Battle of Pungdo

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Pungdo
partof=the First Sino-Japanese War


caption=Ukiyoe by Kobayashi Kiyochika dated August 1894
date=25 July 1894
place= Asan, Korea
result=Japanese victory
combatant1=flag|Empire of Japan
combatant2=flag|Qing Dynasty|name=Qing China
commander1=flagicon|Japan|naval Tsuboi Kozo
commander2=flagicon|Qing Dynasty Fang Boqian
strength1=3 cruisers
strength2=1 cruiser, 2 gunboats
casualties1=0 (killed & wounded)
casualties2=1,100 (killed & wounded)

The Battle of Pungdo (Japanese: 豊島沖海戦) was the first naval battle of the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place on 25 July 1894 offshore Asan, Chungcheongnam-do Korea between cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy of Meiji Japan and components of the Beiyang Fleet of Qing China.

Background

Both Qing China and Japan had been intervening in Korea against the Donghak Peasant Revolution. While China tried to maintain her suzerain relationship with Korea, Japan wanted to make Korea her own colony. Both countries had already had troops in Korea as requested by different factions within the Korean government. Chinese troops, stationed in Asan, south of Seoul, numbering 3,000 at early July, were supplied only by sea through the Bay of Asan (Asan-Man). This presented a situation very similar to the beginning of the Yorktown campaign during the American Revolution.

The Japanese plan was to blockade the entrance of the Bay of Asan, while her land forces would move overland to encircle the Chinese army detachment in Asan before more Chinese troops arrived by sea.

Some amongst the Chinese Beiyang Fleet Command were aware of this dangerous situation and had advocated either the withdrawal of troops further north to Pyongyang (Captain of Cruiser Tsi-yuan, Fang Boqian, who would be the ranking officer in the Battle of Pungdo, among them), or the sailing with the entire Beiyang fleet to sea south of Inchon as a deterrent against Japanese intentions. However, the Qing leadership was split between Beiyang Commander Li Hongzhang’s basic instinct to protect his fleet from danger and Emperor Guangxu’s demand for a stronger stand. As a compromise, the detachment at Asan was to be reinforced for the time being under escort by ships already on station in Korean waters. Inaction paralyzed the Chinese command on the eve of all-out war.

The battle

According to Japanese records, at 0700 on 25 July 1894, the Japanese cruisers "Yoshino", "Naniwa" and "Akitsushima", which had been patrolling in the Yellow Sea off of Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea, encountered the Chinese cruiser "Tsi-yuan" (済遠) and gunboat "Kwang-yi" (広乙). These vessels had steamed out of Asan in order to meet another Chinese gunboat, the "Tsao-kiang" (操江), which was convoying a transport toward Asan. The two Chinese vessels did not return the salute of the Japanese ships as required under International Maritime regulations, and when the Japanese turned to the southwest, the Chinese opened fire.

According to Chinese battle records, The Chinese ships, Cruiser "Tsi-yuan" and Torpedo gunboat "Kwang-Yi" , in port in Asan since July 23, left on the morning of July 25 and were on their way to rendezvous with the troop transport ships "Kow-shing" (高陞) and supply ship Tsao-kiang en route from Tianjin. At 7:45 am, Near Pundo, an island sitting next to both of the only two navigable channels out of Asan-Man (Bay of Asan), [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/korea/txu-oclc-6612232-nj52-9.jpg] in Korean territorial waters, the two Chinese ships were fired upon by three Japanese cruisers "Akitsushima", "Naniwa", and "Yoshino". Chinese ships returned fire at 7:52 am.

After an exchange of fire for over an hour, the "Tsi-yuen" broke off the engagement and escaped; however, the "Kwang-yi" was stranded on some rocks, and its gunpowder magazine exploded. In the meantime the "Tsao-kiang" and the transport vessel "Kow-shing", flying a British civil ensign and conveying some 1,200 Chinese troops and stores, had the unfortunate timing of appearing on the scene.

The "Tsao-kiang" was quickly captured, and the "Kow-shing" was ordered to follow the Japanese cruiser "Naniwa" to the main Japanese squadron. However, the Chinese soldiers on board revolted, and threatened to kill the English captain, Galsworthy, unless he took them back to China. After four hours of negotiation, when the Chinese troops were momentarily distracted, Galsworthy and the British crew jumped overboard and attempted to swim to the "Naniwa", but were fired upon by the Chinese troops. Most of the sailors were killed，but Galsworthy and two crewmen were rescued by the Japanese. The "Naniwa" then opened fire on the "Kow-shing", sinking her and her mutineers. A few on board (including German military advisor Major von Hanneken) escaped by swimming ashore.

Chinese casualties were approximately 1,100, including more than 800 from the troop transport "Kow-shing" alone, against none for the Japanese.

Aftermath of the battle

The battle had a direct impact on the fighting on land. The one-thousand-strong Chinese enforcement on board "Kow-shing" and military supplies on board "Tsao-kiang" failed to reach Asan. And the outnumbered and isolated Chinese detachment in Asan was attacked and defeated in the subsequent Battle of Seonghwan four days later. Formal declarations of war came only after the battle of Seonghwan.

The "Naniwa" was under the command of Captain (later Admiral) Togo Heihachiro. The sinking of the "Kow-shing" almost caused a diplomatic incident between Japan and Great Britain, but British jurists ruled that the action was in conformity with International Law regarding the treatment of mutineers.

The sinking was also specifically cited by the Chinese government as one of the “treacherous actions” by the Japanese in their declaration of war against Japan.

References

* Chamberlin, William Henry. "Japan Over Asia", 1937, Little, Brown, and Company, Boston, 395 pp.
* Jane, Fred T. "The Imperial Japanese Navy" (1904)
* Kodansha "Japan An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1993, Kodansha Press, Tokyo ISBN 4-06-205938-X
* Lone, Stewart. "Japan's First Modern War: Army and Society in the Conflict with China, 1894-1895," 1994, St. Martin's Press, New York, 222 pp.
* Paine, S.C.M. "The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: Perception, Power, and Primacy," 2003, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA, 412 pp.
* Warner, Dennis and Peggy. "The Tide At Sunrise", 1974, Charterhouse, New York, 659 pp.
* Wright, Richard N. J."The Chinese Steam Navy 1862-1945" Chatham Publishing, London, 2000, ISBN 1-86176-144-9