Battle of the Yellow Sea
The Battle of the Yellow Sea, occurring from July 8 to July 10, 1592, was a pivotal naval conflict during Japan's invasion of Korea, led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The battle featured the Korean fleet, commanded by Admiral Yi Sun-shin, which employed innovative tactics and unique vessels known as "tortoise ships." These ironclad ships were crucial in the engagement, contributing to the destruction of at least fifty-nine Japanese vessels. The Japanese fleet, under Admiral Wakisaka Yasuharu, attempted a coordinated attack but fell into a trap at Hansan Bay, where Korean ships executed a strategic crane formation. This maneuver effectively neutralized the Japanese forces, forcing some Japanese commanders to choose suicide over capture. The victory at the Yellow Sea was significant, as it thwarted Japan's ambitions to conquer Korea and expand into China. The battle not only showcased Admiral Yi's tactical genius but also underscored the resilience of the Korean forces in the face of foreign aggression.
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Battle of the Yellow Sea
Type of action: Naval battle during Choson-Japanese Wars
Date: July 8-10, 1592
Location: Yellow Sea, Hansan Bay, Angolpo.
Combatants: 155 Japanese ships vs. 55 Korean ships, including two ironclads
Principal commanders:Korean, Admiral Yi Sun-shin (1545–1598); Japanese, Admirals Wakisaka Yasuharu, Kuki Yoshitaka, Kato Yoshiaki
Result: Decisive defeat of the Japanese by the numerically smaller Korean fleet under Yi Sun-shin
Japanese leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s 1592 invasion of Korea was undertaken as the first step in the conquest of China. In May, 1592, Japan took Pusan, and Seoul and Pyongyang fell in the succeeding months. Hideyoshi sent reinforcements to continue the drive from Pyongyang (July, 1592), but instead met with defeat in the Yellow Sea at the hands of the Koreans under Admiral Yi Sun-shin of the semi-independent Cholla province.
Yi had been responsible for the design and construction of “tortoise ships,” vessels with iron-plated galleys and armor-protected oarsmen, two of which were used in the Battle of Yellow Sea along with fifty-three other vessels. The ironclads played a major role in the destruction of at least fifty-nine of the Japanese vessels that were sunk or burned in the Yellow Sea, July 8-10, 1592.
The Japanese fleet under Admiral Wakisaka Yasuharu consisted of thirty-six large, fourteen medium, and thirteen small ships. The fleet was lured to Hansan Bay where it was enveloped in a crane formation by Korean ships, which fired on the lead Japanese ships, forcing some of the Wakisaka family to commit suicide to avoid capture. Unlike Wakisaka’s fleet, the fleets of Admirals Kuki Yoshitaka and Kato Yoshiaki at Angolpo refused to be lured out into the water, staying in the shallows. Admiral Yi then divided his force into assault parties to attack the Japanese ships throughout the day, ultimately destroying fifty-nine Japanese vessels.
Significance
The Korean victory was largely responsible for foiling Japan’s plans of conquest in Korea and China.
Bibliography
Weems, Clarence Norwood, ed. Hulbert’s History of Korea. Vol. 1. Reprint. Richmond, Surrey, England: Curzon, 1999.
Yune-Hee, Park. Admiral Yi Sun Shin and His Turtleboat Armada. Seoul, South Korea: Hanjin, 1978.