Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 13

Extracurricular Story 13. The Naval War of 1592 (13)

Even the most rigid elements of the Imperial Army couldn’t defy the Emperor’s direct involvement and enthusiastic command.

While civil officials might resist through legal loopholes and established customs, soldiers, trained for obedience, had no such recourse.

Furthermore, having suffered a surprise attack on Jeju Island, the Imperial Army was in no position to question the Emperor’s actions.

And the emperors of the Empire were never ones to waste such opportunities.

-What is misfortune for you, is fortune for me.

This was the prevailing mindset of Imperial Emperors when dealing with their ministers.

And Lee Ju was a prime example, rising swiftly in power by adhering to this principle.

This situation presented Yi Sun-sin with a golden opportunity.

Yi Sun-sin was known for being ‘meticulous’ and ‘inflexible.’ However, a closer look revealed his talent for achieving optimal results within the confines of Imperial and military regulations.

Now, Yi Sun-sin, too, was seizing the moment and advancing his position.

And this spelled significant trouble for the Japanese army.

* * *

As the Imperial submarines relentlessly harassed the Japanese attack force, the air wing pilots and commanders from the 3rd Mobile Fleet arrived at air bases in Jeolla, Chungcheong, and Gyeonggi provinces.

Upon arrival, the pilots immediately sought out the base commander to offer their respects.

The commander of the naval air base in Gwangju, after acknowledging their greetings, wasted no time in getting to the point.

“I have confirmed the orders.”

The base commander, who had unexpectedly lost command of the air wing, spoke tersely. He wasn’t alone in his displeasure; the air wing commander also wore a disgruntled expression.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, the pilot quickly offered an apology.

“I, too, regret the necessity of these orders. However, the tactics employed by my unit are still unfamiliar to others, making this unavoidable.”

“Ahem! Cough!”

Despite the pilot’s explanation, the base commander and the air wing commander attempted to mask their annoyance with forced coughs.

Just then, the base communications officer entered, bearing a message.

“What is it?”

“It’s an order from His Imperial Majesty.”

At the officer’s words, the commander instinctively straightened his uniform and accepted the message.

The message from Lee Ju was brief and to the point.

-Treat Yi Sun-sin’s orders as your own and execute them accordingly.

“Tch.”

The commander clicked his tongue and passed the message to the air wing commander, who also subtly clicked his tongue before addressing the dispatched pilot.

“I haven’t even asked your name. Forgive my rudeness. What is your name?”

“Yes! I am Aisin-Gioro Surhachi!”

Upon hearing the pilot’s name, the commander and the base commander exchanged surprised glances.

“You’re from the Northern Territory? Most Northerners join the army, yet you’re in the navy and an air wing pilot. That’s quite unusual.”

Surhachi responded with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“I simply love the sea. My brothers consider me an eccentric.”

“I see. Ah! That’s not important right now! What tactics does the 3rd Mobile Fleet’s air wing use that necessitate your presence here?”

“Ah, that is….”

Surhachi began to explain the novel tactics devised by Yi Sun-sin.

The commander nodded as he listened.

“So, traditionally, we launch self-propelled explosive projectiles [early guided missiles] and bombs from both sides of the target simultaneously, but the 3rd Mobile Fleet concentrates on one side only?”

“That’s the basic idea.”

“Hmm…. It’s an interesting concept, but I’m skeptical about its effectiveness in actual combat.”

As the commander pointed out, the Imperial Navy’s air wing typically attacked enemy ships from both sides at once.

This ensured a hit regardless of the enemy’s evasive maneuvers.

It was a historically proven tactic, employed since the Gibraltar Offensive.

However, Yi Sun-sin was proposing concentrating attacks on a single side.

Yi Sun-sin’s reasoning was as follows:

-Attacking from both sides simultaneously maximizes the enemy’s anti-aircraft capabilities.

-Concentrating our attack on one side effectively halves their anti-aircraft firepower.

-Conversely, our attack power is doubled.

-Mathematically, this allows us to bring four times the firepower to bear.

-It’s not just about firepower.

-When flooding occurs due to an attack, the battleship commander will intentionally flood the opposite side to maintain balance.

-Traditional tactics inadvertently assist the enemy in balancing their ship.

-This only prolongs their resistance.

-By concentrating our attack, we can cause the enemy ship to lose balance before they can compensate.

-Battleships of that era, constructed from heavy iron, would then capsize and sink.

-This significantly reduces our losses.

-Furthermore, this attack can drive the enemy into terrain advantageous to us, but dangerous and precarious for them.

Yi Sun-sin’s tactic was remarkably innovative.

It was surprising that neither the Imperial Army nor any other nation’s military had conceived of it earlier.

This was largely due to the overwhelming success of the Imperial Navy’s air wings during the Gibraltar Offensive.

The performance was so impressive that the Imperial Army, and indeed all nations with air wings, considered the existing tactic optimal, stifling further innovation.

However, if Hyang were present, he might have reacted differently.

“Where have I seen this before?”

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, during the latter stages of the Pacific War in World War II, the highly skilled U.S. Navy Air Force adopted this tactic against the Japanese fleet.

The effectiveness of this approach was evident in the fates of the Musashi and Yamato battleships.

The Musashi, struck relatively evenly on both sides, endured for an extended period, resulting in a higher number of survivors.

However, the Yamato, facing a U.S. Navy Air Force that had refined its tactics based on the Musashi’s experience, sank rapidly despite sustaining fewer hits, leaving very few survivors.

* * *

“So, that’s why you’re here?”

“Yes. We’re familiar with this tactic through training, but other units aren’t. We’re here to observe and provide on-site guidance.”

“I see….”

The commander nodded at Surhachi’s explanation, and the base commander chimed in with a question.

“Then, will you sortie immediately?”

