Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle For Power (Campaign) (Paperback)

by Anthony Bryant (Author) "Toyotomi Hideyoshi was dead..." (more)
Key Phrases: loyalist cause, loyalist forces, Kobayakawa Hideaki, Ukita Hideie, Kuroda Nagamasa (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“This Japanese war history recreates the five battles fought between the samurai clans of Takeda and Uesugi on a field that marked the border between their territories of Shinano and Echigo. The author challenges the myth that Kawanakajima involved nothing more than mock battles. Color illustrations are provided.”–Reference & Research Book News --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description
Sekigahara was the most decisive battle in Japanese history. Fought against the ritualised and colourful backdrop of Samurai life, it was the culmination of a long-standing power struggle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hashiba Hideyoshi, two of the most powerful men in Japan. Armies of the two sides met on the plain of Sekigahara on 21 October 1600, in thick fog and deep mud. By the end of the day 40,000 heads had been taken and Ieyasu was master of Japan. Within three years the Emperor would grant him the title he sought – Shogun. This title describes the campaign leading up to this great battle and examines Sekigahara, including the forces and personalities of the two major sides and that of the turncoat Kobayakawa Hideaki.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (September 11, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855323958
• ISBN-13: 978-1855323957
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #106,522 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars clear and well written, December 3, 2003

By	lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Battle of Sekigahara was one of the most important moments in Japanese military history since it established the reign of the Tokugawa Shogunate which ruled Japan in peace for the next 250 years or so. The book clearly and basically tell, without bogging down the readers, the politics, reasons and why of this campaign and the battle. The maps provided in this book proves to be highly useful, epecially the one that showed how Japan was divided between Ishida and Tokugawa sides. I think the only issue where the author failed was in part, he didn't explained how the Toyotomi family felt at this period since they were at the moment, the ruling family of Japan. (They thought this was a war between their two major retainers - only to realized later on that only one of the retainers were really loyal to them - the loser!) In a campaign and battle where loyalty, betrayal and backstabbing seem to be the order of day, the author does an admirable job in putting it all together under 100 pages. Considering that there isn't too many books written in English about this battle in the first place, it probably a must read for anyone who have any interest of the Sen-joku Jidai.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Overview, October 14, 2005

By	R. J Szasz "Rod Szasz" (Tokyo, Japan Japan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the battle between the inheritors of Toyotomi Yoshimitsu and the new usurper Tokugawa Ieyasu, there were few of the nicities associated with former times of the Momoyama Jidai. This was a very intense, large, and fanatical battle, worthy in terms of slaughter with those being undertaken in Europe at the same time.

For anyone with little understanding of the intricacies of the battle and the times, this slender volume manages to give you a good background to the events, a political primer of the major figures involved in the eventual politics and battle, details the battle organisation, tactics and weapons of the soldiers and also details in superior graphics the events on the battlefield. For a volume of this size, that is a lot to ask for, but Byant delivers.

It is a good volume and one that I would recommend.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Battlefield Overview of a Pivotal Moment in Japanese History, October 9, 2008

By	Ryan Setliff "InternetPundit.com" (VA, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

~Sekigahara 1600: The Final Struggle For Power~ by Japanese historian Anthony Bryant is an excellent contribution to Osprey's much heralded Campaign series. Following the death of General Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a decisive battle emerged on October 21, 1600 as Japan became embroiled in civil war. Sekigahara has significance as the decisive turning point in modern Japanese history, which set the stage for the two-hundred and sixty-five year Tokugawa Dynasty from 1603 to 1868.

Japan enjoyed a brief period of unification under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a ranking general of peasant stock. Hideyoshi even preceded with an invasion of Korea, which was aborted following his death. Thereafter, a struggle for power ensued between the daimyo, (i.e., landed aristocrats.) Prior to his death in 1798, Hideyoshi made preparations to secure the succession of his young child son as ruler. Hideyoshi had summoned his wealthy, most powerful vassals, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the aged Maeda Toshiee, Uesgi Kagekatsu, and Ukita Hideie. The two prominent men Toshiie and Ieyasu were entrusted with the care of his son. The seeds of discord were planted as one-man rule was replaced by a committee of regents who ruled in the name of Hideyoshi.

Ieyushi installed himself at Fushmi Castle, the personal fortress of Hideyoshi. He was viewed with suspicion and as a potential usurper. An aging Toshiie kept Hideyoshi's son at Osaka castle and grew concerned. Mitsunari was scheming to quell the influence of Ieyushi and he sought the elder Toshiie's aid, but counsel convinced him that Ieyushi was a necessary pillar to counter rival ambitions. Other regents called for Ieyushi's resignation.

Mitsunari schemed to eliminate Ieyushi, but as his plot was foiled, he soon saw himself a target, and ironically fled to Ieyushi for forgiveness and shelter. Ieyushi sent Mitsunari back to his home in 1599. When Ieyushi was preoccupied in quelling a northern rebellion, a committee sympathetic to Mitsunari's ambition to defrock Ieyushi convened. It levied charges against Ieyushi, casting him as an usurper, who breached established protocols regarding ban on political marriages, among other things. Ieyushi took this condemnation as an act of war. Ieyushi took this condemnation as an act of war. Thus, the seeds of civil war emerged.

Political camps formed and virtually all of the daimyo aligned in one way or the other, behind either: the Western Army led by Toyotomi loyalists under Mitsunari and the Eastern Army under Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu's success was bolstered by the turncoats during the battle. Ieyasu promised land holdings and rank to those daimyo that would turn against Mitsunari. To his surprise, they acquiesced.

This book packs a punch. It has lucid prose, a clear recollection of historical fact, and a sound battle analysis.