Chapter 8, the Dragon Flag flew for the last time over the Yellow Sea

On that day, the sunset time was 17:40. Considering that it was getting late and the flagship had already lost its combat capability, with both the "Beirui" and "Xijing Maru" missing, coupled with the fact that the Beiyang Fleet also possessed torpedo boats, the chances of gaining the upper hand in a night battle against the Combined Fleet were not very high. At 18:00, Admiral Itō Yūhō decided to withdraw.

However, the First Sino-Japanese War revealed to China that the Qing Dynasty was beyond hope, and that there was no reason for that court to continue existing in this world. If China wished to continue its existence on this planet, revolution and the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty were the only way forward. From this perspective, the defeat of the Qing Dynasty in the First Sino-Japanese War was also an inevitability of history

However, the Battle of Lissa took place 30 years ago. In the intervening thirty years, the speed of warships and the power of artillery have undergone tremendous changes. Ding Ruchang failed to take these changes into account when deciding to adopt this formation.

However, the Beiyang Fleet remained inactive, even after all the coastal artillery positions on the eastern shore were occupied by the Japanese army. They merely relied on their position near Liugong Island to bombard the Japanese ground forces onshore, indicating that they still existed in this world

On December 16, the General Headquarters issued the operational order for Weihaiwei, and on January 1, 1895, the Combined Fleet was reorganized as follows: Main Force: Matsushima (flagship), Chiyoda, Hashidate, and Itsukushima

As for the Beiyang Fleet, it has a fleet but no commander, has formations but no leadership, has enemies but no objectives, has organization but no discipline

After the Combined Fleet turned past the Beiyang Fleet, it made a right turn to encircle the Beiyang Fleet from behind. However, at the rear, the Fusō, accompanied by the cruiser Chikuma and the battleship Katori, were engaged by the Laiyuan, Zhiyuan, and Guangjia. At this moment, Hayama Yoshinori on the Akitsushima immediately raised the signal: "Biryū, Chikuma is in danger." The First Destroyer Division was preparing to make a left turn, while our fleet made a direct right turn to surround the Beiyang Fleet. The Chikuma, Fusō, and Biryū, which had completed their left turn, were caught by the Beiyang Fleet, with Biryū coming to the rescue from between the Dingyuan and Laiyuan. After the First Destroyer Division completed its left turn and our fleet completed its right turn, they were 6,000 meters apart, forming a pincer attack against the Beiyang Fleet, each engaging the Beiyang vessels at a distance of 3,000 meters.

Ito did not attempt to intercept the Beiyang Fleet at sea, but rather allowed the fleet to enter the port of Weihaiwei. In fact, it should be said that Ito made another mistake, which was extremely dangerous. At that time, although the Beiyang Fleet had no intention of fighting, it was still entirely possible for them to retreat elsewhere, to Qingdao, Shanghai, or even Fujian, to recuperate and then return with renewed strength.

From the very beginning of the battle, Ding Ruchang was injured and unable to command. However, he did not clearly transfer the command authority to anyone, resulting in the Beiyang Fleet lacking an actual supreme commander during the five-hour naval battle. After initially forming a line, no one inquired about the purpose, progress, or maintenance of this formation, leading to its fragmentation almost immediately after the first round of cannon fire from the Combined Fleet. Aside from the disgraceful retreat of the Jiyuan, it was also an unforgivable mistake for the left wing, comprising Laiyuan, Zhiyuan, and Guangjia, to pursue the smallest gunboat of the Combined Fleet, the Chikagig, during the first round of combat. Furthermore, they astonishingly allowed the Chikagig to escape.

This encirclement poses certain dangers, as it may inadvertently harm one's own forces. However, in the early days of the Japanese Navy, there were few restrictions and not many taboos in combat; there was little room for such considerations on the battlefield. Particularly for the First Mobile Force, the primary objective was to rescue Fusō, which was being engaged by the Beiyang Fleet, rather than focusing on Ryūjō and Akagi.

On the day of the Battle of Dazhonggou, the total number of casualties on the Matsushima was 113, of which 90%, or 96 individuals, were attributed to the impact of this particular shell (some sources also refer to two shells from the twin-mounted main guns). The 32 cm main guns of the Matsushima were not particularly effective; during the Battle of Dazhonggou, the ship primarily relied on its 12 rapid-fire 12 cm secondary guns. One shot from the Zhiyuan rendered six of these guns inoperable and destroyed all the firing fuses on the deck, resulting in the Matsushima losing its combat capability. The battle mainly depended on the 12 rapid-fire 12 cm secondary guns, and the shot from the Zhiyuan silenced six of them while also destroying all the firing fuses on the deck, leading to the Matsushima's loss of operational capability

