Yi Sun-sin Essay

Yi Sun-sin Essay
When examining Yi Sun-sin’s achievements and actions, one cannot help
being amazed. It seems impossible, not only highly improbable, that a cavalry
leader with no training in naval matters or any naval experience to speak of,
would become one of the greatest admirals, if not the greatest, of all maritime
history. Whether on land against the Jurchen Nomads or on sea against
Japanese invaders, Yi Sun-sin proved himself a natural-born tactician and
strategists, as well as a natural-born leader of men. With at least 23 battles won,
including the miraculous battle of Myeongnyang (a battle which alone should
grant Yi Sun-sin immortality in the annals in military history), and never a battle
lost, Yi Sun-sin has a military record that matches any of the foremost generals
of history. Yi Sun-sin methodically carried out every battle of his with careful
precision and planning, never suffering heavy losses or a single ship, a feat
remarkable in of itself.
But it is not solely his military genius that makes Yi Sun-sin one of the
most remarkable men in history. There are plenty of great generals throughout
history, but very few can match the courage, loyalty, honor, and devotion that Yi
Sun-sin showed. Through reading the Nanjung Ilgi or War Diary, it is clear that
Yi Sun-sin was a very thoughtful and intelligent man. He sensed the chaos and
disorder in Korea as well as the divisiveness of the King’s Court, and his devotion
to Korea shows no where more clearly than in the worried and sad tone that Yi

Sun-sin uses when writing of Korea’s troubles. After reading the Nanjung Ilgi, it
is no surprise that such a man would die for his country. His devotion was not
only dedicated to Korea but to his men as well. This is evidenced by the great
care he took in making sure his men were well-trained and well-fed, as well as
his efforts to minimize all his losses in all his battles. And his loyalty cannot be
questioned. Very few fervent patriots, much less ordinary men, would suffer the
injustices that Yi Sun-sin suffered at the hands of his own country’s government
and yet continue to serve that same country loyally and with all of his strength
and devotion. Suffering torture at the hands of his own king and being painfully
humiliated through court intrigues by being demoted two times to the rank of a
common foot soldier, Yi Sun-sin continued on in his duty. Facing a corrupt
beauracracy and little support, Yi Sun-sin and his men had to face horrible
conditions that would drive most men mad with despair. But the amazing thing
about Yi Sun-sin was that he did not despair and still kept firm in his purpose to
defend Korea with all his might.
What makes Admiral Yi Sun-sin immortal for all time is not his military
genius but rather it is his courage and honorable behavior that truly sets him
apart from other figures in history. Yi Sun-sin always showed courage in the face
of his enemies, never admitting defeat. And he also refused to give up on his
country and people though he received very little help from either. Where others
would have given up, Yi Sun-sin didn’t, and that what is truly amazing about Yi
Sun-sin. People may want to compare Yi Sun-sin with Lord Horatio Nelson,

Admiral Togo, or Napoleon; but the truth is, that Yi Sun-sin was better than all
these men. He led a personal life free from scandal or unbecoming behavior
unlike Lord Nelson, he didn’t fight for the goal of expansion for his country like
Admiral Togo, and he didn’t fight battles in order to gain power for himself like
Napoleon. Few people in history, much less military history, can boast a record
beyond criticism, but Yi Sun-sin can. It is Yi Sun-sin’s impeccable conduct, pure
motivations and a clean morality that sets him apart and above other greats in
military history. Yi Sun-sin is not just a national hero for Korea but a hero that all
people, regardless of ethnicity or nation, can emulate and admire.