The Satsuma Rebellion - Free ebook download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read book online for free. Saig was a strong proponent of war with Korea in the Seikanron debate of 1873. "How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion." The Satsuma Rebellion proved that a conscript army of commoners could out-fight even a very determined band of samuraiprovided they had overwhelming numbers, at any rate. . He suffered from angina and also filariasis, a parasitic infection that gave him a grotesquely enlarged scrotum. At age six, Saigo Takamori started at the local gojuor samuraielementary schooland got his first wakizashi, the short sword used by samurai warriors. The second crisis, the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, was even . The Meiji government, with an army numbering 300,000 to 350,000 and was able to cripple the Satsuma rebellion in a matter of months. Since the OP might be interested, here are the pages from the above reading on the Satsuma Rebellion and its aftermath. The Imperial Artillery consisted of 18 batteries divided into 9 battalions, with 120 men per battery during peacetime. Then, Japan attacked forcing the Joseon king to sign an unequal treaty, which eventually led to the outright annexation of Korea in 1910. Despite the overwhelming odds, the Imperial Army did not attack immediately upon arrival on September 8 but instead spent more than two weeks carefully preparing for its final assault. Japan Currency Museum. The Korean government even went as far as having a prefect publicly state that by adopting western-style customs and clothing, Japan had become a barbarian nation. They saw Japan as the abode of godssince the Emperor descended from the Sun Goddessand believed that the heavens would protect them from the western military and economic might. It was the final battle of the Satsuma Rebellion, . The Japanese people appreciated the fact that he remained loyal to his virtues until his death in 1877. Each battalion was divided into ten companies of 200 men. How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion. The traditional explanation of the offensive rifle cartridges causing the initial outbreak of mutiny is only part of the story. Although Satsuma had been one of the key players in the Meiji Restoration and the Boshin War, and although many men from Satsuma had risen to influential positions in the new Meiji government, there was growing dissatisfaction with the direction the country was taking. Originally, they were a militant sect of Hindu Worshippers. Instance of. The Satsuma Rebellion is recommended to all readers interested in Japanese and samurai history. Founded by a saint named "Birbhan" in 1657 in Narnaul in Haryana. "How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion." In its central quarters in that town, and in branches elsewhere, the youth of the clan received a military training. The very rapid and massive changes to Japanese culture, language, dress and society appeared to many samurai to be a betrayal of the ji ("expel the barbarian") portion of the sonn ji justification used to overthrow the former Tokugawa shogunate. Satsuma had no reserve of extra weapons and insufficient ammunition for an extended war. However, the imperial government gradually sent more than 45,000 reinforcements to relieve Kumamoto, finally driving the Satsuma army away with heavy casualties. 25,000 YEN TOSHIMOTO. The samurai then attacked imperial facilities around the province, seizing weapons and parading them through the streets of Kagoshima. Who are Satnamis? A famous bronze statue of Saig in hunting attire with his dog stands in Ueno Park, Tokyo. A Long History of Japanese Women Warriors, Biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, 16th Century Unifier of Japan, Overview of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, Bushido: The Ancient Code of the Samurai Warrior, Russo-Japanese War: Admiral Togo Heihachiro, J.D., University of Washington School of Law, B.A., History, Western Washington University. In the end, the dispute with Korea came to a head only in 1875 when a Japanese ship sailed to Korean shores, provoking artillery there into opening fire. academic excellence, an international orientation, and a liberal spirit. #ga-ad {display: none;}
Its name comes from the Satsuma Domain, which had been influential in the Restoration and became home to unemployed samurai after military reforms rendered their status obsolete. However, the shogun began to purge pro-imperial politicians, forcing Gessho to seek Saigo's help in escaping to Kagoshima, where the new Satsuma daimyo, unfortunately, refused to protect the pair from shogun officials. Author: Augustus Henry Mounsey. The Satsuma Rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History ; With Maps. Japanese samurai (18281877) who led the Satsuma Rebellion. Not long after the wedding, both of Saigo's parents died, leaving Saigo as the head of a family of twelve with little income to support them. This costly defeat put Saigo on the defensive for the remainder of the rebellion. By early 1873, Japanese militarists who interpreted this as a grave affront called for an invasion of Korea but in a July meeting that year, Saigo opposed sending warships to Korea. Zargabraath 3 yr. ago. