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Imjin War - Japanese Invasion of Korea 1592-1598 - 4K DOCUMENTARY

Kings and Generals・65 minutes read

Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi aimed to invade Korea in the 17th century, with Korean forces led by Admiral Yi Sun-shin successfully repelling multiple Japanese naval attacks and securing victories despite being outnumbered. Despite facing brutal assaults and massacres, Korean guerrilla forces and regular armies defended their land against Japanese invasion, establishing Admiral Yi as a national hero and securing Korea's dominance at sea.

Insights

  • Toyotomi Hideyoshi aimed to harness Japan's veteran armies for an invasion of Korea, leading to a series of conflicts and resistance from Korean forces.
  • Admiral Yi Sun-shin, a Korean war hero, employed strategic brilliance and naval tactics to secure victories against overwhelming Japanese forces, establishing himself as a national hero in Korea.
  • Korean guerrilla armies formed to resist Japanese cruelty, successfully defending against sieges and repelling attacks, showcasing the resilience and determination of Korean defenders against Japanese invasions.

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Summary

00:00

Japan's Transition: Hideyoshi's Korean Invasion

  • Japan in the 17th century was transitioning into a new era after the end of the Sengoku Jidai, a period of feudal warfare.
  • Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the new overlord, aimed to harness Japan's veteran armies for an invasion of Korea.
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  • Hideyoshi's conquest of Japan led to plans for invasions of Korea and the Chinese Ming Empire.
  • The Sō clan, Hideyoshi's vassals, were tasked with delivering a message to Korea demanding submission.
  • The envoy sent by the Sō clan insulted the Koreans, leading to a refusal to submit to Hideyoshi.
  • Hideyoshi raised a massive army of 335,000 troops, mainly ashigaru foot soldiers, for the invasion of Korea.
  • Yi Sun-shin, a Korean war hero, prepared diligently for the Japanese invasion, focusing on naval command and infrastructure repair.

13:15

Japanese Conquest of Korea in 1592

  • General Sin Rip assembled an 8,000 strong resistance army at Chungju to fight the Japanese armies converging on Seoul.
  • The Japanese forces, led by Yukinaga and Kiyomasa, overwhelmed General Sin's army at Chungju on June 6th, 1592.
  • Sin Rip committed suicide after his defeat, causing panic in Seoul and leading to the Korean court's decision to flee.
  • Konishi and Kato, Japanese commanders, took separate routes to Seoul, with Konishi arriving first and Kato facing obstacles during his crossing.
  • Japanese armies began consolidating their gains after taking Seoul, with some Korean forces still resisting.
  • Korean forces used a trap to defeat a group of Japanese troops near Yangju, boosting Korean morale.
  • Japanese armies were divided into multiple contingents to conquer various Korean provinces, with Hideie appointed as interim supreme commander.
  • Kato faced difficulties crossing the Imjin river to confront Korean forces led by Gim Myeongwon.
  • The battle of the Imjin river resulted in a decisive victory for the Japanese, with over 10,000 Korean soldiers killed.
  • Admiral Yi Sun-shin led a successful naval battle against Japanese forces at Ok-po village, destroying multiple enemy ships without any losses.

26:25

Admiral Yi's Victorious Naval Campaign against Japan

  • Admiral Yi retreated to Yeosu to reorganize his forces after naval defeats by the Japanese.
  • In early July, the Japanese sent a force of ships to deal with Yi, prompting him to sail east on July 8th with 23 warships, including the formidable turtle ship.
  • The turtle ship was large, low in the water, and armed with Korean cannons and archers.
  • Yi led his ships to Sacheon, where they engaged around 50 Japanese ships anchored in the bay.
  • Yi used a bait-and-retreat tactic to lure the Japanese ships into the bay, where the turtle ships unleashed cannon fire and arrows, causing significant losses to the Japanese fleet.
  • Yi's forces achieved victory at Sacheon and subsequent battles at Dang'po and Danghangp'o, using the turtle ships to break apart the enemy formations.
  • Hideyoshi ordered his admirals to annihilate Yi, leading to a confrontation between Yi's fleet and Yasuharu's 82 vessel fleet.
  • Yi deployed a strategic Crane's Wing formation to defeat Yasuharu's fleet, resulting in the destruction of many Japanese ships.
  • Following the Battle of Hansando, where Yi's fleet decimated the Japanese forces, Yi successfully employed a rolling bombardment tactic to defeat the Japanese at Angolp'o.
  • Despite troubling reports of advancing Japanese land armies, Yi continued to secure victories at sea, preventing Japanese invasion and establishing himself as a national hero in Korea.

