In the Battle of Myeongnyang, on October 26, 1597, the Korean admiral Yi Sunsin fought the Japanese navy at sea in Myeongnyang Strait, near Jindo Island. He only had 13 ships, which was all that was left from Won Kyun's disastrous defeat at the Battle of Chilchonryang. Admiral Yi Sunsin held the strait from a fleet of 133 Japanese warships and at least 200 Japanese 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. Panokseon (board roofed or superstructured ships) was the main type of warship used by the Korean Joseon Dynasty during the late 16th century, and was first constructed in 1555. ... Composition Japanese Left Army under the rule of Ukita Hideie, consisted mainly of the former First division led by Konishi Yukinaga, the Fourth Division led by Shimazu Yoshihiro and the Eight Division led by Ukita Hideie Ukita Hideie (宇喜多秀家) - 10000 men Konishi Yukinaga (小西行長) - 7000 men So Yoshitomo (宗義智) - 1000 men Matsuura Shigenobu... Combatants Fleet of Toyotomi Hideyoshi Korean navy Commanders Todo Takatora Katō Yoshiaki Wakisaka Yasuharu Konishi Yukinaga Shimazu Tadayuta Won Gyun† Choe Ho† Yi Eok-gi† Bae Seol Strength 500-1000 total ships 169 total ships Casualties minimal 157 ships lost The naval Battle of Chilcheollyang took place before dawn on... // Background The Forces : Chinese-Korean forces Ming-Chinese forces 3,000 men: Yang Yuan Korean forces 1,300 (?) men: Yi Pok-nam Yi Chun-won Shin Ho Kim Kyung-no Miscellaneous : Jung Kwi-won Oh Ung-jung Im Hyun Yi Duk-hwae Japanese besiegers forces Southern sector : Ukita... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Combatants Fleet of Toyotomi Hideyoshi Combined Joseon and Ming Navy Commanders Shimazu Yoshihiro Tachibana Muneshige[1] Wakizaka Yasuharu So Yoshitoshi Yi Sun-sin† Chen Lin Deng Zilong† Strength 500 ships and 20,000 men 82 panokseons 3 Turtle Ships 6 Ming war junks 57 Ming war galleys 2 Ming panokseons... Combatants Korea under the Joseon Dynasty , China under the Ming Dynasty, Jurchen tribes Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi Commanders Korea: King Seonjo Prince Gwanghae Yi Sun-sin†, Gwon Yul, Yu Seong-ryong, Yi Eok-gi†, Won Gyun†, Kim Myeong-won, Yi Il, Sin Rip†, Gwak Jae-u, Kim Shi-Min† China... Combatants Japanese Army Korean Garrison Commanders So Yoshitoshi Chŏng Pal† Hangul: ì •ë°œ, Hanja :é„­æ’¥) Lee Jung Hun (Hangul: 이정헌, Hanja :李庭憲)]] Strength at least 15,000 men at least 8,000 soldiers Casualties Unknown between 8,500 - 30,000 (depending on various accounts) The Siege of Busan was a battle fought at Busan... Combatants Japanese Army Korean Garrison Commanders Konishi Yukinaga Yun Heung-sin† Strength at least 5,000 3,000 (est. ... Combatants Japanese Army Korean Garrison Commanders Konishi Yukinaga Mag. ... The battle of Sangju was one of the primary Korean attempts to stop the Japanese invasion and prevent the siege of Chungju Castle. ... Combatants Japanese army Korean cavalry division Commanders Konishi Yukinaga So Yoshitoshi Matsuura Shigenobu Arima Harunobu Omura Yoshiaki Gen. ... The Battle of Okpo was a battle of the first phase of the Seven Year War between Japan and Chosun (Korea). ... The Battle of Sacheon was a naval battle in the first phase of the Seven-Year War between Korea and Japan. ... Combatants Joseon Dynasty Korea Ming Dynasty China Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi Commanders Adm. ... The day after the Battle of Sacheon, Admiral Yi Sun-shin had his fleet rested in the open sea off Saryang where they would have tactical advantage were the Japanese to execute a counterattack. ... Combatants Fleet of Toyotomi Hideyoshi Korean navy Commanders unknown Yi Sun-sin, Yi Ok-ki Strength 26 51 Casualties all the warships and soldiers none Prelude The Battle of Danghangpo was a naval battle during the Imjin War (1592-1597) between Korean and Japanese naval forces. ... The Battle of Hansan (or Battle of Hansan-do) is regarded as one of the four greatest sea battles of world history. ... In 1592,after orders from King Seonjo to attack Pyongnyang,Admiral Yi Sun Shin bombarded Pyongnyang. ... Combatants Korean forces Toyotomi forces Commanders Yi Kwang Kobayakawa Takakage The battle of Chonju The battle of Chonju was a certain battle that took place during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (16th century) of Japan. ... The Battle of Busan was a naval battle of the first phase of the Seven Year War between Korea and Japan. ... Combatants Japanese army Korean army,citizens Commanders Hosokawa Tadaoki Kim Shi-Min†, Kwak Jae woo Strength 30,000 soldiers 3,800 soldiers,and citizens Casualties Unknown Unknown Jinju castle (진주성; 晋州城) was the site of two battles during the Imjin War; the first in 1592, and the second in 1593. ... Combatants Japanese army Ming army and Korean allies Commanders Konishi Yukinaga Li Rusong Hyujŏng Yi Il Strength Unknown 65,000 Casualties 16,000 Approximately 800 deaths The siege of Pyongyang was a battle fought between the Ming-Korea alliance and Japanese forces during the seven-year war. ... Combatants Korean army Japanese army under Toyotomi Hideyoshi Commanders Gwon Yul Cho Geyong Cheo Young Yi Bin Ukita Hideie Kato Kiyomasa Konishi Yukinaga Kuroda Nagamasa Ishida Mitsunari Yoshikawa Hiroie Kobayakawa Takakage Kobayakawa Hideaki Strength 2,000 regular army, 1,000 local monks 30,000 Casualties unknown at least 10,000... The Second Siege of Jinju was a battle during 1593 in the Seven-Year War at Jinju Fort, Korea, between Japan and Korea. ... In this battle, Won Kyoon; Yi, Sun Shins rival went to Busan where the Japanese headquarters were. ... The Battle of Chilchonryang was a naval conflict in the Seven-Year War. ... // Background The Forces : Chinese-Korean forces Ming-Chinese forces 3,000 men: Yang Yuan Korean forces 1,300 (?) men: Yi Pok-nam Yi Chun-won Shin Ho Kim Kyung-no Miscellaneous : Jung Kwi-won Oh Ung-jung Im Hyun Yi Duk-hwae Japanese besiegers forces Southern sector : Ukita... // Background Ulsan Japanese Castle under Chinese-Korean allied troops attacks First Siege of Ulsan (1598 1st month 4th day of Chinese Calendar) Chinese-Korean besiegers forces Korean forces : Gwon Yul (Hangul : 권율 Hanja : 權慄) Chinese forces : Yang Hao (Hangul : 양호 Hanja : 楊鎬) Japanese forces Aftermath Second Siege of Ulsan (1598 9th month 25th... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Combatants Fleet of Toyotomi Hideyoshi Korean navy, Chinese Navy Commanders Shimazu Yoshihiro Tachibana Muneshige[1] So Yoshitoshi Yi Sun-sin† Chen Lin Strength about 500 ships (mostly transport ships) 80 Korean & 60 Chinese ships Casualties 459 ships lost 270 Koreans & 170 Chinese soldiers. ... Jamo redirects here. ... Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. ... The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ... McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems, along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which replaced (a modified) McCune-Reischauer as the official romanization system in South Korea in 2000. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see: 1597 (number). ... For other uses, see Admiral (disambiguation). ... Yi Sunsin (April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598), also commonly transliterated Yi Sun-shin or Yi Soon-shin, was a Korean naval leader noted for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) during the Joseon Dynasty. ... The Myeongnyang Strait, just off the southwest corner of South Korea, separates Jindo Island from the mainland. ... Jindo Island is an island in South Jeolla province, South Korea. ... The Battle of Chilchonryang was a naval conflict in the Seven-Year War. ... Yi Sunsin (April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598), also commonly transliterated Yi Sun-shin or Yi Soon-shin, was a Korean naval leader noted for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) during the Joseon Dynasty. ...

