Togo Heihachiro
Encyclopedia
Fleet Admiral
Marquis
was a Fleet Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
and one of Japan's greatest naval heroes. He was termed by Western journalists as "the Nelson
of the East".
domain (modern-day Kagoshima prefecture
), in feudal Japan. Tōgō's father was a samurai
, serving under the Shimazu daimyo
, and he had three brothers.
Kajiyacho was one of Kagoshima's samurai housing-districts, in which many other influential figures of the Meiji period
were born, such as Saigō Takamori
and Ōkubo Toshimichi
. They rose to prominent positions under the Meiji Emperor partly because the Shimazu clan
had been a decisive military and political factor in the Boshin war
against the Tokugawa Shogunate
during the Meiji Restoration
.
to punish the Satsuma
daimyo
for the death of Charles Lennox Richardson
on the Tōkaidō
highway the previous year (the Namamugi Incident
), and the Japanese refusal to pay an indemnity in compensation.
The following year, Satsuma established a navy, in which Tōgō and two of his brothers enrolled. In January 1868, during the Boshin war
, Tōgō was assigned to a paddle-wheel steam warship, Kasuga
, which participated to the Naval Battle of Awa
, near Osaka
, against the navy of the Tokugawa Bakufu, the first Japanese naval battle between two modern fleets.
As the conflict spread to northern Japan, Tōgō participated as a third-class officer aboard the Kasuga in the last battles against the remnants of the Bakufu forces, the Naval Battle of Miyako and the Naval Battle of Hakodate
(1869).
Tōgō studied naval science for seven years in England
as an apprentice officer, from 1871 to 1878, together with sixteen (or eleven?) other Japanese students. Tōgō visited London
, at that time the largest and most populous city in the world. Many things were strange to Japanese eyes; the round houses made out of stone, the 'number and massiveness of the buildings', 'the furnishings of a commonplace European room', 'the displays in the butchers' shop windows: it took them several days to become accustomed to such an abundance of meat.' The Japanese group was separated and sent to English boardinghouses for individual instruction in English language
, customs and manners. Next, Tōgō was sent to Plymouth
, where he was assigned as a cadet on HMS Worcester, which was part of the Thames Nautical Training College, in 1872. Tōgō found his cadet rations 'inadequate': "I swallowed my small rations in a moment. I formed the habit of dipping my bread in my tea and eating a great deal of it, to the surprise of my English comrades." This was attributed possibly to Tōgō's 'Far Eastern metabolism', the lack of rice
, 'or that some other essential element was missing; or perhaps the climatic differences sharpened his appetite.' Perhaps the excitement of his adventure contributed, or maybe Togo just liked the food. Tōgō's comrades called him 'Johnny Chinaman', being unfamiliar with the 'Orient', and not knowing the difference between Asiatic peoples. 'The young samurai did not like that, and on more than one occasion he put an end to it by blows.' Tōgō also surprised these young Englishmen by graduating second in the class.
During 1875, Tōgō circumnavigated the world as an ordinary seaman on the British training-ship Hampshire, leaving in February and staying seventy days at sea without a port call until reaching Melbourne
, eating only salted meat and ship's biscuits. Tōgō 'observed the strange animals on the Southern continent.' On his return, Tōgō had sailed thirty thousand miles. Tōgō suffered a strange illness which severely threatened his eyesight: 'the patient asked his medical advisers to "try everything", and some of their experiments were extremely painful.' Mr. Capel commented later, 'If', he wrote, 'I had not seen with my own eyes what a Japanese can suffer without complaint, I should often have been disinclined to believe....But, having observed Tōgō, I believe all of them.' The Harley Street ophthalmologists saved his eyesight. Tōgō studied mathematics in Cambridge
(though not at the University) during this time, while living with Reverend A.S. Capel. Tōgō then went to the Royal Naval Academy
in Portsmouth
, and to the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. During his stay, the Imperial Japanese Navy placed orders in Great Britain for three warships. Tōgō made use of the opportunity to apply his training, supervising (watching carefully) the construction of the Fusō whilst on work experience
at the Samuda Brothers
shipyard on the Isle of Dogs
.
Tōgō, newly promoted to lieutenant
finally returned to Japan on 22 May 1878 onboard one of the newly-purchased British-built ships, the Hiei
.
Tōgō was absent from Japan during the Satsuma Rebellion
, and often expressed regret for the fate of his benefactor Saigō Takamori
.
