The Decisive Battles of World History

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drawn toward the center of this formation, where Yi encircled them.

x At the center of the Korean formation were the turtle ships, and

Yi now ordered these to move forward to engage and hold the

Japanese, while the panokson circled around them and began their

bombardment. Once again, the Japanese were slaughtered, and the

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Outcomes

x Korea was weakened and devastated by the Japanese invasion, but

the spirited defense offered by the Koreans eventually became a

foundation of nationalism and independence.

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to acquire an empire on the mainland of Asia—a dark ambition

revived with global effects in the 20th century.

Park, Yi-Sun Shin and His Turtleboat Armada.

Turnbull, The Samurai Invasion of Korea.

———, Fighting Ships of the Far East, vol. 2.

Yi, War Diary of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin.

1. How do the various ship designs described in this lecture highlight
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2. How do you evaluate Admiral Yi’s qualities as a commander compared
   to other “great” leaders, such as Ramesses, Alexander, Genghis Khan,
   or Babur?

Suggested Reading

Questions to Consider