The Emperor's Sword: Japan vs. Russia in the Battle of Tsushima

Synopsis

"On this one battle rests the fate of our nation. Let every man do his utmost." From the bridge of his flagship, Mikasa, Admiral Togo signaled the beginning of the battle, standing near the forward rail, his body thrust forward in the determined stance of some classic Japanese war god. A tiny, Napoleonic figure-barely five feet, three inches tall, and weighing less than 130 pounds -Togo carried his Zeiss binoculars(one of three pairs in Japan) and wore his magnificent ceremonial sword, its gold-encrusted scabbard nearly touching the deck. The sword was a gift from Togo's deified Emperor, and symbolized Japan's new drive to world power by domination of the Eastern seas. The Japanese Fleet was drawn up in the Strait of Tsushima between Japan and Korea. A long smudge of smoke on the southern horizon signaled the approach of the Imperial Russian Ships. On the outcome of the Battle of Tsushima depended the fate of Japan and-ultimately-the fate of the U.S. Fleet at Pearl Harbor. One hundred years after Trafalgar, on May 27, 1905, Togo met Rozhdestvensky, Imperial Russia against Imperial Japan, with most of the long- range firepower and weight on the Russian side. This battle would decide world policy in the Pacific for decades to come. The Emperor's Sword is a violent chronicle of war and death at sea, of diplomatic intrigue, heroism, cowardice, stupidity, international politics, and individual tragedy. The backbone of the Russian Second Pacific Squadron were four new battleships, top-heavy and slow. The armada totaled forty-two vessels. Many if not most of the seamen were bitterly hostile to their officers; the crews were untrained conscripts. When Rozhdestvensky lined up his squadron to face Togo, he had already survived an eighteen-thousand-mile journey, mutiny, lack of fuel, a shortage of ammunition, and a series of mishaps that had won his armada the name of "the mad dog fleet." Noel Busch weaves the complex strands of history into a gripping, absorbing narrative of The Emperor's Sword. As history, as adventure tale, and as sobering analysis of the part played by hazard in deciding defeat or victory, The Emperor's Sword is a fascinating chronicle by a master historian- storyteller.

Copyright:

1969

Book Details

Book Quality:

Excellent

Book Size:

250 Pages

Publisher:

N/A

Date of Addition:

09/11/08

Copyrighted By:

Noel F. Busch

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Military, Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs

Submitted By:

Mike Stewart

Proofread By:

Tracy Carcione

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.