, Tōgō received several commands, first as captain of Daini Teibo
, and then Amagi. During the Franco-Chinese War (1884–1885), Tōgō, onboard Amagi, closely followed the actions of the French fleet
under Admiral Courbet.
Tōgō also observed the ground combat of the French forces
against the Chinese in Formosa (Taiwan
), under the guidance of Joseph Joffre
, future Commander-in-Chief of French forces during World War I
.
, Tōgō, as a captain of the cruiser
Naniwa
, sank the British
transport ship, Kowshing, which was chartered by the Chinese Beiyang Fleet
to convey troops. A report of the incident was sent by Suematsu Kencho
to Mutsu Munemitsu
.
The sinking almost caused a diplomatic conflict between Japan and Great Britain, but it was finally recognized by British jurists as in total conformity with International Law, making Tōgō famous overnight for his mastery of contentious issues involving foreign countries and regulations. The British ship had been ferrying hundreds of Chinese soldiers towards Korea
, and these soldiers had mutinied and taken over the ship upon the appearance and threats from the Japanese ships.
He later took part in the Battle of the Yalu, with the Naniwa as the last ship in the line of battle
under the overall command of Admiral Tsuboi Kōzō
. Togo was promoted to rear admiral
at the end of the war, in 1895.
After the end of the Sino-Japanese War, Tōgō was successively commandant of the Naval War College (Japan)
, commander of the Sasebo
Naval College, and Commander of the Standing Fleet.
In 1903, the Navy Minister
Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
appointed Tōgō Commander-in-Chief
of the Combined Fleet
of the Imperial Japanese Navy
. This astonished many people, including Emperor Meiji
, who asked Yamamoto why Tōgō was appointed. Yamamoto replied to the emperor, "Because Tōgō is a man of good fortune".
During the Russo-Japanese War
, Tōgō engaged the Russia
n navy at Port Arthur
and the Yellow Sea
in 1904, and destroyed the Russian Baltic Fleet at the Battle of Tsushima
in 1905, a battle which shocked the world. Tsushima had broken the Russian strength in East Asia
, and is said to have triggered various uprisings in the Russian Navy (1905 uprisings in Vladivostok
and the Battleship Potemkin uprising), contributing to the Russian Revolution of 1905
.
Post war investigations were held for the Russian naval leadership during those battles, in which Tōgō had either destroyed or captured, into the reasons behind their utter defeat. The Russian commander of the destroyed Baltic fleet, Admiral
Zinovy Rozhdestvenski (who was badly wounded in the battle) attempted to take full responsibilities for the disaster, and the grateful authorities (and rulers of Russia) acquitted him at his trial. However, they made Admiral
Nikolai Nebogatov
, who had tried to affix blame to the Russian Government, a scapegoat. Nebogatov was found guilty, sentenced to ten years imprisonment in a fortress, but was released by the Tsar after only serving 2 years.
.
Later, Tōgō was Chief of the Naval General Staff
and was given the title of hakushaku (Count
) under the kazoku
peerage system. He also served as a member of the Supreme War Council
.
In 1913, Tōgō received the honorific title of Fleet Admiral
.
From 1914 to 1924, Tōgō was put in charge of the education of Crown Prince Hirohito
, the future Shōwa Emperor
.
Tōgō publicly expressed a dislike and disinterest for involvement in politics; however, he did make strong statements against the London Naval Treaty
.
Tōgō was awarded the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
in 1926, an honor that was held only by Emperor Hirohito and Prince Kan'in Kotohito
at the time. He added the award to his existing Order of the Golden Kite
(1st class) and already existing Order of the Chrysanthemum. His title was raised to that of koshaku marquis
in 1934 a day before his death.
On his death in 1934 at the age of 86, he was accorded a state funeral
. The navies of Great Britain, United States
, Netherlands, France, Italy
and China
all sent ships to a naval parade in his honor in Tokyo Bay
.
In 1940, Tōgō Jinja
was built in Harajuku
, Tokyo
, as the naval rival to the Nogi Shrine
erected in the honor of Imperial Japanese Army
General Nogi Maresuke. The idea of elevating him to a Shinto
kami
had been discussed before his death, and he had been vehemently opposed to the idea. There is another Tōgō shrine at Tsuyazaki, Fukuoka
. The statues to him in Japan include one at Ontaku Shrine, in Agano, Saitama
and one in front of the memorial battleship Mikasa
in Yokosuka.