“No. We’ll complete preparations and await the Admiral’s order. Based on our experience, it will likely be about one *shijin* [approximately two hours] before sunset.”

“Sunset?”

“The Admiral prefers to choose times and locations that disadvantage the enemy and benefit our forces.”

“Huh?”

At Surhachi’s explanation, the commander and the base commander voiced their doubts simultaneously.

“Wouldn’t that time be disadvantageous to us?”

“The sun will be setting in the west. Wouldn’t that impair our visibility when heading west?”

Surhachi responded immediately.

“The Admiral ordered us to attack from the west of the enemy.”

“West of the enemy? Then Myeong….”

“No. It’s a sound strategy.”

“Yes?”

The commander looked puzzled.

“Attacking the Japanese fleet in the West Sea from the mainland could be risky. Missed self-propelled explosive projectiles or bombs could provoke Myeong [Ming Dynasty China]. Attacking from the west towards the mainland minimizes that risk.”

“But that requires crossing the high seas. Wouldn’t that also provoke Myeong?”

In response, the base commander rummaged through the communications on his desk and produced a message.

“So, that’s why the Admiral made this request….”

Following the attack on Jeju Island, all Imperial Army base communication rooms on the mainland were placed on high alert.

They were under orders to monitor all communications traversing the Imperial Army’s wired and wireless networks.

Consequently, Yi Sun-sin’s wireless communications to Seoul were being intercepted and compiled.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yi Sun-sin’s new orders were issued.

-The West Sea Fleet will immediately sortie and complete its deployment between Gyeokryeolbiyeoldo and Okgu by one *shijin* [approximately two hours] before sunset.

-The South Sea Fleet will complete its deployment northeast of Heuksan Island by one *shijin* before sunset.

-All army artillery units stationed in Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces will deploy batteries on the coastline by one *shijin* before sunset.

-All air wing units will strike the enemy one *shijin* before sunset. The direction of attack is from west to east. More precise adjustments will be made arbitrarily on-site.

The Admiral has no doubt in your abilities.

After confirming Yi Sun-sin’s orders, the commander and the base commander glanced at the clock on the wall.

“There’s about one *shijin* left. The South Sea Fleet will be quite busy, even if the West Sea Fleet isn’t.”

“The West Sea Fleet and the South Sea Fleet are known for their speed, so they should manage. I think I’m starting to understand the overall plan.”

“I agree. It seems the submarines have done their job well.”

Drawing on their accumulated experience, the commander and the base commander could vaguely discern Yi Sun-sin’s strategy.

“We should get moving as well.”

“Indeed. Let’s prepare.”

As soon as Yi Sun-sin’s orders were disseminated, the air bases in Honam, Chungcheong, and Gyeonggi provinces sprang into action.

“Bring the self-propelled explosive projectiles!”

“Attach the bombs!”

“Bring the explosive projectile containers! Load the *hwacha* [multiple rocket launcher] with explosive projectiles!”

“Check the radios thoroughly! If they fail at a critical moment, there will be chaos! If that happens, I’ll deal with you personally!”

While maintenance and armament crews frantically worked on the assigned air wings, commanders and pilots gathered around maps to review the operation.

The most diligent participants were those dispatched from the 3rd Mobile Fleet.

‘That last sentence was definitely directed at us!’

-The Admiral has no doubt in your abilities.

To those familiar with Yi Sun-sin, this sentence was both encouragement and a warning.

‘He always emphasizes rewarding merit and punishing demerit! One mistake, and we’re finished!’

Once all preparations were complete, the air wing pilots assembled.

“Today, the Empire has suffered an unexpected blow! Make those bastards feel the full weight of their actions!”

“Yes!”

The air base commanders issued similar orders, and the pilots, responding with enthusiasm, hurried to their air wings.

Shortly after, countless air wings from the air bases in Jeolla, Chungcheong, and Gyeonggi provinces ascended into the sky, piercing the frigid air.

* * *

The Imperial air wings climbed to altitude and flew towards the sea area designated by Yi Sun-sin.

The *sincheonongs* [Albatrosses – likely referring to a type of aircraft] of the 3rd Mobile Fleet, responsible for commanding the attacking air wing units, continuously received wireless messages from the Imperial submarines.

After deciphering the submarine reports and confirming the location of the Japanese fleet, the captain of the *sincheonong* grabbed the radio microphone and relayed the corrected heading.

* * *

During this period, the Empire remained at the forefront of communication technology.

This was driven by the vast territories of the mainland and Shinji [likely a large territory or colony].

The wired telegraph had been commercialized during Hyang’s reign, followed by voice communication less than 30 years later.

Wireless communication took longer to develop.

The concept and demonstration of radio waves occurred 10 years after the commercialization of the wired telegraph, but the challenge lay in developing the technology to utilize it effectively.

Wireless telegraphy finally succeeded 20 years ago.

Since then, scholars and artisans had been working on ‘wireless voice communication.’

After intense competition and numerous challenges, a functional wireless communication device was created only 5 years ago.

However, long-distance wireless communication required equipment that was literally ‘house-sized.’

In this context, the first devices equipped with wireless voice transmission, in both the military and civilian sectors of the Empire, were the Imperial Army’s air wings.

This was unavoidable.

Air wing battles were increasingly evolving into collective warfare, and seamless communication was paramount for victory.

In the heat of combat, communicating with hand signals, flag signals, or even tapping the transmitter of a radio was worse than useless.

Therefore, wireless communication devices were implemented.

The limitation was the need for small device size, restricting communication to short distances.

However, the air wing commanders and pilots were unconcerned.

“We’re not attaching this to talk to someone thousands of miles away. This is sufficient for our needs.”

Thus, the Imperial Army’s air wing unit became the first to utilize wireless communication devices.