At that time, what Ito thought about was how to achieve the greatest victory at the least cost. It is difficult to simply say whether Ito's idea was right or wrong, because during the First Sino-Japanese War, he encountered great fortune. If he had faced a determined fleet and returned to repair the damaged warships to go out to fight to the death, it was uncertain who would win or lose. However, after the Battle of Dadonggou, the morale of the Beiyang Fleet was completely shattered, and the fleet, which originally had little desire to fight, had even more excuses to refuse to engage after suffering a great defeat. On September 24, Li Hongzhang urged Ding Ruchang to expedite the repairs of the warships to support the army, but apart from a reconnaissance mission on October 10 when the Beiyang Fleet sent a torpedo boat to the waters near Dagushan, there were no records of the Beiyang Fleet's movements. It is likely that Ding Ruchang employed some bureaucratic tricks to cover up the situation. However, such tricks could not deceive the Japanese. While Ito Yuheng closely observed the movements of the Beiyang Fleet, he dispatched escort forces to prepare to support the Second Army's landing at Huayuankou. After the Japanese First Division completed its landing at Huayuankou on October 22, under the command of the one-eyed dragon division commander Yamazaki, it immediately launched an attack across the entire Liaodong Peninsula, capturing Dalian on November 7 and Lushun on November 21, taking less than half a day. Before the fall of Lushun on October 18, the remaining ships of the Beiyang Fleet left Lushun for Weihaiwei.

The Fusang was simultaneously engaged by the Duyuan and the Dingyuan, with the closest distance being only 700 meters from the starboard side. It managed to turn left and catch up with its own fleet, but the Biri seemed impossible to escape. The captain of the Biri, a lieutenant commander with a rather peculiar name, Sakurai Norikuzushi, executed an equally strange maneuver: he inserted his ship between the Duyuan and the Dingyuan, with the starboard side 400 meters from the Duyuan and the port side 1000 meters from the Dingyuan. Fearing friendly fire, the Duyuan and Dingyuan could only watch helplessly as the Biri slipped past them and joined the combined fleet without being able to fire a single shot. Nevertheless, the Duyuan still launched a torpedo; 400 meters was a considerable range for torpedoes of that time. The torpedo came within just 7 meters of the Biri's stern, allowing the Biri to narrowly escape. It wasn't until the Biri had passed through the Beiyang Fleet's formation that the Dingyuan finally opened fire with its 30.5 cm gun, hitting the officer's quarters at the waterline of the stern and instantly killing or injuring over 40 personnel. The Biri thus disengaged from the battle. At that moment, the Duyuan, Zhiyuan, and Guangjia caught up again, and just as the sinking of the Biri seemed almost certain, for some unknown reason, the Duyuan and the other two ships turned their attention to the smaller Akagi and changed course to engage it. Later, after repairs, the Biri attempted to rejoin the line, but having already drifted 3 nautical miles away from its fleet and with nightfall approaching, all the ship's medical personnel and attendants had perished, leaving it no choice but to return to the temporary base at the mouth of the Datong River.

At this time, the First Guerrilla Unit pursued the Jingyuan and Jingyuan at 16:30, successfully engaging Jingyuan. Jingyuan was sunk at 17:30. At 17:45, the First Guerrilla Unit received the "Return to the Unit" signal from Matsushima, which was sent at 17:40. The two units finally converged at 18:30

The Beiyang Fleet was defeated, and it was a significant defeat. However, it was not a catastrophic defeat that would cripple a fleet. The losses sustained by the Beiyang Fleet in the Battle of Dadonggou were merely superficial injuries. From the past to the future, a truly powerful fleet, after enduring even greater blows, would simply bandage its wounds in silence, repair its warships, refuel, and continue to fight. The Dingyuan, which was hit 159 times, still remains, and the Zhenyuan, which was hit 200 times, still stands. The 30.5 cm cannons of Dingyuan and Zhenyuan are still operational. The myth of the 'unsinkable Dingyuan' continues to thrive. Moreover, after the Battle of Dadonggou, this myth has exerted even greater psychological pressure on the Japanese fleet than before. From 'the unsinkable Dingyuan' to 'Dingyuan does not sink,' does the Combined Fleet truly dare to engage in another battle?