Tōgō's son and grandson also served in the Imperial Japanese Navy. His grandson died in combat during the Pacific War
on the heavy cruiser
Maya
at the Battle of Leyte
.
In 1958, Admiral Chester Nimitz
, an admirer of Admiral Tōgō, helped to finance the restoration of the Mikasa, Admiral Tōgō's flagship during the Russo-Japanese war. In exchange, Japanese craftsmen assembled a Japanese "Garden of Peace," a replica of Admiral Tōgō's garden, at the National Museum of the Pacific War (formerly known as The Nimitz Museum) in Fredericksburg, Texas
.
Admiral of the Fleet (Japan)
' was the highest rank in the prewar Imperial Japanese Navy. The term gensui was used for both the Navy and the Imperial Japanese Army, and was a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor. In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to 5 generals and 3 admirals...
Marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
was a Fleet Admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
and one of Japan's greatest naval heroes. He was termed by Western journalists as "the Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
of the East".
Early life
Tōgō was born on 27 January 1848 (by the Western calendar) in the Kajiyacho district of the city of Kagoshima in SatsumaSatsuma han
The Satsuma domain was one of the most powerful feudal domains in Tokugawa Japan, and played a major role in the Meiji Restoration and in the government of the Meiji period which followed...
domain (modern-day Kagoshima prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
), in feudal Japan. Tōgō's father was a samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
, serving under the Shimazu daimyo
Shimazu clan
The were the daimyō of the Satsuma han, which spread over Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga provinces in Japan.The Shimazu were identified as one of the tozama or outsider daimyō clans in contrast with the fudai or insider clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan,The Shimazu were...
, and he had three brothers.
Kajiyacho was one of Kagoshima's samurai housing-districts, in which many other influential figures of the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
were born, such as Saigō Takamori
Saigo Takamori
was one of the most influential samurai in Japanese history, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. He has been dubbed the last true samurai.-Early life:...
and Ōkubo Toshimichi
Okubo Toshimichi
, was a Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. He is regarded as one of the main founders of modern Japan.-Early life:...
. They rose to prominent positions under the Meiji Emperor partly because the Shimazu clan
Shimazu clan
The were the daimyō of the Satsuma han, which spread over Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga provinces in Japan.The Shimazu were identified as one of the tozama or outsider daimyō clans in contrast with the fudai or insider clans which were hereditary vassals or allies of the Tokugawa clan,The Shimazu were...
had been a decisive military and political factor in the Boshin war
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
against the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
during the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
.
Tokugawa conflicts (1863–1869)
Tōgō's first combat experience was at the age of 15 during the Anglo-Satsuma War (August 1863), in which Kagoshima was bombarded by the British Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
to punish the Satsuma
Satsuma Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. Its abbreviation is Sasshū .During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.In 1871, with the...
daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
for the death of Charles Lennox Richardson
Charles Lennox Richardson
Charles Lennox Richardson was an English merchant based in Shanghai who was killed in Japan during the Namamugi Incident. His name is properly spelled as “Charles Lenox Richardson” according to the census and family documents.-Merchant:Richardson was born in London in 1834. He relocated to...
on the Tōkaidō
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
highway the previous year (the Namamugi Incident
Namamugi Incident
The was a samurai assault on foreign nationals in Japan on September 14, 1862, which resulted in the August 1863 bombardment of Kagoshima, during the Late Tokugawa shogunate...
), and the Japanese refusal to pay an indemnity in compensation.
The following year, Satsuma established a navy, in which Tōgō and two of his brothers enrolled. In January 1868, during the Boshin war
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
, Tōgō was assigned to a paddle-wheel steam warship, Kasuga
Japanese warship Kasuga (1862)
was a Japanese wooden paddle steamer warship of the Bakumatsu and early Meiji period, serving with the navy of Satsuma Domain, and later with the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy.-Service in the Boshin War:...
, which participated to the Naval Battle of Awa
Naval Battle of Awa
The occurred on 28 January 1868 during the Boshin War in Japan, in the area of Awa Bay near Osaka. Involving ships of the Tokugawa Shogunate and Satsuma vessels loyal to the imperial court in Kyoto, the battle was the second naval battle in Japanese history between modern naval forces...
, near Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, against the navy of the Tokugawa Bakufu, the first Japanese naval battle between two modern fleets.
