An Unknown Hero

Yi Sun-Shin Statue

Turtle Ship

Throughout history several military officers have not only gained fame within their own native countries, but also around the world as well. A small list of some of these renown military leaders are: Erwin Rommel, Horatio Nelson, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Alexander the Great. All the following military officers achieved great victories and have proven themselves to be among one of the greatest military officials in the history of the world. Outside of Korea, Japan, and China, very few have of heard of a man by the name of Yi Sun-Shin. Yi Sun-Shin was born in Hansung, Korea, which is present day Seoul, the capital of South Korea. He was an admiral of the Korean Navy who defeated the Japanese in many battles during the Imjin War. Yi Sun-Shin's military career experienced many troubles, and despite reaching high ranks in the military, he was demoted to a common soldiers more than once. All of this was due to the corrupt Royal Court of Korea at the time. Nonetheless, despite Yi Sun-Shin's demotion, he never gave up and continued to serve his country. In 1592, Japan, which was recently united under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, launched a massive campaign to attack Korea, called the Imjin War. During just that first year alone, the Korean army was massacred, and the Japanese were quickly able to take over most of Korea. At this point in time, it was hopeless for Korea, as their men were not nearly as advanced and well trained as the Japanese. What stopped from Japan from ultimately completely taking over Korea, was the one man: Yi Sun-Shin.Yi Sun-Shin, who at the time had been promoted to Commander of the Left Cholla Province, had extensively prepared the Korean navy, as he and many other officials new that a Japanese invasion was imminent. Yi Sun-Shin's very first encounter with the Japanese navy was at Okpo, and this battle was known as the Battle of Okpo, and it was a heavy blow to the Japanese, as they lost several ships and men, while Yi Sun-Shin lost few men and no ships. Yi Sun-Shin continuously defeated the Japanese navy during the many encounters, and it took a toll on the whole Japanese invasion as supply routes were cut off.

Yi Sun-Shin was also known for the turtle ship, also called Geobukseon, which is known as the first ironclad warship to ever be made in history. Along with the turtle ship, and Yi Sun-Shin's naval tactics, they were able to crush the Japanese navy and cut off their supply routes. Had Yi Sun-Shin been unsuccessful in stopping the Japanese navy, Korea could have easily fallen into Japanese hands. However, it was not all easy for Yi Sun-Shin as he experienced problems with the Royal Court. The Japanese grew desperate and used Yosira, a Japanese translator, to oust Yi Sun-Shin. Yosira spoke fluent Korean and Japanese, and he was able to gain the trust of the Korean government. Yosira sent a letter to a Korean general Kim Ung-so revealing the Japanese plan of attack (which was all a lie) in order to lure the Korean navy into a trap. The Royal Court believed Yosira's words and ordered Yi Sun-Shin to attack. Yi Sun-Shin, being an experienced admiral, knew it was a trap and declined to follow orders. Since Yi Sun-Shin declined to follow orders, he was first cited to be executed, but was spared the death penalty and was demoted to a common soldier. During that time period, most officers would accept the death penalty as it was considered a disgrace to become demoted. This demotion, however, did not stop Yi Sun-Shin. He continued to serve as a common soldier, and during that time, under Won Kyun, Yi Sun-Shin's rival, nearly the whole Korean navy was destroyed at the Battle of Chilchon. Immediately after this defeat, the Royal Court reinstated Yi Sun-Shin, but were thinking of ridding of the Korean navy since very few remained. Yi Sun-Shin, sent a letter to the court and one of his famous quotes stated this: "This humble subject still has 12 ships. However small the number may be, I solemnly swear that I will be able to defend the sea if I prepare myself for death to resist the enemy." For a man, who was tortured, and demoted for no wrongdoing, and still have the will to defend his country, shows just how much determination he had in defeating the Japanese and becoming victorious. One of Yi Sun-Shin's most famous battles, was the Battle of Myongyang. In this battle, Yi Sun-Shin was successfully able to defeat the Japanese navy, while being horribly outnumbered. At this point, the Korean navy had around 13 ships, and at the battle, the Japanese ships numbered 133, and plus another 200 ships that were used for logistical support. The odds were against the Koreans, but Yi Sun-Shin used the tide and terrain to his advantage and successfully defeated the Japanese, and most importantly, did not lose a single ship during this battle. This defeat had shaken the entire Japanese navy, as it further slowed their advance to send supplies. After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Japanese began a massive retreat, and along with the Ming navy, Yi Sun-Shin intended to crush the enemy. The final encounter was known as the Battle of Noryang. Despite the victory over the Japanese navy, Yi Sun-Shin was killed during battle as he was hit by a stray bullet.

Yi Sun-Shin's military achievements truly deserve much more praise. At sea, he was a fearless commander who cared for his soldiers and carefully planned out attacks. At home, he was a loyal citizen of Korea, who persevered despite the corruption of the Royal Court. Furthermore ,Yi Sun-Shin's military record was flawless. Of all his 23 naval battles against the Japanese, he never lost a single battle. Very few military officers in the history of the world can boast having an undefeated military record. Yi Sun-Shin not only deserves credit as one of the worlds greatest military officers, but also the fact that he never gained full support of the Korean Royal Court and being demoted to a foot soldier was a set back for him. Yi Sun-Shin also had no previous experience at naval warfare and neither did he have access to records of previous battles as a reference. Despite his lack of experience in naval warfare, his undefeated military record shows his expertise in careful planning and his military genius. Admiral Togo Heihachiro of Japan, who was noted for defeating the Russian navy, quoted this: "It may be proper to compare me to Nelson, but not to Korea's Yi Sun-Shin. He is too great to be compared to anyone." It is important to understand that Admiral Togo was Japanese, yet he stated that Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, a foreign officer, could not be compared to him. Although Yi Sun-Shin is not well known outside of Korea, within Korea, he is highly praised and regarded as the national hero of Korea, who drove the Japanese out, and saved Korea. His military genius, loyalty to his country, and perseverance, all characterize a man who could be considered to be one of the greatest military officers of all time.Yi Sun-Shin significantly impacted the course of Korean history, and if Japan successfully conquered Korea and Ming in 1592, Korea would probably not be the same as it is today. Although Yi Sun-Shin's achievements did not affect anyone outside of Korea, China, and Japan, his achievements will forever be remembered by all Koreans.

Below is a video from the Korean film Heaven's Soldiers. This scene is the last few minutes which depicts Yi Sun-Shin giving his famous speech before fighting the Japanese at the Myongyang Strait. This was the Battle of Myongyang, in which 13 Korean ships under Yi Sun-Shin defeated the Japanese navy force that was 333 strong.

Sources:
Jho Sung-do. Yi Sun-shin; A National Hero of Korea. Chinhae, Korea: Choongmoo-kong Society, 1970

Park Yune-Hee. Admiral Yi Sun-shin and His Turtleboat Armada. Seoul, Korea: Hanjin Publishing Co., 1978