The nascent Chinese navy was thus abruptly terminated, and for a prolonged period thereafter, China was devoid of a navy and lacked maritime defense

In the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing Dynasty suffered a complete defeat

On February 27, 1895, the United Fleet entered the port of Weihaiwei, capturing nine ships including Zhenyuan, Jiyuan, Pingyuan, Guangbing, Zhendong, Zhenxi, Zhennan, Zhenzhong, and Zhenbian, totaling over 15,000 tons

Third Guerrilla Team: Chiku, Toriumi, Akagi, Maya

At 16:07, Commander Yudō Yūhiko raised the "Out of Control" signal flag, attempting to withdraw from the battle line

One only needs to observe the actions of Admiral Ito Yuheng of the Combined Fleet after the Battle of Dadonggou to understand that this statement is not unfounded. The next day, he changed the flagship from Matsushima to the Combined Fleet aboard the bridge, and after circling around Weihaiwei without finding the Beiyang Fleet, he returned. It is said that Admiral Ito noticed the retreating direction of Dingyuan and Zhenyuan was first towards the northwest and then turned south, leading him to speculate that they had lost Weihaiwei. In fact, Ito could not have been unaware that the Beiyang Fleet's repair facilities were all in Lüshun, making it impossible for them to go to Weihaiwei—Ito simply did not wish to engage with the Beiyang Fleet any further. It is said that Admiral Ito noticed the retreating direction of Dingyuan and Zhenyuan was first towards the northwest and then turned south, leading him to speculate that they had lost Weihaiwei. In fact, Ito could not have been unaware that the Beiyang Fleet's repair facilities were all in Lüshun, making it impossible for them to go to Weihaiwei—Ito simply did not wish to engage with the Beiyang Fleet any further.

To deceive superficially may work on the Empress Dowager, but it cannot fool the Japanese. Not to mention, in the midst of this deception, one might even deceive oneself into believing they have truly become the foremost in Asia. From the arrogance at the onset of the Korean crisis, underestimating the enemy, to the miscalculations along the way, missing opportunities, and ultimately arriving at a state of helplessness, awaiting demise at Weihaiwei

Around 14:20, the First Guerrilla Fleet and our fleet had already disengaged from the first encirclement of the Beiyang Fleet, with the entire Combined Fleet positioned to the south of the Beiyang Fleet. At this moment, the battle temporarily ceased. Subsequently, the First Guerrilla Fleet and our Combined Fleet each made a 180-degree turn inward, with the First Guerrilla Fleet still to the west and our fleet to the east, surrounding the Beiyang Fleet.

Deng Shichang and the warship Zhiyuan he commanded are heroes and a source of pride for China. Even in Japan, all works studying the First Sino-Japanese War, including the lectures on naval warfare at the National Defense Medical College, mention Deng Shichang and his Zhiyuan, expressing the highest respect for them

However, as the private naval commander of Li Hongzhang, he lived up to Li Hongzhang's expectations. He remained on the front lines despite his injuries, did not flee in the face of danger, and most importantly, the fleet he commanded had not yet been annihilated by the allied fleet

Surrounded by foreign warships observing the battle, it is perplexing that the Beiyang Fleet remained completely unaware and was successfully ambushed.

The Battle of Dadonggou came to an end just like that

Finally, there is the training of the navy and the application of flexible and adaptable strategic tactics. For instance, employing a large number of rapid-fire cannons to counter the 30.5 cm heavy artillery, using speed to counter tonnage, and consistently adhering to a single-file formation and coordinated actions throughout, whether it is the First Guerrilla Unit or our own forces, maintaining an orderly formation until the final stages of naval combat. Serious measurements of the exact height of the focal points of the Beiyang Fleet's vessels have been conducted since several years prior to the outbreak of war.

The next day, the torpedo boat attacks continued, sinking the Laiyuan, Weiyuan, and the mine-laying ship Baofa.

First Guerrilla Unit: Yoshino (Flagship) Takachiho, Akitsushima, Naniwa

2. Cede the Liaodong Peninsula, Taiwan, and the Penghu Islands

Although reinforcements from Pingyuan, Guangbing, and two torpedo boats have joined the battle line, the Beiyang Fleet, which has already lost the ships Chaoyong and Yangwei, remains in a very difficult situation. This is especially true around 15:10, when the flagship Dingyuan of the Beiyang Fleet was hit on the foredeck, resulting in a fire. The foremast collapsed, and the admiral's flag of the Beiyang Fleet has not been raised since then. The Dingyuan was enveloped in smoke and flames, temporarily losing its combat capability. The flagship Dingyuan of the Beiyang Fleet was hit on the foredeck, resulting in a fire. The foremast collapsed, and the admiral's flag of the Beiyang Fleet has not been raised since then. The Dingyuan was enveloped in smoke and flames, temporarily losing its combat capability

The battle began at 12:50. The Duyuan fired the first shot at the Japanese Combined Fleet's Yoshino from a distance of 5,800 meters, marking the commencement of the Battle of Dadongkou

