In August 1786, tensions culminated in what is now known as Shays' Rebellion, an uprising in Massachusetts that lasted until the summer of 1787. ThoughtCo. There were two "regiments" of line cavalry and one "regiment" of imperial guard cavalry. The conflict of opinions between the conservative internal policy party and the strong foreign policy party resulted in a vehement controversy over the question of an invasion of Korea, and finally led to the great Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. Each entry is based on a primary source we analysed ; We used a website to compile the entries because it's easier to navigate with; HERE is the link to the primary documents/analysis In the about page there will be a video on the Satsuma Rebellion and a brief paragraph describing what was going on in the rebellion Then we have Luke's entry. The conflict effectively ended the samurai class and ushered in modern warfare fought by conscript soldiers instead of military nobles. Although kubo Toshimichi and others were more active and influential in establishing the new Meiji government, Saig retained a key role, and his cooperation was essential in the abolition of the han system and the establishment of a conscript army. The cavalry regiment consisted of 150 men. Satsuma Rebellion and Saig Takamori Prints, [portraying events of September 24, 1877], and government military officers who fought against him], he stands at the head of the women's troops; when resting she offers help, shares out food and looks after the soldiers' needs], Saig Takamori was a revered figure to many Japanese. Physically he was imposing, standing six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds. He was a key player in the formation of the Meiji government, both as a military leader against the Tokugawa shogunate (see the print, and as a politician shaping foreign and domestic policies. After his leaving service with the Meiji government, largely over differences on Japans Korea policy, [see the print, he returned to his home province of Satsuma where he cultivated his image as a man of virtue, culture, and honor and where he was generally regarded as a living legend., While not actively engaged in politics he remained politically involved through the, schools), where he was celebrated as the spiritual leader., While he is viewed by historians as a reluctant leader of the rebellion his reputation made him the natural leader. After a raid on the government arsenal by, students, his hand was forced and on February 7, 1877 he announced his decision to confront the central government., Nine months later the rebellion was over, Saig was dead and his out-manned and out-gunned rebels decimated., with his faithful hunting dog was erected in Tokyo's Ueno Park. RF HA13E4 - The donjon or central keep of the castle is a reconstruction built in the 1970s of the original sacked and burned during the AD.1877 Satsuma rebellion RM P3P0W0 - Battle of Seinan (1877)from Dainihon Rekishi Nishikie, published between late Edo and early Meiji period, Artist Yoshusai (Toyohara) Chikanobu, Private Collection. However, the imperial government gradually sent more than 45,000 reinforcements to relieve Kumamoto, finally driving the Satsuma army away with heavy casualties. However, the Imperial Army was likewise depleted, and fighting was suspended for several weeks to permit reinforcement. Takamori's parents also had to borrow money to buy farmland in order to have enough food for the growing family. Over the next two years, the government seized land from the elite samurai and redistributed profits to lower ranked warriors. Above all these classes were the Mikado, the secluded divinity of Ki6to, still theo- retically the source of all authority; . ISBN-10: 0341798762. Three years later, he began work in the local bureaucracy as an agricultural adviser, where he continued to work through his brief, childless arranged marriage to 23-year-old Ijuin Suga in 1852. This provoked open conflict, although with the elimination of samurai rice stipends in 1877, tensions were already extremely high. By ending the samurai class's privileges, the Meiji government had essentially abolished their identity, allowing small-scale rebellions to erupt all over Japan. The Satsuma rebellion furnishes themes for the illustrators. "Southwestern War") was a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. English Wikipedia. Located on the southern tip of Kyushu Island, more than 800 miles south of Tokyo, the Satsuma domain had existed and governed itself for centuries with very little interference from the central government. The Meiji Era controlled most of Japan, except for a small area in the southwestern part of Japan, which was the Satsuma. revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. The Satsuma Rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History ; With Maps. List Price: $31.95. After Saig rejected a letter dated September 1 from Yamagata drafted by a young Suematsu Kench asking him to surrender, Yamagata ordered a full frontal assault on September 24, 1877. Monumenta Nipponica He argued that Japan should use diplomacy, rather than resorting to force, and offered to head a delegation himself. The head was somehow retrieved by government forces and was reunited with Saig's body, which was laid next to that of his deputies Kirino and Murata. Satsuma Rebellion. The Satsuma