As the conflict spread to northern Japan, Tōgō participated as a third-class officer aboard the Kasuga in the last battles against the remnants of the Bakufu forces, the Naval Battle of Miyako and the Naval Battle of Hakodate
Naval Battle of Hakodate
The was fought from 4–10 May 1869, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate navy, consolidated into the armed forces of the rebel Ezo Republic, and the newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy...
(1869).
Studies in Britain (1871–1878)
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as an apprentice officer, from 1871 to 1878, together with sixteen (or eleven?) other Japanese students. Tōgō visited London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, at that time the largest and most populous city in the world. Many things were strange to Japanese eyes; the round houses made out of stone, the 'number and massiveness of the buildings', 'the furnishings of a commonplace European room', 'the displays in the butchers' shop windows: it took them several days to become accustomed to such an abundance of meat.' The Japanese group was separated and sent to English boardinghouses for individual instruction in English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, customs and manners. Next, Tōgō was sent to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, where he was assigned as a cadet on HMS Worcester, which was part of the Thames Nautical Training College, in 1872. Tōgō found his cadet rations 'inadequate': "I swallowed my small rations in a moment. I formed the habit of dipping my bread in my tea and eating a great deal of it, to the surprise of my English comrades." This was attributed possibly to Tōgō's 'Far Eastern metabolism', the lack of rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, 'or that some other essential element was missing; or perhaps the climatic differences sharpened his appetite.' Perhaps the excitement of his adventure contributed, or maybe Togo just liked the food. Tōgō's comrades called him 'Johnny Chinaman', being unfamiliar with the 'Orient', and not knowing the difference between Asiatic peoples. 'The young samurai did not like that, and on more than one occasion he put an end to it by blows.' Tōgō also surprised these young Englishmen by graduating second in the class.
During 1875, Tōgō circumnavigated the world as an ordinary seaman on the British training-ship Hampshire, leaving in February and staying seventy days at sea without a port call until reaching Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, eating only salted meat and ship's biscuits. Tōgō 'observed the strange animals on the Southern continent.' On his return, Tōgō had sailed thirty thousand miles. Tōgō suffered a strange illness which severely threatened his eyesight: 'the patient asked his medical advisers to "try everything", and some of their experiments were extremely painful.' Mr. Capel commented later, 'If', he wrote, 'I had not seen with my own eyes what a Japanese can suffer without complaint, I should often have been disinclined to believe....But, having observed Tōgō, I believe all of them.' The Harley Street ophthalmologists saved his eyesight. Tōgō studied mathematics in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
(though not at the University) during this time, while living with Reverend A.S. Capel. Tōgō then went to the Royal Naval Academy
Royal Naval Academy
The Royal Naval Academy was established at Portsmouth Dockyard as a facility to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardised training, education and admission.-Training:In 1773, a shore side...
in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, and to the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. During his stay, the Imperial Japanese Navy placed orders in Great Britain for three warships. Tōgō made use of the opportunity to apply his training, supervising (watching carefully) the construction of the Fusō whilst on work experience
Work experience
Work experience is the experience that a person has been working, or worked in a specific field or occupation.- Volunteer work and internships :...
at the Samuda Brothers
Samuda Brothers
Samuda Brothers was an engineering and ship building firm at Cubitt Town on the Isle of Dogs in London, founded by Jacob and Joseph d'Aguilar Samuda. The site is now occupied by Samuda Estate....
shipyard on the Isle of Dogs
Isle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
.
Tōgō, newly promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
finally returned to Japan on 22 May 1878 onboard one of the newly-purchased British-built ships, the Hiei
Japanese corvette Hiei (1877)
was the second and last vessel in the of armored sail-and-steam corvettes of the early Imperial Japanese Navy. Hiei was named after the Mount Hiei, outside of Kyoto, and the name was subsequently used for the World War II battleship .-History:...
.
Tōgō was absent from Japan during the Satsuma Rebellion
Satsuma Rebellion
The was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government.-Background:...
, and often expressed regret for the fate of his benefactor Saigō Takamori
Saigo Takamori
was one of the most influential samurai in Japanese history, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. He has been dubbed the last true samurai.-Early life:...
.
Franco-Chinese war (1884–1885)
Back in the Imperial Japanese NavyImperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
, Tōgō received several commands, first as captain of Daini Teibo
Japanese warship Teibo
The Japanese warship was a ship of governmental forces during the Boshin war.She was originally built in England and acquired by the fief of Chōshū in western Japan, before being remitted to the new Imperial government in 1868....