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. SAIGO's army campaigned as far as Kumamoto and Miyazaki (both in Kyushu), but then returned to Kagoshima in September, where it holed up in Shiroyama. What the disaffected clans and individuals wanted was a larger share of power. The Satsuma vanguard crossed into Kumamoto Prefecture on February 14. He led his samurai straight up the middle of Kyushu, planning to cross the straits and march on Tokyo. Today, he serves the thoroughly modern nation of Japan as a symbol of its samurai traditionstraditions that he reluctantly helped to destroy. Like all other times in his life, though, his retirement was short-livedin January of 1869, the Satsuma daimyo made him a counselor of the domain's government. The Whiskey Rebellion: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and the Frontier Rebels who Challenged America's Newfound Sovereignty by William Hogeland. This provoked open conflict, although with the elimination of samurai rice stipends in 1877, tensions were already extremely high. Takamori Saigo, defeated in his insistent advocacy of the invasion of Korea, resigned his councillorship in the Cabinet and returned to his native place. Sources describe him as dressed in an austere yellow kimono . The following day, Hayashi declared to Oyama that he could not permit Kawamura to go ashore when the situation was so unsettled, and that the attack on Takao constituted an act of lse-majest. The five government warships in Kagoshima harbor added their firepower to Yamagata's artillery, and began to systematically reduce the rebel positions. The influential Satsuma samurai, Saigo Takamori, was away at the time and had no knowledge of these events, but hurried home when he heard the news. Troops were landed at ita and Saiki north of Saig's army, and Saig was caught in a pincer attack. Satsuma Rebellion. All three accounts report that the body was decapitated. Satsuma Rebellion. Saigo soon noted that he had "fallen into their trap and taken the bait" of settling into a siege. The spy leader confessed under torture that he was supposed to assassinate Saigo. Despite Yamagata's efforts over the next several days, Saig and his remaining 500 men reached Kagoshima on September 1 and seized Shiroyama, overlooking the city. Publication Date: 2006. ISBN-13: . Publish Date: Oct 08, 2018. The modernization of the country meant the abolition of the privileged social status of the samurai class, and had undermined their financial position. Battle of Tabaruzaka: Imperial troops on the left, rebel samurai troops on the right, Saigo's army clashes with the government's forces. The Meiji Era controlled most of Japan, except for a small area in the southwestern part of Japan, which was the Satsuma. Few would return. Public apprehension found free expression in the Press, which said that the nation was divided into two parties, one being for the Government, the other for Satsuma, and asked what could be done to preserve peace. The Satsuma rebellion was a resist from the Meiji government and modern changes that took place in 1877. The Last Samurai chronicles the fortuitous rise and tragic fall of Saig. Conscription System in Japan Author : Ogawa, Gataro Year- 1921 Type- book "The Satsuma Rebellion led Japan to turn over a new leaf. He also cancelled scholarships for Japanese students abroad and fired foreign experts.[8]. However, the Imperial Army was likewise depleted, and fighting was suspended for several weeks to permit reinforcement. It is not clear what was done with Saig's head immediately after his death. Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Saga and other places in Kyushu, not to speak of Satsuma, his birthplace, responded to his call. [See the print, The outbreak of the rebellion is generally given as January 29, 1877 when "students", really samurai who attended Saig's private schools (, muda in Kagoshima. Even before the Restoration the contentions of rival parties had led in Choshiu to grave disorders, which had weakened that clan in its conflict with the Tokugawa Government; while in Mito the struggle of opposing factions, supporting, respectively, the Shogunate, and the Court party represented by the old Prince of Mito, had resulted in prolonged and fierce fighting. The Satsuma rebellion furnishes themes for the illustrators. The Shigakko students heard that the Meiji ship was coming and emptied the arsenal before it arrived. The accounts of his subordinates claim that he stood up and committed seppuku after his injury or that he requested that his friend Beppu Shinsuke assist his suicide. Themes In Keeper N Me. The survivors were out of ammunition, so had to rely on their swords. The work is generally accurate and has much of . Saig initially disagreed with the modernization of Japan and the opening of commerce with the West. Founded in 1938 and published semiannually by Sophia University, Monumenta Nipponica (MN) is one of the oldest English-language academic journals in the field of Asian studies. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Samurai scaled the walls repeatedly, only to be cut down by small arms fire. These attacks on the ramparts continued for two days, until Saigo decided to settle in for a siege. By ending the samurai class's privileges, the Meiji government had essentially abolished their identity, allowing small-scale rebellions to erupt all over Japan. Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned, returning power to the Emperor in what came to be known as the Meiji Restoration. [11], Modern weapons that were used by the Imperial Army include the Smith and Wesson Model 3, Colt 1851 Navy Revolver, Winchester Model 1873, Enfield Pattern 1853, Mauser Model 1871, as well as the Gatling and Armstrong guns. Although greatly dismayed by the revolt, Saig was reluctantly persuaded to lead the rebels against the central government. Bibliolife DBA of Bibilio Bazaar II LLC, 2014 - 358 pages. The situation was especially desperate for the defenders as their stores of food and ammunition had been depleted by a warehouse fire shortly before the rebellion began. [citation needed], In English, the most common name for the war is the "Satsuma Rebellion". Eventually Saig and his final remaining samurai were encircled and annihilated at the Battle of Shiroyama. