Chapter 5: The Issue of Maritime Power

It was then realized that the easiest formation to maintain is a single line. The ships in the rear have nothing to consider—speed, course—except to closely follow the ship in front. This is the reason why the Japanese Combined Fleet adopted a single line formation during the Battle of the Yellow Sea.

The response from Chuan is: "The engineering troops of the imperial army are exceptionally skilled"

However, it would not be entirely accurate to say that the Japanese Navy was merely engaging in a gamble left to fate; the Japanese had made comprehensive preparations. At that time, Ding Ruchang of the Beiyang Fleet, who was visiting Japan, could hardly have imagined that the first genuine tactical discussion on "how to sink the Dingyuan" actually took place on July 10, 1891, in the officers' lounge of the battleship Fusō in Yokohama, while the Fusō was serving as the reception ship for the visiting Beiyang Fleet.

Yamamoto Kunpei's antics were not limited to drinking and fighting. On one occasion, while drinking at a brothel in Shinagawa with other officers, he took a liking to a young prostitute. That very night, Second Lieutenant Yamamoto enlisted a few accomplices to set up a ladder against the back wall of the brothel and stole the young prostitute away. Later, when the brothel came looking for her, Yamamoto's group of friends pooled their resources to help redeem her. This young prostitute later became Yamamoto Kunpei's wife, Tsuzawa Tokiko. The authenticity of this incident is uncertain, but one thing is clear: no one knows the origins of Mrs. Yamamoto. None of the biographies of Yamamoto Kunpei mention her family background, suggesting that this story may indeed be true. The authenticity of this incident is uncertain, but one thing is clear: no one knows the origins of Mrs. Yamamoto. None of the biographies of Yamamoto Kunpei mention her family background, suggesting that this story may indeed be true

Isn't there too much underestimation of land combat? Isn't it somewhat unfair?

Like most Japanese naval officers of his time, Yamamoto Gonbee was from Kagoshima, specifically from the Satsuma domain. At the age of eleven, he participated in the Satsuma-English War, assisting in the transportation of artillery shells at the Benten Battery. Among those who helped transport the shells was the future Marshal Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō. The gunners included none other than the current Minister of the Army, Ōyama Iwao. The captain and first officer of the British fleet flagship, the HMS Eurydice, were sent to meet their fate by this very battery.

Well then, let's quickly build a bridge between Kyushu and Busan, otherwise the army won't be able to cross the sea

Xixiang waved his hand, urging the mountain station to come closer, and then lowered his voice to say: "I come from the army, and since I can't understand it anyway, why bother looking at it? I am the commander, and I don't need to see it; it's enough for you to look at it. I am here to help you secure funds and power; isn't that good?"

The outcome of the discussion is that all the main warships of the Beiyang Fleet are in Japan, where precise measurements are conducted. To prevent the Beiyang Fleet from intentionally lowering the height of the main mast during combat to disrupt the enemy's measurements, the Japanese side has focused on the height of all Beiyang vessels, with the most reliable data obtained through simultaneous measurements conducted by the Navy, Army, and the civil engineering department of the government in Yokohama and Nagasaki.

It is indeed very important to note that Kawakami Sōroku also hails from the Satsuma domain. Originally, he had a senior-junior relationship with Yamamoto Gonbee at the Ken'ei Society in Kagoshima; otherwise, the second-in-command of the army might not have been receptive to the sarcasm of a naval ministry official.

Yamamoto thought about it and came to the same conclusion, but in the end, the council agreed to allocate funds, thus sparing Saigo and Yamamoto from the disaster of seppuku

The error in measuring distance with a sextant at 4000 meters is 170 meters, while the length of the target is 94 meters. Therefore, when firing at a distance of 3000 meters, even if the first shot does not hit, the first correction will certainly be able to achieve a hit. The key lies in how to ensure that the measurement error remains within acceptable limits and how to improve the accuracy of the corrections.

The conclusion of the discussion is that sinking Dingyuan and Zhenyuan is possible

Xixiang smiled: "Baka, if we can't escape, why don't the three of us, including Minister of Education Hayama Yoshinori, go to the Nijubashi outside the Imperial Palace and commit seppuku to atone for our sins? The lives of three ministers must be worth at least one of Mikasa's, right? Don't you want a ship? Once we have the ship, what do we need our lives for?"

After Yamamoto Gonbee took office as the Chief of the Naval Affairs Bureau in the Navy Central, he did not frequently shuttle between the fleet and the central government like others. Instead, he remained at the Navy Central, steadily rising through the ranks, and he is almost the only admiral in the Japanese Navy who has never served as a fleet commander. This unusual experience is closely related to the recognition he received from the Minister of the Navy, Saigo Takamori.

