Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea
- Japanese: 朝鮮出兵 (Chôsen Shuppei)
- Korean: 壬辰倭乱 (Imjin waeran)
Toyotomi Hideyoshi commanded two unsuccessful invasions of Korea, one in 1592-1593, and one in 1597-1598.
Naming
In Japanese, the invasions of Korea are generally known respectively as Bunroku no eki 文禄の役 and Keichô no eki 慶長の役 after the nengô, or imperial reign eras, in which they occurred.
The invasions are named similarly in Korean, where they are known collectively as Imjin Waeran, or individually as the Imjin and Jeongyu Waeran, Imjin 壬辰 and Jeongyu 丁酉 being the cyclical year designations, respectively, corresponding roughly with 1592 and 1597.
A number of terms are used in English, including "Imjin War," an adaptation of the Korean term. Perhaps the most common, however, is not any standardized and concise name for the conflict, but rather lengthier descriptive phrases, chiefly variations on "Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea" or "the Japanese invasions of Korea of the 16th century."
First Invasion (Bunroku no eki)
According to some sources, the army Hideyoshi sent to invade Korea in 1592 numbered around 160,000. The samurai enjoyed early successes, gaining considerable territory and visiting considerable destruction upon the landscape.[1] However, in the end, the Ming Court sent forces led by Li Rusong to aid the Koreans, and the Japanese invasion was ultimately pushed out of the peninsula entirely.
Meanwhile, Yi Sun-shin led the Korean navy, including the famous "turtle ships", to victory in three particularly decisive naval battles, including especially the Battle of Hansando, regaining control of the sea lanes from the Japanese.
Second Invasion (Keichô no eki)
The second invasion attempt, launched in 1597, was terminated and abandoned following the death of Hideyoshi, who had remained in Japan throughout both invasions.
Aftermath
According to some sources, as many as 50-60,000 Koreans were taken back to Japan as prisoners in the two invasions combined. Repatriation of captives became one of the key Korean demands in negotiations to reopen trade and diplomatic relations in the following decades. Such negotiations were at the center of three Korean embassies to Japan between 1607 and 1624, as well as two in 1636 and 1643. In the end, only around 7500 Koreans were repatriated.[2]
Historical materials
References
- ↑ Albert M. Craig, The Heritage of Japanese Civilization, Second Edition, Prentice Hall (2011), 64.
- ↑ Arano Yasunori. "The Formation of a Japanocentric World Order." International Journal of Asian Studies 2:2 (2005). p197. citing Naitô Shunpô. "Jinshin-teiyû eki ni okeru hiryo Chôsenjin no sakkan mondai ni tsuite" 壬申丁酉役における被慮朝鮮人の刷還問題について [The Repatriation of Korean Captives of Hideyoshi's Invasions]. Parts 1-3. Chôsen gakuhô 29 (1963), 33 (1964), 34 (1965).