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them. In addition to the army, the central government also used marines and Tokyo policemen in its struggle against Satsuma. Historian Ivan Morris described him as "the quintessential hero of modern Japanese history". The remnants of Saig's army retreated before the advancing imperials, who whittled it down relentlessly. After months of fighting the Satsuma forces had dwindled to approx 400 . The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War was a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era.. These disaffected samurai came to dominate the Kagoshima government, and fearing a rebellion, the government sent warships to Kagoshima to remove weapons from the Kagoshima arsenal. The Satsuma Rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History ; with Maps. It is said that he was shot in the femur, then he thrust a sword into his stomach region, then had his head decapitated deliberately by a fellow citizen. Paperback, 1 edition, Wiley, February 7, 2005. Saigo Takamori helped to usher in the modern era in Japan, serving as one of the three most powerful officials in the early Meiji government. Each side had suffered more than 4,000 killed or wounded. Rather than risk desertions or defections, Tani decided to stand on the defensive. HOME > Initial Steps toward a Constitutional State > b. Omissions? Japan was divided into six military districts: Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kumamoto, with two or three regiments of infantry, plus artillery and other auxiliary troops, assigned to each district. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As the siege wore on, the rebels ran low on munitions, prompting them to switch back to their swords. Those men were motivated by growing domestic problems and by the threat of foreign encroachment. Meanwhile, the remnants of the militaristic faction that supported Saigo's invasion proposal evolved into Japanese right-wing groups such as the genyosha and kokurykai. Publish Date: Dec 10, 2008. On the same day, Saig met with his lieutenants Kirino Toshiaki and Shinohara Kunimoto and announced his intention of marching to Tokyo to ask questions of the government. The head was somehow retrieved by government forces and was reunited with Saig's body, which was laid next to that of his deputies Kirino and Murata. Saigo, however, had no regard for the conscripted farm boys who made up the imperial army. Soon 132 branches were established all over the prefecture. By 1877, he sided with rebel forces and fought in what's now known as the Satsuma Rebellion. There are no published reports by eyewitnesses. [3], Saig Takamori, one of the senior Satsuma leaders in the Meiji government who had initially supported the reforms, was especially concerned about growing political corruption - popular prints depicted the rebel army with banners bearing the words shinsei-ktoku (, new government, high morality). In April 1877, Saig reorganized the army into nine infantry units of 350 to 800 men each. Led by Daniel Shays, the rebel "Shaysites" of . It signaled the beginning of the Japanese Imperial Army's rise to domination in eastern Asia, which would end only with Japan's eventual defeat in World War II almost seven decades later. 1794 by H.M. Brackenridge. 8 Practical Tips to Maximize Efficiency in Real Estate Investing . In April of 1871, Saigo was persuaded to return to Tokyo to organize the new national army. During the battle of Shiroyama, Saig was badly injured in the hip. On the third day of battle, the artillery division from Tsu domain defected to Saigo's side and began to shell the shogun's army instead. After that I provided some background information on the samurai and the armor that they wore. Its name comes from the Satsuma Domain, which had been influential in the Restoration and became home to unemployed samurai after military reforms rendered their status obsolete. Its name comes from the Satsuma Domain, which had been influential in the Restoration and became home to unemployed samurai after military reforms rendered their status obsolete. shizoku rebellion. Saigo supported a stronger role for the Emperorbut distrusted the others' millennial rhetoric. "The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori." 20-11-2011 19:18:05 ZULU. Ravina, Mark. Ravina said that the war's scope was much farther than Satsuma, and he characterizes the event as being closer to a civil war than a rebellion. [9], A Japanese hand fan commemorating the event, which survives in the collection of the Staten Island Historical Society in New York, features a depiction of Saig Takamori in a scene labeled (in English) "The Battle Near the Citadel of Kumamoto".[10]. Szczepanski, Kallie. The men were captured, and under torture, confessed that they were spies who had been sent to assassinate Saig. Mark Ravina, the author of The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori, argued that "Satsuma Rebellion" is not the best name for the war because the English name does not well represent the war and its Japanese name. Satsuma Rebellion The imperial government in Tokyo expected Saigo to come to the capital by sea or to dig in and defend Satsuma. His intransigence was one of the major causes of the subsequent Boshin War. Modern weapons were also used such as the Smith & Wesson Model No. Surely no conscript army of peasants could fight like the samurai! 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