Saigo, who came from the army, was appointed as a minister in the navy, and naturally, he lacked understanding of naval affairs. What was frustrating was that Saigo, who had served as the Minister of the Navy three times, never intended to comprehend it. The group of self-proclaimed sailors held him in disdain and nicknamed him "The Minister Who Understands Now" because Saigo often appeared to have an epiphany, saying "I see" when people introduced him to various situations. By the time Saigo took office as the Minister of the Navy for the third time, Yamamoto Gonnohyōe had already been the chief of the naval office for a year. Saigo asked the chief to provide him with an overview of the navy's situation, and Yamamoto gave him a document. A few days later, he inquired whether Saigo had read it.

At the onset of the war, Yamamoto Gonbee, who was merely a colonel in charge of official matters and did not participate in the specific planning and command of the war, delivered a concise lesson on naval power to the army through a simple metaphor. As the war progressed, Yamamoto Gonbee demonstrated exceptional foresight regarding the shift of the headquarters overseas and the intervention of the three nations, thereby gaining attention.

This time, Colonel Yamamoto exclaimed, "I see now." From then on, Yamamoto followed Saigo closely; wherever Saigo pointed, Yamamoto was certain to strike.

When the Japanese depicted the First Sino-Japanese War, the emphasis was also on naval battles

However, the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan of the Beiyang Fleet were a nightmare for the Japanese Navy. Among those who had witnessed the deterrent power of the two ships, no one was willing to engage in a confrontation with them, including Minister of Military Orders Nakamutada. Nakamutada argued that the Japanese Navy did not yet possess the strength to actively challenge the Beiyang Fleet and engage in a decisive naval battle; they could only defend and not attack. As a result, he was replaced by Hayama Yoshinori, who came from a background as a police chief. Hayama also had an army background and had served as the Minister of the Navy. During his tenure as minister, the naval shipbuilding budget was rejected by the parliament due to internal corruption within the navy, and the government was dominated by the Choshu and Satsuma factions. Hayama became furious and jumped onto the podium, shouting: "Every time you open your mouth, it's about the 'Satsuma-Choshu' government. Without this Satsuma-Choshu government, forty million lives are worth nothing." As a result, the parliament was dissolved, and the cabinet resigned. It was not uncommon for the Japanese military to force the government to resign, but let us not forget that the first precedent was set by the navy, not the renowned army. From then on, Hayama was referred to as the "Brave General." Whether intentional or not, Nakamutada Kurano, who hailed from the Saga domain, was replaced. The remaining naval ministers, Saigo Tomonori and Minister of Military Orders Hayama Yoshinori, along with the commander of the Combined Fleet, Ito Yuyuhiko, all came from the Satsuma domain, forming a complete lineup.

During the later Russo-Japanese War, the Minister of the Navy Yamamoto Gonnohyōe, the Minister of Military Affairs Itō Yūhō, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet Tōgō Heihachirō also formed a similar trio from the Satsuma Domain.

The war referred to as "Jiawu War" by the Chinese and "Sino-Japanese War" by the Japanese was a conflict that unfolded comprehensively on both land and sea, with nearly 900,000 ground troops deployed by both sides

Thus, the "Plan for the Great Campaign Against the Qing" formulated by Kawakami initially did not consider the role of the navy at all. It began with the emphasis on close combat within 200 meters, engaging in fierce battles, and advancing to the plains of Zhili to confront the Qing army in decisive battles. However, when Kawakami presented this plan, he was unexpectedly challenged by Yamamoto Gonbee: "Does the army have any excellent engineers?"

The novice navy of Japan is even more at a loss. After studying on paper for half a day without results, they simply decided to go to the site to see what formation would be more suitable.

Yamamoto was so frightened that he was at a loss for words: "That's called misappropriating the budget, which violates the constitution. If the parliament finds out, will they let me off the hook?"

Xixiang replied that he had finished reading it. At this, the chief officer exploded: "Impossible, it took 7 months to prepare this document, how could the minister finish it in just five days? You must not have read it at all."