Rebellion. The true story that inspired the 2003 Tom Cruise film The Last Samurai, the Satsuma Rebellion (seinan sens, or "Southwestern War" in Japanese) was an 1877 rebellion of disaffected ex-samurai from Satsuma domain against the newly constituted Meiji government of Japan.Led by an erstwhile member of the government's highest circle, the legendary samurai Saigo Takamori, the . Publish Date: Jan 02, 2010. During the Boshin War, Saig led the imperial forces at the Battle of TobaFushimi, and after led the imperial army toward Edo, where he accepted the surrender of Edo Castle from Katsu Kaish. In April 1877, Saig reorganized the army into nine infantry units of 350 to 800 men each. On March 4, Imperial Army General Yamagata ordered a frontal assault against Tabaruzaka, guarding the approaches to Kumamoto, which developed into an eight-day-long battle. Though in Satsuma the rivalry of individual leaders had stopped short of open hostilities, the division of feeling was not less marked. Maebara Ikkaku, from Bumbu komei den (Story of famous figures for military and literary) 20,000 YEN TOSHIMOTO. . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. All three accounts report that the body was decapitated. Great Essays. The Satsuma Rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History ; with Maps. Forty-six other military officers from the southwest resigned as well, and government officials feared that Saigo would lead a coup. Saig did insist, however, that Japan should go to war with Korea in the Seikanron debate of 1873 due to Korea's refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the Emperor Meiji as head of state of the Empire of Japan, and insulting treatment meted out to Japanese envoys attempting to establish trade and diplomatic relations. The samurai were armed with traditional weapons including katanas, naginata and yari polearms, yumi bows, and Sengoku era gunpowder weapons such as tanegashima, baj-zutsu, and wooden cannons. However, the shogun began to purge pro-imperial politicians, forcing Gessho to seek Saigo's help in escaping to Kagoshima, where the new Satsuma daimyo, unfortunately, refused to protect the pair from shogun officials. Saigo privately cheered on the rebels in other provinces, but stayed at his country house rather than returning to Kagoshima for fear that his presence might spark yet another rebellion. In this,, The last and greatest revolt came in 1877 in Satsuma. Buck, James H. "The Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. ISBN-10: 1142113523. The Satsuma Rebellion. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. "Southwestern War") was a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. Ravina, Mark. 0 references. The men were captured, and under torture, confessed that they were spies who had been sent to assassinate Saig. It contains an account of the battle, listing the number of cannons used, etc. Ravina prefers the English name "War of the Southwest."[12]. The second crisis, the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, was even . Most of Saig's remaining forces either surrendered or committed seppuku. Saig was a strong proponent of war with Korea in the Seikanron debate of 1873. After two days of fruitless attack, the Satsuma forces dug into the rock-hard icy ground around the castle and tried to starve the garrison out in a siege. Primary Sources 1. A Long History of Japanese Women Warriors, Biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, 16th Century Unifier of Japan, Overview of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, Bushido: The Ancient Code of the Samurai Warrior, Russo-Japanese War: Admiral Togo Heihachiro, J.D., University of Washington School of Law, B.A., History, Western Washington University. Satsuma daimyo Shimazu Hisamitsu did not acknowledge the departing army when the men stopped to bow at the gates of his castle. Dr. Kallie Szczepanski is a history teacher specializing in Asian history and culture. Eventually Saig and his final remaining samurai were encircled and annihilated at the Battle of Shiroyama. Saig met the noted British diplomat Ernest Satow in the 1860s, as recorded in the latter's A Diplomat in Japan, and Satow was present at the unveiling as recorded in his diary. On January 30, 1877, the central government launched a raid on the arms and ammunition storage areas in Kagoshima, without any prior warning to the Satsuma authorities. Next, I stated the cause of the rebellion and the reaction of the Japanese government. Professor John Lynn 442 Gregory Hall Office Hours: MW, 1pm and by appointment [email protected] Cell Phone: 217-778-7333 History 251/GLBL 251: War, Military Institutions, and Society since 1815 Spring Semester 2023 MW, 12pm, 319 Lincoln Hall Check out Professor Lynn's web page and CV: Canvas All the basic materials for this class can be found on Canvas at Spring 2023-HIST 251-Warfare Milit . [9] On 22 February 1889, Emperor Meiji pardoned Saig posthumously. However, the Satsuma army was able to cut its way free from encirclement. Satsuma had no reserve of extra weapons and insufficient ammunition for an extended war. On December 25, 1866, the 35-year-old Emperor Komei suddenly died. Although Nakahara later repudiated the confession, it was widely believed in Satsuma and was used as justification by the disaffected samurai that a rebellion was necessary in order to "protect Saig". Kumamoto