, and then Amagi. During the Franco-Chinese War (1884–1885), Tōgō, onboard Amagi, closely followed the actions of the French fleet
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
under Admiral Courbet.
Tōgō also observed the ground combat of the French forces
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
against the Chinese in Formosa (Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
), under the guidance of Joseph Joffre
Joseph Joffre
Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre OM was a French general during World War I. He is most known for regrouping the retreating allied armies to defeat the Germans at the strategically decisive First Battle of the Marne in 1914. His popularity led to his nickname Papa Joffre.-Biography:Joffre was born in...
, future Commander-in-Chief of French forces during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Sino-Japanese war (1894–1895)
In 1894, at the beginning of the First Sino-Japanese WarFirst Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
, Tōgō, as a captain of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
Naniwa
Japanese cruiser Naniwa
was the first protected cruiser built specifically for the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was the lead ship of the s, built in the Armstrong Whitworth shipyard in Great Britain. The name Naniwa comes from an ancient province of Japan, now part of Osaka-fu...
, sank the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
transport ship, Kowshing, which was chartered by the Chinese Beiyang Fleet
Beiyang Fleet
The Beiyang Fleet was one of the four modernised Chinese navies in the late Qing Dynasty. Among the four, the Beiyang Fleet was particularly sponsored by Li Hongzhang, one of the most trusted vassals of Empress Dowager Cixi and the principal patron of the "self-strengthening movement" in northern...
to convey troops. A report of the incident was sent by Suematsu Kencho
Suematsu Kencho
Viscount was a Japanese politician, intellectual and author, who lived in the Meiji and Taishō periods. Apart from his activity in the Japanese government, he also wrote several important works on Japan in English...
to Mutsu Munemitsu
Mutsu Munemitsu
Count was a statesman and diplomat in Meiji period Japan.-Early life:Mutsu Munemitsu was born in Wakayama domain, Kii Province as the sixth son of Date Munehiro, a samurai retainer of the Kii Tokugawa clan...
.
The sinking almost caused a diplomatic conflict between Japan and Great Britain, but it was finally recognized by British jurists as in total conformity with International Law, making Tōgō famous overnight for his mastery of contentious issues involving foreign countries and regulations. The British ship had been ferrying hundreds of Chinese soldiers towards Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and these soldiers had mutinied and taken over the ship upon the appearance and threats from the Japanese ships.
He later took part in the Battle of the Yalu, with the Naniwa as the last ship in the line of battle
Line of battle
In naval warfare, the line of battle is a tactic in which the ships of the fleet form a line end to end. A primitive form had been used by the Portuguese under Vasco Da Gama in 1502 near Malabar against a Muslim fleet.,Maarten Tromp used it in the Action of 18 September 1639 while its first use in...
under the overall command of Admiral Tsuboi Kōzō
Tsuboi Kozo
- Notes :...
. Togo was promoted to rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
at the end of the war, in 1895.
After the end of the Sino-Japanese War, Tōgō was successively commandant of the Naval War College (Japan)
Naval War College (Japan)
The was the staff college of the Imperial Japanese Navy, responsible for training officers for command positions either on warships, or in staff roles....
, commander of the Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
Naval College, and Commander of the Standing Fleet.
Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905)
Ministry of the Navy of Japan
The was a cabinet-level ministry in the Empire of Japan charged with the administrative affairs of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It existed from 1872 to 1945.-History:...
Yamamoto Gonnohyōe
Yamamoto Gonnohyoe
, also called Gonnohyōe, was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy and the 16th and 22nd Prime Minister of Japan.-Early life:...
appointed Tōgō Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Combined Fleet
Combined Fleet
The was the main ocean-going component of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Combined Fleet was not a standing force, but a temporary force formed for the duration of a conflict or major naval maneuvers from various units normally under separate commands in peacetime....
of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. This astonished many people, including Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
, who asked Yamamoto why Tōgō was appointed. Yamamoto replied to the emperor, "Because Tōgō is a man of good fortune".
During the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, Tōgō engaged the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n navy at Port Arthur
Lüshunkou
Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....
and the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
in 1904, and destroyed the Russian Baltic Fleet at the Battle of Tsushima
Battle of Tsushima
The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
in 1905, a battle which shocked the world. Tsushima had broken the Russian strength in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, and is said to have triggered various uprisings in the Russian Navy (1905 uprisings in Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
and the Battleship Potemkin uprising), contributing to the Russian Revolution of 1905
Russian Revolution of 1905
The 1905 Russian Revolution was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. Some of it was directed against the government, while some was undirected. It included worker strikes, peasant unrest, and military mutinies...