Prelude

Due to Japanese intrigue taking advantage of the fractious politics of the Joseon Dynasty 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 Kyun, took command of the Korean fleet, which under Yi's careful management had grown from 63 heavy warships to 166. Territory of Joseon after Jurchen conquest of King Sejong Capital Hanseong Language(s) Korean Religion Neo-Confucianism Government Monarchy Wang  - 1392 - 1398 Taejo (first)  - 1863 - 1897 Gojong (last)1 Yeong-uijeong  - 1431 - 1449 Hwang Hui  - 1466 - 1472 Han Myeonghoe  - 1592 - 1598 Ryu Seongryong  - 1894 Kim Hongjip Historical era 1392-1897... Won Kyun (1540 - 1597) was a Korean general and admiral during the Joseon Dynasty]. He is best known for his campaigns against Japanese during the Korea-Japan Seven Year War. ...

Won Kyun was an incompetent military commander who immediately began squandering the Korean Navy's strength through ill-conceived and half-hearted maneuvers against the Japanese naval base at Pusan. In the Battle of Chilchonryang, the Japanese navy, with Todo Takatora in overall command, outmaneuvered the ineptly led 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. Pūsan is also a Vedic Hindu god. ... The Battle of Chilchonryang was a naval conflict in the Seven-Year War. ... Todo Takatora )(1556-1630) was Japanese Lord, Daimyo following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. ...