No, one only needs to look at the confrontation that occurred between Colonel Yamamoto Gonbei, the official in charge of the Navy Ministry (equivalent to the office director), and Major General Kawakami Sōroku, the deputy chief of staff, to understand the reason behind it

The concept of "sea power" may seem straightforward, but how can one establish sea power without defeating the enemy fleet? At that time, the Japanese Navy had only a few steam ironclads, and it was already a challenge to set sail, let alone form a line for battle

Initially, the most powerful torpedo was considered; however, at that time, the operational range of the torpedo was only 300 meters, making it unrealistic to expect to get so close to Dingyuan and Zhenyuan. Therefore, the torpedo was ruled out. Yet, what no one anticipated was that in the end, Dingyuan would indeed fall to the hands of Japanese torpedo boat crews.

Major Douglas's earnest admonition to "act like gentlemen" proved utterly ineffective with this group of students, who were akin to thuggish ruffians. Ultimately, the only recourse was the most primitive method of "expulsion." In the year 1872 alone, as many as 158 students were expelled, with Yamamoto Gonbei being the most notorious among the second cohort, yet somehow he evaded the fate of expulsion.

Yamamoto stated: "The campaign against the Qing is a maritime operation. Without the escort of the navy, the army cannot land. Before the navy secures control of the Yellow Sea, all transport ships for troops and supplies are under the threat of the Beiyang Fleet. If the Beiyang Fleet cuts off the army's supply lines for personnel, munitions, and provisions, regardless of how many troops land in Korea or how skilled they are in battle, the only possible outcome is failure"

Yamamoto continued, saying: "Therefore, in this operation, the primary and ultimate task of the navy is merely to act independently, to seize and ensure maritime supremacy. The transportation and escort activities of the remaining army units must not obstruct the navy's independent actions to secure maritime supremacy." Kawakami and the present Yamashiro were hearing such a prioritization of maritime power for the first time. However, Kawakami did not take this direct opposition to his views to heart; he absorbed it. The transportation and escort activities of the remaining army units must not obstruct the navy's independent actions to secure maritime supremacy. Kawakami and the present Yamashiro were hearing such a prioritization of maritime power for the first time. However, Kawakami did not take this direct opposition to his views to heart; he absorbed it.

Before the Russo-Japanese War, Admiral Togo Heihachiro, who was already the Minister of the Navy, was greatly troubled by the parliament's refusal to approve funding for warships such as the Mikasa. He sought advice from Saigo Takamori, who was then the Minister of the Interior. Saigo suggested, "No matter whose money it is, just spend it first, and that will do."

The naval battle between the Qing fleet and the Japanese fleet was the first decisive engagement between steam fleets in human history, with no precedents to follow. Prior to this, fleet engagements were conducted between sailing ships, where tactics involved seizing the wind advantage, bombarding enemy vessels with cannons, or using the wind to accelerate and ram enemy ships. However, no one knew what formation should be adopted for battles between steam fleets.

The Minister of Xixiang smiled and said, "You are quite clever; I indeed did not look." Yamamoto, unable to contain his anger, replied, "As a minister, how can you be so irresponsible? Do you disregard the hard work of your subordinates?"

The naval formation differs from that of the army, requiring the true capabilities of the captain. It is said that cultivating a qualified cruiser captain takes about 30 years, and at that time, the Japanese navy had only been established for around 30 years, meaning there were hardly any qualified captains. Thus, the question of "forming a more suitable formation" became one of "forming a formation that is easier to maintain." The president of the Naval Academy, Kozo Tsuboi, came up with an idea: to have the captains board small motorboats and cruise back and forth in the Seto Inland Sea to experiment with which formations were the easiest to maintain. Therefore, the question of "forming a more suitable formation" transformed into that of "forming a formation that is easier to maintain." The president of the Naval Academy, Kozo Tsuboi, came up with an idea: to have the captains board small motorboats and cruise back and forth in the Seto Inland Sea to experiment with which formations were the easiest to maintain

Saigo Tsugumichi was a great contributor to the Meiji Restoration and the younger brother of Saigo Takamori, the notorious rebel of the Satsuma Rebellion. Both brothers shared a peculiar indifference towards their names. In fact, Tsugumichi's name was originally supposed to be "Saigo Takamichi." However, during the registration of names after the Meiji Restoration, the official misheard it and recorded it as "Tsugumichi." Tsugumichi himself did not mind, thinking, "If it’s Tsugumichi, then it’s Tsugumichi; the way of the 'michi' should indeed be 'tsugu,' this name is quite good." Thus, he became known as "Tsugumichi." Interestingly, his brother Saigo Takamori had a similar experience. Takamori's name was originally supposed to be "Takanaga," but "Takamori" was actually the name of their father, Saigo Kiyobei, which was mistakenly taken as the son's name. Consequently, Takanaga became Takamori by mistake, truly reflecting the saying that like brother, like brother.