.
Post war investigations were held for the Russian naval leadership during those battles, in which Tōgō had either destroyed or captured, into the reasons behind their utter defeat. The Russian commander of the destroyed Baltic fleet, Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Zinovy Rozhdestvenski (who was badly wounded in the battle) attempted to take full responsibilities for the disaster, and the grateful authorities (and rulers of Russia) acquitted him at his trial. However, they made Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Nikolai Nebogatov
Nikolai Nebogatov
Nikolai Ivanovich Nebogatov was a Rear-Admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy, noted for his role in the final stages of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.-Biography:...
, who had tried to affix blame to the Russian Government, a scapegoat. Nebogatov was found guilty, sentenced to ten years imprisonment in a fortress, but was released by the Tsar after only serving 2 years.
Later life
In 1906, Tōgō was made a Member of the British Order of Merit by King Edward VIIEdward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
.
Later, Tōgō was Chief of the Naval General Staff
Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.-History:...
and was given the title of hakushaku (Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
) under the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
peerage system. He also served as a member of the Supreme War Council
Supreme War Council (Japan)
The Supreme War Council was established during the development of representative government in Meiji period Japan to further strengthen the authority of the state. Its first leader was Yamagata Aritomo , a Chōshū native who has been credited with the founding of the modern Japanese army and was to...
.
In 1913, Tōgō received the honorific title of Fleet Admiral
Admiral of the Fleet (Japan)
' was the highest rank in the prewar Imperial Japanese Navy. The term gensui was used for both the Navy and the Imperial Japanese Army, and was a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor. In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to 5 generals and 3 admirals...
.
From 1914 to 1924, Tōgō was put in charge of the education of Crown Prince Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
, the future Shōwa Emperor
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
.
Tōgō publicly expressed a dislike and disinterest for involvement in politics; however, he did make strong statements against the London Naval Treaty
London Naval Treaty
The London Naval Treaty was an agreement between the United Kingdom, the Empire of Japan, France, Italy and the United States, signed on April 22, 1930, which regulated submarine warfare and limited naval shipbuilding. Ratifications were exchanged in London on October 27, 1930, and the treaty went...
.
Order of the Chrysanthemum
is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the collar of the Order was added on January 4, 1888. Although technically the order has only one class, it can either be awarded with collar , or with grand cordon...
in 1926, an honor that was held only by Emperor Hirohito and Prince Kan'in Kotohito
Prince Kan'in Kotohito
, wasthe sixth head of a cadet branch the Japanese imperial family, and a career army officer who served as Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff from 1931 to 1940.-Early years:...
at the time. He added the award to his existing Order of the Golden Kite
Order of the Golden Kite
The ' was an order of the Empire of Japan, established on 12 February 1890 by Emperor Meiji "in commemoration of Jimmu Tennō, the Romulus of Japan."-Background:...
(1st class) and already existing Order of the Chrysanthemum. His title was raised to that of koshaku marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
in 1934 a day before his death.
On his death in 1934 at the age of 86, he was accorded a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
. The navies of Great Britain, United States
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Netherlands, France, Italy
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
and China
Chinese Navy
Two modern navies have been known in English as the Chinese Navy:* People's Liberation Army Navy* Republic of China NavyFor Chinese navies before 1912, see:*Imperial Chinese Navy*Naval history of China...
all sent ships to a naval parade in his honor in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
.
Togo Shrine
The Tōgō Shrine was built in 1940 and dedicated to Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō shortly after his death. It is located in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan.There, Tōgō Heihachirō is celebrated as a shinto kami....
was built in Harajuku
Harajuku
Harajuku is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan....
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, as the naval rival to the Nogi Shrine
Nogi Shrine
Nogi Shrine was built in 1917 and dedicated to General Nogi Maresuke after his death. It is located in Tokyo, Japan.There, is celebrated as a Shinto kami. There are several Nogi Shrines in Japan.-References:* Official site*...
erected in the honor of Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
General Nogi Maresuke. The idea of elevating him to a Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
had been discussed before his death, and he had been vehemently opposed to the idea. There is another Tōgō shrine at Tsuyazaki, Fukuoka
Tsuyazaki, Fukuoka
was a town located in Munakata District, Fukuoka, Japan.On January 24, 2005 Tsuyazaki was merged with the town of Fukuma, also from Munakata District, to form the new city of Fukutsu....