The Akagi here has also reached a dead end. At 13:25, Captain Sakamoto Hachiro went to Yasukuni Shrine, and First Officer Sato Tetsutaro took over command. At 14:15, the Laiyuan approached to within three hundred meters of the Akagi. However, at that moment, the Akagi's rear gun suddenly hit the Laiyuan, causing an explosion and fire at the bow of the Laiyuan. The other two ships, Zhiyuan and Guangjia, inexplicably ceased their pursuit. When the distance increased to 3000 meters, the Akagi began to take measures for self-rescue, and it was not until 17:15 that it returned to the line of battle. However, at that moment, the Akagi's rear gun suddenly hit the Laiyuan, causing an explosion and fire at the bow of the Laiyuan. The other two ships, Zhiyuan and Guangjia, inexplicably ceased their pursuit. When the distance increased to 3000 meters, the Akagi began to take measures for self-rescue, and it was not until 17:15 that it returned to the line of battle

The loss of the four warships, Chao Yong, Yang Wei, Zhi Yuan, and Jing Yuan, along with the flagship Ding Yuan, which has almost lost its combat capability, means that apart from the Jiyuan, which fled first, the remaining ships are almost all unable to return to the battlefield immediately. Is this not a significant defeat

On January 19, 1895, the Second Army landed at Rongcheng Bay to pressure Weihaiwei. On the first day, they were escorted by the United Fleet, but from the second day onward, it became widely known that the Beiyang Fleet would not mobilize, so the navy did not even dispatch landing escort troops. The entire United Fleet monitored the Beiyang Fleet outside the port of Weihaiwei, watching for any possible sortie for a decisive battle.

However, the Beiyang Fleet did not take such action; it merely hunkered down in the port of Weihaiwei. No one knew what the Beiyang Fleet was thinking. The commander of the British Far East Fleet, Sir Edward Seymour, wrote in his diary: "It is no longer possible for reinforcements to arrive; what is the desperate Beiyang Fleet waiting for?"

The Beiyang Fleet does not fight, does not surrender, does not retreat, but merely waits in despair for its final fate

Sato Tetsutaro, who later served as the president of the Naval University and the deputy chief of the Military Command, is also a well-known figure in the history of the Japanese Navy, and many subsequent events are linked to him. It is important to note that he can be considered the international affairs mentor of the famous Army staff officer Ishihara Kan'ei. He was from Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture, the same hometown as Ishihara Kan'ei. When Ishihara was attending the Army Officer School, he often visited Sato's home for meals on Sundays, thus frequently engaging in conversations with Sato, who was already a vice admiral at that time. Ishihara Kan'ei's views on the United States were almost entirely derived from Sato Tetsutaro, as Sato had been assigned as a naval attaché in both the United Kingdom and the United States after the First Sino-Japanese War.

In the early hours of February 5 at 03:20, 10 boats participating in the night raid arrived at the expected covert entrance under the cover of darkness, but they could not find the entrance after searching extensively. Later, Admiral Suzuki Kantaro, who was the Prime Minister of Japan during its defeat in the Pacific War and at that time the captain of the sixth boat of the Third Torpedo Boat Division, simply rode a large wave into the harbor. The remaining boats either continued searching for the covert entrance or waited for the next large wave. Later, Admiral Suzuki Kantaro, who was the Prime Minister of Japan during its defeat in the Pacific War and at that time the captain of the sixth boat of the Third Torpedo Boat Division, simply rode a large wave into the harbor. The remaining boats either continued searching for the covert entrance or waited for the next large wave

Another issue is whether the Combined Fleet actually used the so-called "downstream gunpowder" during the Battle of the East China Sea.

Ding Ruchang of the Beiyang Fleet and Ito Yuheng of the Combined Fleet held completely different attitudes towards signal flags. From the very beginning of the naval battle, Ding Ruchang did not display any signal flags, while Ito Yuheng frequently hoisted signals that no one but himself could understand. At the onset of the battle, the signal "Follow me" sent to the First Torpedo Squadron was misinterpreted by Captain Pingjing Kozo as "Come closer to me." This instance of "miscommunication" indicated "Fight independently," and apart from Captain Hidaka Sojiro of the ship Shirataki, no one understood it. The remaining vessels of the squadron still gathered around Matsushima to watch the spectacle. Later, Ito had no choice but to retract this signal and once again assume the duties of the flagship, transferring the flagship to Shirataki only at 20:00.

Due to various reasons, there is very little information in Chinese regarding the First Sino-Japanese War. In fact, not only the First Sino-Japanese War, but there is no historical topic with abundant Chinese materials, including the Cultural Revolution that occurred merely thirty years ago. Researchers have no choice but to rely on foreign language materials, and the similar-looking kanji in Japanese and Chinese often lead to results that are both amusing and absurd.