castle, built in 1598, was among the strongest in Japan, but Saig was confident that his forces would be more than a match for Tani's peasant conscripts, who were still demoralized by the recent Shinpren rebellion. Satsuma's governor, Oyama Tsunayoshi, explained that the uprising was in response to the government's assassination attempt on Saig, and asked that Admiral Kawamura (Saig's cousin) come ashore to help calm the situation. When the attack finally came, the Satsuma forces withdrew, leaving small pockets of samurai to hit the larger army in guerrilla-style strikes. The Shigakko students set out with him, bringing rifles, pistols, swords, and artillery. Mark Ravina, the author of The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori, argued that "Satsuma Rebellion" is not the best name for the war because the English name does not well represent the war and its Japanese name. They saw Japan as the abode of godssince the Emperor descended from the Sun Goddessand believed that the heavens would protect them from the western military and economic might. Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 - Sources The division of feeling which existed in several of the clans following the Meiji Restoration was most conspicuous in Satsuma, Choshiu and Mito. Public apprehension found free expression in the Press, which said that the nation was divided into two parties, one being for the Government, the other for Satsuma, and asked what could be done to preserve peace. The Satsuma samurai were initially organized into six battalions of 2,000 men each. Szczepanski, Kallie. Two describe a bullet wound to the hip or thigh. Japan. The Satsuma Rebellion (also known as "seinan sens" - the Southwestern War) was a turning point in Japanese history. Pro-emperor daimyo and radicals called for an end to the shogunate and the expulsion of all foreigners. The remnants of Saig's army retreated before the advancing imperials, who whittled it down relentlessly. Szczepanski, Kallie. The modernization of the country meant the abolition of the privileged social status of the samurai class, and had undermined their financial position. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. image. Roughly one-half of the work is devoted to the entire course of the rebellion. Although Satsuma had been one of the key players in the Meiji Restoration and the Boshin War, and although many men from Satsuma had risen to influential positions in the new Meiji government, there was growing dissatisfaction with the direction the country was taking. The Satsuma Rebellion was the last civil war in Japan, occurring in the tenth year of the Meiji era (1877), when the Satsuma rebel forces centering on Saig Takamori of Kagoshima collided with the regular army of the new Meiji government not long after it had formed. Page 1 of 17 - About 161 Essays Improved Essays. In July, the Emperor's army encircled Saigo's men, but the Satsuma army fought its way free with heavy casualties. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. With these deaths, the Satsuma rebellion came to an end. Augustus Henry Mounsey. OutOfFighters 3 yr. ago. The work is generally accurate and has much of . The rebels fought two significant battles against the central government: the Siege of Kumamoto Castle and the Battle of Tabaruzaka. The rebellion also effectively ended the samurai class, as the new Imperial Japanese Army built on heimin conscripts had proven itself in battle. Datasets available include LCSH, BIBFRAME, LC Name Authorities, LC Classification, MARC codes, PREMIS vocabularies, ISO language codes, and more. Like all other times in his life, though, his retirement was short-livedin January of 1869, the Satsuma daimyo made him a counselor of the domain's government. This rebellion was led by the restoration hero Saig Takamori and lasted six months. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. Saigo, however, had no regard for the conscripted farm boys who made up the imperial army. Themes In Keeper N Me. Made by Takamura Kun, it was unveiled on December 18, 1898. Those men were motivated by growing domestic problems and by the threat of foreign encroachment. Please support our book restoration project by becoming a Forgotten Books member. "The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori." Scene of Satsuma rebellion, triptych. ThoughtCo, Sep. 2, 2021, thoughtco.com/figures-and-events-in-asian-history-s2-3896549. It is not clear what was done with Saig's head immediately after his death. Why educator David Tarvin "thinks in Prezi" Feb. 13, 2023. The Imperial Artillery consisted of 18 batteries divided into 9 battalions, with 120 men per battery during peacetime. 