Battle of Myeongnyang
1597 · Myeongnyang Strait (between Jindo and Haenam, present-day South Jeolla Province, South Korea) · World · Modern
Unable to deploy in the narrow, fast-flowing strait, the Japanese fleet retreated after its vanguard was badly mauled, and Kurushima Michifusa was killed in battle.
Belligerents
Joseon navy
- Commanders
- Yi Sun-sin
- Strength
- 13 panokseon
Japanese navy
- Commanders
- Todo Takatora, Wakisaka Yasuharu, Kurushima Michifusa
- Strength
- Over 130 warships engaged (some accounts say more)
Background
During the Second Invasion of 1597, Won Gyun, who had replaced Yi Sun-sin, suffered a disastrous defeat at Chilcheollyang, and the Joseon navy was almost annihilated. Yi Sun-sin, then serving without rank as a common soldier, was reappointed Naval Commander of the Three Provinces with only a dozen or so warships left.
Course of the battle
- Holding the straitYi Sun-sin chose to meet the enemy in the Myeongnyang Strait, no more than a few hundred meters wide and with swift tidal currents, to offset his numerical disadvantage.
- Lone ships hold the lineEarly in the battle the current ran against the Koreans; Yi Sun-sin's flagship moved to meet the enemy first, and the other ships gradually followed.
- The tide turnsWhen the tide turned, the Japanese ships collided with one another in the rushing current, vanguard commander Kurushima Michifusa was killed in battle, and the Japanese fleet withdrew.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1597 |
|---|---|
| Place | Myeongnyang Strait (between Jindo and Haenam in today's South Jeolla Province, South Korea) |
| Result | Unable to deploy in the narrow, fast-flowing strait, the Japanese fleet retreated after its vanguard was badly mauled, and Kurushima Michifusa was killed in battle. |
| Winner | Joseon navy |
| Casualties | According to the War Diary (Nanjung Ilgi), about 31 Japanese ships were destroyed; Korean casualties were light, though exact figures vary between records. |
| Territorial change | The Japanese navy's attempt to push north along the west coast was checked once again, and the Joseon navy was able to rebuild. |
Impact
In the Battle of Myeongnyang a tiny force drove off a large fleet; it is a celebrated example in naval history of exploiting terrain and tides, and it reversed the Joseon navy's decline.
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