The First Guerrilla Unit pursued Lai Yuan, passing through Yuan and Jing Yuan, while the main force surrounded Ding Yuan and Zhen Yuan, putting the two Yuans in imminent danger

Compensation of 220 million taels of silver for war expenses

Do not attempt to shift the responsibility onto Li Hongzhang or even Empress Dowager Cixi. What people should be asking is whether Ding Ruchang, as the commander of the fleet, truly understood his responsibilities. Of course, Ding Ruchang was not only not a naval officer, but he also cannot be considered a soldier or a scholar; he was merely a subordinate of Li Hongzhang, a mere lackey. One cannot demand a sense of honor from him as a soldier.

Dingyuan, the nightmare battleship of the Yamato nation, was hit and caught fire, causing a wave of cheers among the Combined Fleet. At this moment, the First Guerrilla Unit, led by the Yoshino, charged towards the Dingyuan, aiming to completely sink it

North Korea is completely independent

To get back to the point, taking advantage of the confusion caused by the flagship Matsushima being damaged, we began to retreat in a northwestern direction

The emergence of guerrilla tactics brought an unexpected change to naval warfare. Subsequent naval battles were fought between guerrilla forces, while the main battleships found themselves idle. This explains why, from the First Sino-Japanese War to the appearance of aircraft carriers in the Pacific War, there were no decisive battles involving main battleships, except for the Russo-Japanese War. The relegation of battleships was not solely the achievement of aircraft carriers; during World War I, there were no battles between battleships. However, the Japanese, who invented guerrilla tactics, failed to recognize this fact and clung to the dream of large ships and big guns until the day of the demise of the "Imperial Japanese Navy".

Second Guerrilla Team: Fusang, Birui, Jingang, Kaohsiung

Since the Battle of Tsushima, where Kōsuke Hirai let the Jiyuan go, to the later abandonment of pursuit by Admiral Itō, and further on to the Russo-Japanese War and the Pacific War, such instances have repeatedly occurred. What is the reason behind this? It is quite simple: all three wars were fought by the impoverished nation of Japan against wealthy and powerful countries. When the gamble of national strategy begins, at the level of combat, commanders are inevitably troubled by the potential losses they might face, making them hesitant to take reckless risks. Fifty years later, the so-called 'mysterious turn' by Admiral Kurita Takeo at Leyte Gulf was not mysterious at all; it was already done by Hirai and Itō fifty years prior, and they all shared the same genetic predisposition.

The Beiyang Fleet has entered a state of Dog Fight. Dog Fight is the ultimate realm pursued by naval commanders, representing the battlefield that most vividly showcases a captain's skills and tactics, yet it is also the most challenging test of a captain's abilities and strategies. Individually, the commanders of the Beiyang Fleet are not unqualified; however, in the Dog Fight format, which requires both improvisation and close coordination, there are always some shortcomings.

In the absence of the Beiyang Fleet's engagement, the Combined Fleet conducted the first torpedo boat night attack in naval history on February 4. A total of ten torpedo boats participated, with the largest, the Xiaoying, weighing only 200 tons, while the others were around 50 tons each. The area surrounding Weihaiwei Harbor was fortified with very sturdy barriers designed by the Germans. However, the night before, Japanese spies had sabotaged the barriers, creating a hidden entrance for the torpedo boats to pass through. The area surrounding Weihaiwei Harbor was fortified with very sturdy barriers designed by the Germans. However, the night before, Japanese spies had sabotaged the barriers, creating a hidden entrance for the torpedo boats to pass through

In terms of tonnage, artillery, and speed, the Zhiyuan is no match for the Yoshino. If it comes down to a desperate fight, Zhiyuan has only one option: to employ the oldest naval tactic, braving the gunfire, using the ram, charging forward, and striking the Yoshino, aiming to gut it.

By the way, the signal "失控" is often translated as "不管" in many Chinese articles, which is a misunderstanding arising from a literal interpretation of the Japanese. The English translation of the "失控" signal is "Unable to Control," which translates to "管理不能" in Japanese, simplified to "不管." This does not convey the meaning of "不管" in Chinese, such as in the phrase "旗舰不管你们了."

It is most accurate to summarize the Beiyang Fleet in the words of Li Hongzhang himself: "I have spent my entire life on various endeavors, including military training and the navy, all of which are merely paper tigers. How could I truly manage them? They are but a forced embellishment, superficial and hollow, and as long as they are not exposed, they can serve to deceive for a time. It is like a dilapidated house, patched up by a paperhanger, which somehow appears as a clean room. Although it is known to be merely paper, one cannot definitively ascertain what materials lie within. Even if a little wind and rain create a few holes, they can be patched up at any time to manage the situation. However, if one insists on tearing it apart without preparing any materials for repair or any means of transformation, the truth will naturally be revealed and cannot be salvaged. But what skills does the paperhanger possess to bear the responsibility?"

4. A commercial treaty was concluded between Japan and European countries, whereby the nation of Japan and its citizens enjoy the most-favored-nation status and treatment.

