War in Japan 1467-1615 (Essential Histories) [Paperback]

Stephen Turnbull (Author)

Book Description

Series: Essential Histories | Publication Date: August 19, 2002

In 1467 the Onin War ushered in a period of unrivalled conflict and rivalry in Japan that came to be called the Age of Warring States or Sengoku Jidai. In this book Stephen Turnbull offers a masterly exposition of the Sengoku Jidai, detailing the factors that led to Japan's disintegration into warring states after more than a century of peace; the years of fighting that followed; and the period of gradual fusion when the daimyo (great names) strove to reunite Japan under a new Shogun. Peace returned to Japan with the end of the Osaka War in 1615, but only at the end of the most violent, turbulent and cruel period in Japanese history.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This unique series studies every major war in history looking at all the aspects of war, from how it felt to be a soldier to the lasting impact of the conflict on the world around it.

About the Author

Stephen Turnbull is the world's leading English language authority on medieval Japan and the samurai. He has travelled extensively in the far east, particularly in Japan and Korea and is the author of ‘The Samurai - A Military History’ and Men-at-Arms 86: ‘Samurai Armies 1550-1615’.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (August 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841764809
• ISBN-13: 978-1841764801
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book, April 20, 2004

By 

T. Hooper "thdizzy" (Osaka, Japan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: War in Japan 1467-1615 (Essential Histories) (Paperback)

Turnbull does an excellent job of introducing the Sengoku Period (Warring States Period) of Japanese history. During this period, Japan was shattered into dozens of minor statelets. This period see the destruction of the shogunate, a long period of civil wars between the statelets, and the eventual reunification of Japan and the return of the shogunate under the Tokugawa. This period is of particular interest to fans of the samurai. This period is the last time in history in which samurai were the fierce warriors they are depicted to be. After this period, the samurai become glorified bureaucrats during the 250 years of peace during the Tokugawa shogunate. They only take up arms for a brief period during the fall of the shogunate, but it doesn't match anything that happened during the Sengoku Period.

This book is a fairly thin volume at only 96 pages. However, it is filled with lots of details and colorful illustrations. For samurai fans, this can serve as a great introduciton to the history of the greatest period of the samurai.

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Civil Wars of Japan, September 5, 2009

By 

HI Gerry - See all my reviews

This review is from: War in Japan 1467-1615 (Essential Histories) (Paperback)

I found this book some what informative. I liked the illustrations, with the armies in period dress.