Tag: Wanli

The Imjin War, Part 4: Stalemate and Withdrawal

After a few years of uneasy ceasefire, the fighting resumes between the Japanese and the Koreans and their Ming allies. After a massive setback when the new-and-improved Japanese Navy nearly annihilates the Korean fleet at Chilcheollyang, Admiral Yi Sun-sin would once more bring his martial prowess to bear against his foes on the high seas with stunning results.

The Imjin War, Part 3: Scorched Earth

The Imjin War takes on a new dimension as fully-equipped armies from the Ming Dynasty arrive to take on the Japanese invasion. What began as an easy conquest for Toyotomi Hideyoshi soon became an intractable quagmire and gradually settled into a stalemate.

The Imjin War, Part 2: Hideyoshi’s Crusade

As the 1592 invasion of Korea continued, the Japanese armies enjoyed a rapid sequence of victories on land, dominating the peninsula in sieges and battles. Their quick success would soon become a liability, however, when the superior Joseon Navy started sinking supply ships and overcoming Japanese battle fleets.

The Imjin War, Part 1: A Storm From The East

In 1592, the armies of Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Korea, engaging in wanton slaughter, merciless plundering, and surprisingly rapid success. Because the Joseon Kingdom was almost completely unprepared for this incursion, they would need to rely on the aid of Ming China to win back control of the peninsula.