However, this time, Pingjing and Ito are much luckier than their juniors, because even the slightest mistake made by their juniors would be exploited by others, while all the mistakes they made were compensated by the greater errors of their opponents. As a fellow naval officer, Ito Yuheng knows he has the upper hand; from experience, he also understands that the Beiyang Fleet has given up on contesting naval supremacy with him. Of course, it is also possible that from the very beginning, the Beiyang side had no intention of contending for any so-called "naval supremacy". But as a fellow naval officer, Ito Yuheng also knows that the Beiyang Fleet still exists, that Dingyuan still exists, that Zhenyuan still exists, and that terrifying 30.5 cm guns still exist, which are capable of sending any ship of the Combined Fleet to the bottom of the sea. Japan is a poor country, Japan is a small country, and Japan cannot afford to lose warships, not even the smallest Akagi. Buying warships requires money, which is saved from tightening one's belt, and Ito does not dare to take that risk.

Fourth Guerrilla Unit: Atago, Musashi, Katsuragi, Yamato

Fusang, Akagi, and Hiei were merely held back by the Beiyang Fleet due to their small tonnage, weak firepower, and slow speed. If the Beiyang Fleet had not completely lost its command system during the Battle of Dadonggou, these three small vessels would have long since met their end. The situation for the fake warship Xijing Maru was even more dire. Xijing Maru was a 2,900-ton passenger ship requisitioned by the navy, which set out to sea with just one mounted cannon, only for that cannon to malfunction and fail to fire. The crew had no recourse but to pray to the heavens. At 14:40, when the ship's Chief of Staff, Hayama, had already ordered a withdrawal from the battlefield, the torpedo boat Fulong, along with Pingyuan and Guangbing, charged in again.

The Battle of Dazhonggou saw the Combined Fleet emerge victorious. Indeed, the Combined Fleet did not suffer any sunk ships; aside from Matsushima, which was severely damaged, and the battleships Birei and Chicheng, which lost combat effectiveness, as well as the flooding of Yamashiro and Nanshu, the remaining vessels retained their combat capabilities. It must be acknowledged that the Combined Fleet won. In what aspects did the Combined Fleet achieve victory? Firstly, it was in their understanding of sea power. After the publication of Alfred Thayer Mahan's seminal work "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783" in 1890, the General Staff immediately translated it into Japanese, and it was officially published by the Navy's Suikosha in 1896.

At 13:05, Songdao was 3,500 meters away from Dingyuan, while the most advanced ship, Yoshino, was only 1,600 meters from the farthest right of the Beiyang Fleet, Chaoyong. The Combined Fleet opened fire on the Beiyang Fleet from this distance. Five minutes later, the small ships Chaoyong and Yangwei, both with a tonnage of 1,350 tons and an age of 15 years, could not withstand the fierce bombardment from the four ships of the First Torpedo Flotilla, caught fire, and left the battle line, sinking around 13:30. After successfully hitting the target, the First Torpedo Flotilla executed a 180-degree left turn and continued to block the Beiyang Fleet's path. Five minutes later, the small ships Chaoyong and Yangwei, both with a tonnage of 1,350 tons and an age of 15 years, could not withstand the fierce bombardment from the four ships of the First Torpedo Flotilla, caught fire, and left the battle line, sinking around 13:30. After successfully hitting the target, the First Torpedo Flotilla executed a 180-degree left turn and continued to block the Beiyang Fleet's path

As Suzuki Kantarō's No. 6 boat, riding the great waves, finally stabilized, it found itself directly in front of the Dingyuan. A Type 84 torpedo launched from the No. 6 boat struck the engine room of the Dingyuan, causing it to run aground

On March 19, 1895, Li Hongzhang personally arrived at Moji. On the 20th, he began negotiations at the Chunfan Building with Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi and Foreign Minister Mutsu Munemitsu. A ceasefire agreement was established on March 30, and a peace treaty was concluded on April 17, which included the following contents

The first guerrilla squadron of the Combined Fleet swiftly maneuvered past the Beiyang Fleet, positioning itself in a column to block the Beiyang Fleet's advance. At this moment, it was almost a reenactment of the Battle of Lissa. The Beiyang Fleet, with its 7,000-ton battleships, could charge forward and use its rams to cleave the Japanese warships in half. Given the current formation, the Beiyang Fleet, adopting a ramming defensive posture, held the advantage. This may explain why the Beiyang Fleet chose this formation.

Chao Yong, Yang Wei, and Zhi Yuan were sunk, while Ji Yuan and Guang Jia fled. Ding Yuan was severely injured, and at this point, the strength of the Beiyang Fleet had already diminished by more than half. Lai Yuan, Jing Yuan, and Jing Yuan, sensing the unfavorable situation, also began to withdraw from the battlefield without authorization. At this moment, only Ding Yuan and Zhen Yuan remained on the battlefield, and Ding Yuan was also severely injured.

