The Japanese Invasions of Korea

The Japanese invasion of Korea, which lasted from 1592 to 1598, was the largest conflict in the world in the sixteenth century in terms of both numbers and geographic scope. Japan's overlord, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, endeavoured to create a new East Asian world order, one with himself at the apex.^[213] To this end he assembled a force of over 150,000 soldiers, bolstered by perhaps 200,000 reserves and equipped with not only Japanese swords but also Portuguese- and Chinese-derived firearms.

In a transnational sense this was a ‘just war' from the Sino-Korean per­spective as the Ming mobilised tens of thousands of troops to aid its belea­guered tributary vassal and stymied the greatest challenge to the so-called Chinese world order in pre-modern times. The Ming application of state- sanctioned violence in this case was designed to overawe the Japanese and allow Ming China to retain its hegemonic position in East Asia. Though the war was poorly managed by both sides, in the end the Ming achieved all of its aims. Ming units brought to Korea included contingents of aboriginals from China's south-west, designed to intimidate the Japanese with their savagery. Once the war ended many of the Ming troops were sent directly to Sichuan to battle the aforementioned Miao rebel, Yang Yinglong, including Japanese soldiers who had surrendered and were employed as firearms specialists.

The Sino-Korean allies prevailed by a combination of superior cannon technology, better logistics, stronger navies and, to a lesser extent, the presence of Korean guerrilla resistance in the countryside. While the social effects of the war on Korea are well documented, the effects on China are only now being examined. Some of the rebellions in south-west China, for example, can be attributed directly to increased taxes or supply exactions for the war effort in Korea. Thus, the strategic application of state-sponsored violence could have serious local repercussions.