Thus, in the "Concept of the Great Campaign to Conquer the Qing Dynasty," plans were proposed to take different actions based on changes in maritime power.

However, a former artillery instructor for the Marines, Colonel Yamamoto Gonbei, an expert in Krupp artillery from the Japanese Navy and a graduate of studies in Germany, had a concept. This concept was to leverage the numerical advantage of rapid-fire guns to achieve first-hit accuracy, followed by a torrential assault to destroy the enemy's upper structures, inflict casualties, and render them incapable of combat. These six individuals had all been students of Yamamoto, and they were contemplating how to realize this concept. They aimed to utilize the numerical advantage of rapid-fire guns to achieve first-hit accuracy, followed by a torrential assault to destroy the enemy's upper structures, inflict casualties, and render them incapable of combat. These six individuals had all been students of Yamamoto, and they were contemplating how to realize this concept

Yamamoto was merely a naval colonel, while Kawakami held the rank of army lieutenant general. At that time, it was not the later period when the title of general was widely discussed; there were only three generals in the entire Japanese army: Field Marshal Yamashita, Chief of Staff Prince Komatsu Akihito, and Count Yamagata Aritomo. At that time, Yamagata was the President of the Privy Council and in the reserves, while Prince Komatsu was a royal figurehead. This means that Kawakami was the second-in-command of the army, and Yamamoto's question could be considered somewhat presumptuous.

Yamamoto Kunpei was a member of the second cohort of the Naval Academy. During his time as a naval cadet, he was one of the most troublesome students for the instructors. Among the early cohorts of naval cadets, many had fought against the British. In addition to the instinctive aversion towards former enemies from past battles, there was also a sense of arrogance stemming from his battlefield experience, leading him to disregard the inexperienced instructors with their prominent noses. He spent his days getting drunk and engaging in brawls, and when provoked, he even dared to confront British instructors.

This concept appears simple, yet it is quite challenging. This is because, in addition to the need for accurate artillery fire, it also requires a close integration of navigation and gunnery, with constant awareness of the enemy ship's precise location and distance. Although the Japanese warship Yoshino, which participated in the Battle of Dazhonggou, was equipped with a 5-meter rangefinder that the British Navy had only just developed in 1888, the performance of rangefinders at that time was still not very stable. Furthermore, Yoshino was commissioned in September 1893, and the navigators on board had not fully mastered its use. Therefore, both the Combined Fleet and the Beiyang Fleet relied on sextants for fundamental measurements.

This was the first time Yamamoto Gonbee, later known as the "Father of the Imperial Japanese Navy," revealed his prominence

The army then realized that their operational plan had a fundamental flaw: it did not take into account maritime supremacy

Only artillery can be used. However, the caliber of the Japanese artillery is not as large as that of Dingyuan. At that time, the Sanjing-class ships had not yet been commissioned, and both Dingyuan and Zhenyuan were armored ships with a thickness of 305 millimeters. To be honest, from a general perspective, the Japanese fleet had no chance.

From the officers' lounge, one can clearly see Dingyuan and Zhenyuan. Three captains and three lieutenants, including the artillery commander, the navigation officer, and the torpedo officer, began their first serious discussion on how to sink Dingyuan, facing these two colossal vessels.

The arrangement of this formation is indeed a significant issue

However, in the film "The Battle of the Yellow Sea," there is hardly any depiction of ground combat; it focuses entirely on the Beiyang Fleet, emphasizing naval warfare.

Saigo Takamori was indeed a man who dared to gamble. He rose from the rank of Lieutenant General in the Army to become a Grand Admiral in the Navy, ultimately being named a Marshal. It can be said that the Navy ventured into the gambling arena under the leadership of the Army, and the one leading the Navy was still an Army general. This Army general adopted a hands-off approach, first seeking out the person in charge. After the establishment of the General Headquarters, he replaced the Minister of Military Affairs, appointing Yoshiyuki Hayashida, who had just returned to active duty from the Privy Council, to succeed Kurata Souzaburo, and did not appoint a Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, allowing Hayashida to take center stage alone. Changing commanders at the last minute is generally a major taboo in military strategy, but this time the Japanese Navy had no choice.

At that time, the total number of mobilizable Japanese troops was approximately 240,000, while the Qing army had 980,000 troops. However, the Japanese army was not intimidated by the 980,000 Qing troops, because, firstly, they were too dispersed and might not be able to mobilize effectively. Secondly, the military quality and combat capability of the Qing army were indeed not commendable

In the war against the Qing Dynasty, the Japanese Army had a chance of victory, but for the Japanese Navy, it was purely a gamble