Zhiyuan sank under the attack of the entire First Guerrilla Fleet, but its courageous stand and bold charge bought time for the flagship Dingyuan to save itself. During this time, Dingyuan extinguished the fire and restored its operational capability

The decision to use smokeless powder for the Japanese Navy's 15 cm and 12 cm Krupp artillery shells was made on January 28, 1893. However, by the time of the First Sino-Japanese War, the production equipment had not yet been assembled, so it was not ready in time. The smokeless powder truly demonstrated its power during the Russo-Japanese War. In fact, one can infer that the Japanese Navy did not use smokeless powder in the Battle of the Yellow Sea, as evidenced by the fact that while there were ships from the Beiyang Fleet sunk by the Combined Fleet, none were rendered inoperable. The smokeless powder truly demonstrated its power during the Russo-Japanese War. In fact, one can infer that the Japanese Navy did not use smokeless powder in the Battle of the Yellow Sea, as evidenced by the fact that while there were ships from the Beiyang Fleet sunk by the Combined Fleet, none were rendered inoperable.

Secondly, the pursuit of victory was evident throughout Japan, starting with the Emperor allocating personal funds, followed by national officials reducing their salaries to raise money for the purchase of warships

Open the cities of Shashi, Chongqing, Suzhou, and Hangzhou

However, during the Battle of Dadonggou, the entire course of the battle was not in favor of the Beiyang Fleet. Due to the extremely close distance, the torpedo passed beneath the hull of the Xijing Maru and then resurfaced. After the battle, Hayama Yoshiki remarked to Itō Yūhō, "It is truly terrifying to see a torpedo drilling under the hull while bubbling up." The torpedo fired by the Pingyuan, in comparison to that of the Rui, fell behind the Rui, while the one launched by the Fulong sank beneath the Xijing Maru. One might argue that these are merely minor mishaps that frequently occur on the battlefield, but the outcomes of battles, campaigns, and wars are often determined by such small errors. Hayama Yoshiki later told Itō Yūhō, "It is truly terrifying to see a torpedo drilling under the hull while bubbling up." The torpedo fired by the Pingyuan, in comparison to that of the Rui, fell behind the Rui, while the one launched by the Fulong sank beneath the Xijing Maru. One might argue that these are merely minor mishaps that frequently occur on the battlefield, but the outcomes of battles, campaigns, and wars are often determined by such small errors.

Everything, as the fleet commander, Admiral Ding Ruchang bears an inescapable responsibility. His fleet's strategic thinking is inadequate, the training of his fleet is insufficient, the communication means of his fleet are lacking, and his fleet's fuel and ammunition are also insufficient; it seems that everything about his fleet is lacking. It can be said that, given the numerous "insufficiencies," Ding Ruchang is not a qualified fleet commander

In the consecutive two days of torpedo boat attacks, the Japanese forces suffered no losses. After the second attack on the 6th, Ding Ruchang moved the flagship to the Zhenyuan and finally agreed to the torpedo boat team's request to break through to Zhihe. However, apart from the Fulong, which was captured after launching torpedoes at the Xijing Maru during the Battle of Dadonggou, all were sunk by the first guerrilla squad waiting outside the port of Weihaiwei.

Huashan gritted his teeth and ordered, "Charge!" He turned around and used the temporarily installed ram to collide with the 115-ton torpedo boat Fulong. Captain Cai Tinggan of Fulong ordered the launch of torpedoes, and at that moment, the two ships were only forty meters apart. Huashan believed that the Xijing Maru would surely sink.

Although Fang Boqian was executed after the fact, the disgrace of having created the only naval fleet in the world to flee from battle in the 19th and 20th centuries cannot be erased.

In the Battle of Tsushima, the Japanese Navy introduced two innovative formations. In addition to maintaining a single line formation, the tactic of employing a fast-moving guerrilla squadron composed of high-speed vessels to continuously encircle and divide enemy fleets, in coordination with the main fleet, was also a pioneering strategy of the Japanese Navy. Following the Battle of Tsushima, this tactic was quickly emulated by the navies of Britain, Germany, the United States, and France, while the arrogant Russians, accustomed to solid positional warfare, dismissed it. This was a significant factor in the subsequent annihilation of two Russian fleets by the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War.

However, there were also cowards and the disgrace of China. Around 15:15, during the Battle of Dandong, Fang Boqian, who was in command of the warship Jiyuan, and Wu Jingrong, who was in command of the warship Guangjia, fled the battlefield. They were the first to return to the Lushunkou base at 03:30 on the 18th.

