by the Son Jo Sillok (Royal Secretary). From this, it is clear that King Son Jo had already decided that Yi should be killed, and that he was constantly soliciting the agreement of the court by means of subtle hints. The admiral's supporters, however, succeeded in convincing the King that the execution of a general during wartime could only be in the interests of the enemy. In this way, Yi narrowly escaped being put to death, and was led back to prison. When the second Japanese invasion took place, he found himself fighting as acommon foot soldier. In a rigidly hierarchical such as that of Joseon dynasty Korea, demotion from Supreme Naval Command to the rank of common soldier was one of the worst humiliations imaginable, more bitter than even the death penalty.

It is a testament to the noble nature of Yi Sun-sin that in his diary we find no mention of his torture and demotion, nor of political intrigue and persecution. Neither is any trace of his misfortune and disgrace to be found in much of the literature written about him by others. He left no record or statement on the subject of his dishonour and dismissal. As a disgraced private soldier, he kept his silence; and later, when he had to fight with only 13 ships against a 330-strong enemy fleet after Won Kyun's disastrous defeat, he quietly did his duty without blaming anyone.

The task of leading and controlling his men was never an easy one. The crimes of robbery, rape, disobedience, mutiny, drunkenness, desertion, divulgence of military secrets, improper recruitment, espionage, dissemination of false rumors all these took place, as they do in all such camps during wartime.

Yi Sun-sin, however, forced his men to face the hellish reality of life, the wretched plight of the Korean navy, and never accepted any excuse for avoiding them. He shared with his men the firm belief that 'He who seeks death will live, and he who seeks life will die' he put his belief into practice by always leading his navy fromthe front in battle, and was wounded in the Battle of Sacheon as a result of this courageous policy.

Throughout his whole career, Yi Sun-sin fought face to face with death on behalf of his country and countrymen. And in the last battle of the war, he finally offered up his life.

VII. Conclusion

Sitting alone under lighted candle, I took thought of the present state of our nation's affairs; I found the tears rolling down my cheeks.

-War Diary, January 1, 1595

Withhis uncompromising loyalty, his dauntless will and steadfast courage, he saved his country when its leaders were lost in the crisis of war.

He firmly held on to honest principles, put an end to evil customs, and led his men with thorough preparation and a pioneering spirit.

He possessedunshakable conviction, achieved repeated successes in battles by means of brilliant tactics and strategy, and by his unselfish devotion, gained the absolute trust of his men.

He had no experienced, well-trained navy as Admiral Togo and Admiral Nelson had, nor was he himself trained as an admiral.

His country was small and weak and unable to support him.

However, even the Heavens were moved by his noble spirit of loyalty, and he attained the legendary record of 23 consecutive victories.

He raised upfruit from barren earth.

Indeed, he created everything from nothing.

To Koreans, he is not a hero, but a holy hero.

He is Admiral Yi Sun-sin.