39:37

Korean Guerrilla Forces Defend Against Japanese Invasion

  • Koreans approached Japanese ships, bombarded with cannons and fire arrows
  • Japanese defended with musket fire, arrows, and captured Korean cannons
  • Koreans withdrew after destroying 130 Japanese vessels, with minimal casualties
  • Admiral Yi Sun-shin did not lose any ships during the battle
  • Korean guerrilla armies formed to resist Japanese cruelty
  • Irregular fighters and soldiers joined as guerrilla warriors in 1592
  • Korean guerrilla forces defended Jinju successfully, causing Japanese casualties
  • Japanese army besieged Jinju, faced strong Korean defense with artillery
  • Korean defenders repelled Japanese attacks with arquebus fire, bombs, and stones
  • Korean guerrilla reinforcements arrived to aid in the defense of Jinju, forcing Japanese retreat

52:44

Chinese-Japanese War: Siege, Retreat, and Victory

  • Chinese officers ordered an assault on a Japanese citadel, resulting in heavy casualties due to arquebus shots.
  • Japanese troops led by Yukinaga attempted to break the siege but were driven back by Chinese cannon fire.
  • Japanese decided to retreat from the citadel under the cover of darkness, abandoning wounded and exhausted men.
  • Li Rusong's Ming army achieved victory at Pyongyang, leading to a Japanese retreat.
  • Japanese sixth contingent under Kobayakawa Takakage defeated Li's army at Byeokjegwan.
  • Korean general Gwon Yul garrisoned the fortress of Haengju, leading to a battle against Japanese forces.
  • Japanese forces, despite numerical superiority, faced fierce Korean resistance at Haengju.
  • Gwon Yul's victory prompted Li Rusong to advance south, leading to the liberation of Seoul by the Chinese army.
  • Japanese forces faced logistical constraints and retreated to Busan, leading to a stalemate in the war.
  • Japanese forces, despite negotiating with the Ming Chinese, launched a brutal assault on Jinju, resulting in a massacre and the city's destruction.

01:06:15

Japanese Forces Plunder Korea, Defeat Korean Fleet

  • Japanese forces plunder local farmers during a plentiful time of year to live off the land with minimal reliance on supply lines.
  • Hideyoshi plans to march through the southwest province of Cholla, known as the breadbasket of Korea.
  • Konishi Yukinaga sends a spy named Yojiro to mislead the Korean high command, resulting in disastrous events at sea.
  • Admiral Yi Sun-shin becomes suspicious of Japanese information, leading to his demotion and replacement by Won Gyun.
  • Japanese ploy successfully neutralizes Admiral Yi, leading to a series of naval defeats for the Koreans.
  • Korean fleet faces a devastating defeat at Busan against a larger Japanese fleet, with significant losses.
  • Admiral Won Kyun's morale is severely affected by the defeat, leading to a headless fleet and further Japanese pursuit.
  • Japanese forces launch brutal ground invasions with orders to show no mercy, commencing with the Left and Right Armies.
  • Namwon city in Korea is besieged by the Japanese, leading to a fatal decision by Ming general Yang Yuan to defend the city.
  • Despite strong defenses, Namwon falls to the Japanese due to a clever stratagem, resulting in a massacre and brutal acts of barbarism.

01:19:43

Admiral Yi's Naval Triumphs and Personal Tragedy

  • Admiral Yi positioned his fleet in the Myeongnyang strait, using fishing boats to deceive the Japanese into thinking his forces were larger.
  • The Japanese armada split as predicted by Yi, allowing his smaller fleet to attack and defeat them.
  • Despite being vastly outnumbered, Yi's Korean fleet successfully repelled the Japanese attacks, sinking many enemy ships.
  • Yi's strategic brilliance led to a decisive victory at Myeongnyang, with the Japanese retreating and unable to challenge him again.
  • Following his triumph, Yi faced personal tragedy with the loss of his son, leading to a period of depression.
  • Yi continued to strengthen Korea's naval power, achieving further victories on land and ultimately securing Korea's dominance at sea.
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