The so-called "Downstream Nitro Powder" is actually 100% Picric Acid Powder, abbreviated as TNP. Picric acid was known in the 18th century as a bright yellow dye. In 1871, about 20 years before the First Sino-Japanese War, the German Hermann Sprengel invented a method for producing it in 100% form. In 1886, the Frenchman Paul Marie Eugène Vieille discovered that this dye was more suitable for making smokeless powder, and conducted explosive tests in 1888. Present at that time was Lieutenant Colonel Sadakatsu Tominaka, who was the deputy captain of the warship Yashima during the Battle of Dazhonggou, and was then sent to the UK as a military supervisor. After Tominaka brought the 100% Picric Acid specimen back to Japan, he handed it over to the technician Masayuki Shimonose of the Akabane Powder Manufacturing Company (a position lower than that of a technician, equivalent to a technician in China). Shimonose's invention involved painting the inner wall of the shell and pouring a layer of wax between the Picric Acid and the inner wall of the shell to address the instability of Picric Acid, which easily reacts with metals.

However, at this moment, at 15:26, the 30.5 cm main gun of Zhenyuan struck the flagship of the Combined Fleet, Matsushima. For the 30.5 cm main gun, the armor of Matsushima was merely thin iron plating. The shell penetrated the hull and exploded near the 12 cm port side forward gun shield. The explosive power of the 30.5 cm shell was already extremely terrifying, and the explosion also ignited the nearby stockpile of 12 cm shells, instantly turning the Matsushima into a hellish scene on the sea. Captain Shima Kiyoshi, along with 28 others, died on the spot, and 68 were injured. The explosive power of the 30.5 cm shell was already extremely terrifying, and the explosion also ignited the nearby stockpile of 12 cm shells, instantly turning the Matsushima into a hellish scene on the sea. Captain Shima Kiyoshi, along with 28 others, died on the spot, and 68 were injured.

On the 7th, the coastal artillery battery at Weihaiwei, which had fallen into the hands of the Japanese army, turned its fire against the Beiyang Fleet, sinking the Jingyuan. After the sinking of the Jingyuan, Ding Ruchang seemed to finally understand the gravity of his situation. On February 12, Ding Ruchang contacted the United Fleet through the British fleet commander to negotiate terms of surrender. The gunboat Zhenzhong, flying a white flag, approached the United Fleet's base to plead for surrender to Commander Ito Yuheng. On that day, Ding Ruchang committed suicide by ingesting opium aboard the Zhenyuan.

If Ito truly wished to engage in a contest with the Beiyang Fleet, he should have pursued them the night before. Many wartime researchers have already pointed this out. This is quite understandable, and it reflects the real reason why Minister of Military Affairs Hayama Yoshiki risked his life to personally oversee the battle on the front lines; he feared that Ito would let the tiger return to the mountain at a critical moment

The first shell would certainly not hit the Yoshino, but the tremendous shock from the 30.5-centimeter shell caused Ding Ruchang, who was commanding from the bridge above the gun position, to be thrown up and then fall down, resulting in the Beiyang Fleet losing its command just as the Battle of Dadonggou was beginning. Although Ding Ruchang refused the request to go down and rest, insisting on staying despite his injuries, even sitting on the ground to boost morale, it was a fact that he could no longer fulfill the responsibilities of the commander-in-chief.

In fact, the Beiyang Fleet did not suffer as devastating a defeat in the Battle of Dadonggou as people often imagine

At the critical moment when the sister ship Zhenyuan of Dingyuan was struggling to fend off numerous enemies, the small vessel Zhiyuan, with a displacement of only 2,300 tons on the left flank of Dingyuan, bravely emerged under the command of Captain Deng Shichang, charging directly towards the flagship of the First Guerrilla Fleet, Yoshino

The Combined Fleet maintained a single-file formation with the First Mobile Force at the front and the main fleet at the rear, silently passing in front of the Beiyang Fleet, remaining silent until the distance was reduced to 3,000 meters, at which point Yoshino fired the first shot

In fact, this phenomenon of the upper echelons gambling recklessly, with the on-site commander vacillating and unable to make a decision, is a unique characteristic of the Japanese Navy that first appeared during the Battle of Daito. This is something that bears the trademark of the Japanese Navy. Over time, it became evident that this was a trait of the Japanese Navy, manifested during the First Sino-Japanese War and continuing to appear in the Russo-Japanese War, yet it was overshadowed by the results of victory. No one recognized this as a problem, leading to the eventual consequences at Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Leyte Gulf, where this deeply contradictory nature of the Japanese Navy ultimately led to its demise. Over time, it became evident that this was a trait of the Japanese Navy, manifested during the First Sino-Japanese War and continuing to appear in the Russo-Japanese War, yet it was overshadowed by the results of victory. No one recognized this as a problem, leading to the eventual consequences at Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Leyte Gulf, where this deeply contradictory nature of the Japanese Navy ultimately led to its demise.