2 Army, Colt M1861 Navy, and the Russian Model 1857 Six Line muzzleloading rifles that could fire approximately one round per minute. The following day, Hayashi declared to Oyama that he could not permit Kawamura to go ashore when the situation was so unsettled, and that the attack on Takao constituted an act of lse-majest. Sources describe him as dressed in an austere yellow kimono . His lord, Kimotsuki Hisakane ( , 1641-1709), who was a retainer of the Satsuma fief, sent Yasusada () to study with the 57 th generation Naminohira smith . The imperial troops spent several days constructing an elaborate system of ditches, walls and obstacles to prevent another breakout. shizoku rebellion. However, despite their successes, the Satsuma army failed to take the castle, and began to realize that the conscript army was not as ineffective as first assumed. Satsuma Rebellion. }, Page last modified: French newsmagazine Le Monde Illustr / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. After the Restoration the condition of things became less unsettled in Mito, and to some extent also in Choshiu. From Kagoshima Through the Siege of Kumamoto Castle." In all, about 12,000 Satsuma men marched north toward Tokyo, starting the Southwest War, or Satsuma Rebellion. Saigo Takamori likely was killed in the initial barrage, although tradition holds that he was just gravely injured and committed seppuku. As a peer-reviewed international forum for researchers across the globe, it carries original scholarly contributions on premodern and modern history, literature, art history, religion, and thought; translations of important Japanese literary and historical sources; and authoritative reviews of recent books on Japan. Satsuma Rebellion. The Last Samurai's Katsumoto Moritsugu is based on the iconic Japanese samurai Saig Takamori. Undeniably, it was one of the most noteworthy incidents during Japan's transition from a feudal regime to a modern state. Then I introduced the leader of the rebellion. The leaders of the restoration were mostly young samurai from feudal domains ( han s) historically hostile to Tokugawa authority, notably Chsh, in far western Honshu, and Satsuma, in southern Kyushu. Has part or parts. Szczepanski, Kallie. It is said that he was shot in the femur, then he thrust a sword into his stomach region, then had his head decapitated deliberately by a fellow citizen. This influential clan was headed by the Shimazu family, which had been founded by Shimazu Tadahisa, son of Minamoto Yoritomo, in the Kamakura period. 4, Sophia University, JSTOR, 1973. The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War (Japanese: , Hepburn: Seinan Sens, lit. How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion. Later, they would have said that he committed seppuku to preserve his status as a true samurai.[7]. However, Northeastern domains led by Aizu continued to fight on the shogun's behalf until September., when they surrendered to Saigo, who treated them fairly, furthering his fame as a symbol of samurai virtue. Saig's death brought the Satsuma Rebellion to an end. During the latter years of the Tokugawa shogunate, just prior to the Meiji Restoration, the Satsuma clan began to invest heavily in armaments, building a new shipyard at Kagoshima, two weapons factories, and three ammunition depots. The Wealthy Chiefs Inspecting the Decapitated Heads of Enemies, Presentation of the Emperor's Gift Cup for the second time to commanders involved in pacifying Western Japan (Saigoku), 1877, Report: The Whole Nation Living in Perfect Contentment (Empress, Empress Dowager and Court Ladies in Waiting Sewing Pledgets), 1877, Iwai Hanshir VIII, Ichikawa Danjr IX and Ichikawa Sadanji in The Morning East Wind Clearing the Clouds of the Southwest, March 1878, Bronze Statue of Saig in Ueno Park, 1899, The Debate Over Invading Korea (Seikanron), http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090913a6.html, http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/bunko10/b10_8333/index.html. One of the most noteworthy incidents in the history of Japan's transition from a feudal regime to a modern state was the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. He led his samurai straight up the middle of Kyushu, planning to cross the straits and march on Tokyo. On July 24, the Imperial Army forced Saig out of Miyakonoj, followed by Nobeoka. It was believed by some that he had fled to Russia, or ascended to Mars. Imperial forces landed with few losses, then pushed north seizing the city of Miyanohara on March 19. A primary source of its causes and events. Outraged by the government's tactics, 50 students from Saig's academy attacked the Somuta Arsenal and carried off weapons. 7. However, a government garrison at Kumamoto Castle stood in the Satsuma rebels' path, manned by about 3,800 soldiers and 600 police under Major General Tani Tateki. His first signature was Sanesada (). Some legends say Saig's manservant hid the head, and it was later found by a government soldier. The influential Satsuma samurai, Saigo Takamori, was away at the time and had no knowledge of these events, but hurried home when he heard the news. At the height of the battle, Saig wrote a private letter to Prince Arisugawa, restating his reasons for going to Tokyo. Illustration of the Navy Landing at Sukuchi Village (battle of Tabaruzaka Hill), Kagoshima Shinbun: Illustration of the Battle of Yamagaguchi, March 1877. revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. Just about 400 or 500 of the Satsuma samurai escaped the mountain slope on August 19, including Saigo Takamori. The samurai didn't hesitate to answer this questio. His father, Saigo Kichibei, was a low-ranking samurai tax official who only managed to scrape by despite his samurai status. They were followed two days later by the rear guard and artillery unit, who left in the midst of a freak snowstorm. He initiated a military advance the following month, on February 15, intending to march on Tokyo, because of "questions I intend to press on the government." 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