With the Korean Navy out of the picture, 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. ...

The Battle

Admiral Yi Sunsin was hastily reinstated as supreme commander of the regional navies after Won Kyun was killed at the Battle of Chilchonryang. Yi only had 12 panokseon ships at his disposal, which had been saved by Bae Seol, a Korean officer who escaped early in the Chilchonryang battle. Later, another 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. Panokseon (board roofed or superstructured ships) was the main type of warship used by the Korean Joseon Dynasty during the late 16th century, and was first constructed in 1555. ...

The Myeongnyang Strait 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 decided to use this unique condition as a force multiplier. In the morning of the 26th of October, 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 hide his ships. As the Japanese ships came close to the end of the strait, Admiral Yi ordered his 13 ships to come out of the shelter of the hillside and form for attack. The Myeongnyang Strait, just off the southwest corner of South Korea, separates Jindo Island from the mainland. ... Some knots: 1. ... A force multiplier is a military term referring to a factor that dramatically increases (hence multiplies) the combat effectiveness of a military force. ...

Using double salvo cannon fire, the Koreans threw a fierce barrage that kept the Japanese at a distance. The narrowness of the strait prevented the Korean fleet from being flanked and the roughness of the tide prevented the Japanese from effectively enveloping them. Furthermore, the Koreans ships had flat bottoms that provided more stable and accurate cannon firing platforms then the Japanese ships, which had keel bottoms.

Floating in the water and moving towards the Koreans along the current was a body with the ornate uniform of a high ranking Japanese commander. 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. Upon seeing the head of their commander, Japanese morale was affected. Kurushima Michifusa,also known as Madasi (1562-1597) was a Japanese admiral during the reign of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. ... The day after the Battle of Sacheon, Admiral Yi Sun-shin had his fleet rested in the open sea off Saryang where they would have tactical advantage were the Japanese to execute a counterattack. ...

The tide soon shifted and the Japanese ships began to flow 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 Korean 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 Korean and Chinese armies in the Battle of Chiksan 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. Seoul   is the capital of South Korea and is located on the Han River in the countrys northwest. ...

Aftermath

The immediate results of the battle were a terrible shock to the entire Japanese command. It essentially meant that the Japanese land offensive could not continue. The Japanese had hoped to supply and reinforce their offensive through the Yellow Sea, but that was no longer possible. Without being resupplied or relieved with fresh troops the morale of their soldiers declined. Korean and Chinese armies were able to regroup and push the Japanese back to their network for 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 Korean fleet at Chilchonnyang, the Ming kept their navy stationed at important port cities to guard against Japanese pirate (Wokou) attack. The victory at Myeongnyang convinced the Ming government that they could ease security at their major ports and mobilize a fleet to Korea's aid. Ming China under the Yongle Emperor Capital Nanjing (1368-1421) Beijing (1421-1644) Language(s) Chinese Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1368-1398 Hongwu Emperor  - 1627-1644 Chongzhen Emperor History  - Established in Nanjing January 23, 1368  - Fall of Beijing 1644  - End of the Southern Ming April, 1662 Population  - 1393 est. ... Sixteenth century Japanese pirate raids. ...

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 seriously wounded. The Japanese navy retreated back to Pusan to rest and refit, and would not be in fighting condition for several months, buying time for the Koreans to rebuild their fleet and the Chinese to bring naval reinforcements. Todo Takatora )(1556-1630) was Japanese Lord, Daimyo following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. ...

Technical notes

The unique tidal conditions of the strait affected the Japanese in several ways. 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 whirlpools, 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, but could not maneuver and ended up colliding with each other. This is probably 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. In fluid dynamics, an eddy is the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle. ... Saltstraumen whirlpool A whirlpool in a glass of water A whirlpool is a large, swirling body of water produced by ocean tides. ...

Contrary to popular belief, there were no turtle ships present for the battle. At most, Admiral Yi probably had 2 to 6 turtle ships at any one given time and they were all lost during the Battle of Chilchonryang. The thirteen ships that Yi had were most likely panokseons. The turtle ship (also known as Geobukseon or Kobukson by its Korean name) was a large warship belonging to the Panokseon class in Korea that was used under the Joseon Dynasty between the 15th century and 18th century. ... The Battle of Chilchonryang was a naval conflict in the Seven-Year War. ...

References

• Hawley, Samuel 2005 The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China. Republic of Korea and U.S.A.: Co-Published by The Royal Asiatic Society and The Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
• Turnbull, Stephen 2002 Samurai Invasion: Japan's Korean War. Great Britain: Cassell & Co.
• Sohn, Pow Key (edited by) 1977 Nanjung Ilgi: War Diary of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin. Republic of Korea: Yonsei University Press.

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• History of Korea
• Joseon Dynasty
• Last stand