On 14 August 1592, the Battle of Hansando was fought between the Japanese under Wakizaka Yasuharu against the Koreans under Yi Sun Shin during the Imjin War.
Why did it happen?
Following his unification of Japan in 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi began the construction of a navy on Kyushu Island, intending to occupy Korea and use it as a bridgehead for an invasion of China. As stated by Saul David, “Hideyoshi saw war abroad as a way of securing peace at home: his title to power was disputed, and Japan was full of samurai. Without an external enemy, they might direct their aggression at each other or turn on him” (David, 2009, p.129). On 23 May 1592, Hideyoshi invaded Korea with an army of 160,000 samurai and ashigaru foot soldiers, swiftly capturing Busan and massacring its population of 30,000 men and women the following day. Despite success on land, the 700-strong Japanese fleet faced significant opposition at sea, with the Korean admiral Yi Sun Shin defeating the Japanese navy at the Battles of Okpo and Sacheon in June and July, respectively. As Korean naval power threatened Japanese supply lines and reinforcements, Hideyoshi called upon Admiral Wakizaka Yasuharu to lead a counteroffensive against Yi Sun Shin. Using information from local people, Yi Sun Shin located the Japanese fleet at anchor in Kyonnaeryang Strait in August.
Who was involved?
The Japanese navy at Hansando numbered 73 warships: 61 Atakebunes and 12 scout ships. Most Japanese naval vessels were pirate or merchant vessels turned to military use. Japanese warships at this time had large compliments of fighting men armed with swords, spears, and arquebuses to soften up the enemy before boarding and overwhelming larger, slower-moving warships. The Korean navy at Hansando numbered 56 warships: 54 Panokseons and 2 Turtle Ships. The Panokseon was a robustly constructed warship that functioned as a stable gun platform with multiple cannons to deliver gunpowder-based incendiary fireballs. Unlike Japanese galleys, Panokseons could be propelled by oars while in combat, giving them superior speed and manoeuvrability. In addition, a variant of the Panokseon known as the Kobukson, or Turtle Ship, was employed after two centuries of disuse. The Turtle Ship had a covered upper deck shielded with iron plates and spikes to deter enemy boarders and protect its crew. Despite this, only three Turtle Ships were built during the Imjin War.
What happened?
On 14 August, Korean Admiral Yi Sun Shin sent six warships ahead to lure the Japanese fleet into pursuing them out into the open water. Unaware of the size of the Korean navy, Wakizaka Yasuharu sailed his fleet forward in pursuit of the Korean ships. The Japanese fleet rushed headlong into the main Korean fleet, deployed in a “crane’s wing” formation. The Japanese were met by a barrage of cannon and arrow fire, which sunk and set on fire many of their ships and killed their crews. As the Korean navy encircled the Japanese navy, many Japanese warships became constricted and found it hard to manoeuvre. As that happened, Yi Sun Shin’s reserve ships moved up to plug the gaps in the expanding Korean line. Before the Koreans could complete their encirclement, Wakizaka Yasuharu escaped with 14 vessels, leaving 9,000 dead and 59 warships sunk or captured. In contrast, the Koreans lost only 123 men.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of Hansando was a decisive Korean victory. It proved decisive because the remainder of the Japanese fleet was confined to port, thus leaving Japanese supply lines open and vulnerable. In February 1593, Toyotomi Hideyoshi declared a truce and withdrew his armies from Korea, although he did not renounce his imperial ambitions. In 1597, Hideyoshi invaded Korea again with an army of 100,000 troops and 500 warships, although this time, the Koreans were prepared and had the support of Ming China, who sent 75,000 soldiers. Despite some early victories, the Japanese were eventually defeated at the Battle of Myongyang on 16 September 1598, which led Toyotomi Hideyoshi to order a withdrawal before his death two days later. In December 1598, the last Japanese soldiers withdrew from Korea, ending the Imjin War.
Bibliography
David, Saul. War: The Definitive Visual History. New York, Dorling Kindersley, 2009.
Grant, R.G. Battle At Sea: 3,000 Years of Naval Warfare. New York, Dorling Kindersley, 2008.
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