. The statues to him in Japan include one at Ontaku Shrine, in Agano, Saitama
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
and one in front of the memorial battleship Mikasa
Japanese battleship Mikasa
is a pre-Dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, launched in Britain in 1900. She served as the flagship of Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō during the Battle of the Yellow Sea on 10 August 1904, and the Battle of Tsushima on 27 May 1905 during the Russo-Japanese War. The ship is preserved as...
in Yokosuka.
Tōgō's son and grandson also served in the Imperial Japanese Navy. His grandson died in combat during the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
on the heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
Maya
Japanese cruiser Maya
was one of four Takao-class heavy cruisers, designed to be an improvement over the previous Myōkō-class design. These ships were fast, powerful and heavily armed, with enough firepower to hold their own against any cruiser in any other navy in the world...
at the Battle of Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
.
In 1958, Admiral Chester Nimitz
Chester Nimitz
Fleet Admiral Chester William Nimitz, GCB, USN was a five-star admiral in the United States Navy. He held the dual command of Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet , for U.S. naval forces and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas , for U.S...
, an admirer of Admiral Tōgō, helped to finance the restoration of the Mikasa, Admiral Tōgō's flagship during the Russo-Japanese war. In exchange, Japanese craftsmen assembled a Japanese "Garden of Peace," a replica of Admiral Tōgō's garden, at the National Museum of the Pacific War (formerly known as The Nimitz Museum) in Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
.
See also
- Anglo-Japanese relationsAnglo-Japanese relationsThe history of the relationship between Britain and Japan began in 1600 with the arrival of William Adams on the shores of Kyūshū at Usuki in Ōita Prefecture...
- Japanese battleship MikasaJapanese battleship Mikasais a pre-Dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, launched in Britain in 1900. She served as the flagship of Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō during the Battle of the Yellow Sea on 10 August 1904, and the Battle of Tsushima on 27 May 1905 during the Russo-Japanese War. The ship is preserved as...
– Tōgō's flagship at the Battle of Tsushima - List of people on the cover of Time Magazine: 1920s – 8 November 1926
Further reading
- Andidora, Ronald. Iron Admirals: Naval Leadership in the Twentieth Century. Greenwood Press (2000). ISBN 0313312664
- Blond, Georges. Admiral Togo. Jarrolds (1961). ASIN: B0006D6WIK
- Clements, Jonathan. Admiral Togo: Nelson of the East. Haus (2010) ISBN 978-1906598624
- Bodley, R.V.C.Ronald BodleyColonel Ronald Victor Courtenay Bodley was a British army officer, author and journalist. He is best known for his book, Wind in the Sahara.-Biography:...
, Admiral Togo;: The authorized life of Admiral of the Fleet, Marquis Heihachiro Togo. Jarrolds (1935). ASIN: B00085WDKM - Dupuy, Trevor N. Encyclopedia of Military Biography. I B Tauris & Co Ltd (1992). ISBN 1850435693
- Ikeda, Kiyoshi. The Silent Admiral: Togo Heihachiro (1848–1934) and Britain, from Britain & Japan: Biographical Portraits Volume One, Chapter 9. Japan Library (1994) ISBN 1-873410-27-1
- Jukes, Jeffery. The Russo-Japanese War 1904–1905. Osprey Publishing (2002).ISBN 1841764469
- Schencking, J. Charles. Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868–1922. Stanford University Press (2005). ISBN 0804749779
Tōgō's career promotions
----
Ranks- Midshipman – 11 December 1870
- Ensign – 1 August 1871
- Sublieutenant – 3 July 1878
- Lieutenant – 27 December 1878
- Lieutenant Commander – 27 December 1879
- Commander – 20 June 1885
- Captain – 10 July 1886
- Rear Admiral – 16 February 1895
- Vice Admiral – 14 May 1898
- Admiral – 6 June 1904
- Fleet Admiral – 21 April 1913
Titles- Count – 21 September 1907
- Marquis – 29 May 1934
External links
- Togo, Heihachiro | Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures of National Diet LibraryNational Diet LibraryThe is the only national library in Japan. It was established in 1948 for the purpose of assisting members of the in researching matters of public policy. The library is similar in purpose and scope to the U.S...
- Heihachirō Tōgō at Flickr Commons