Tsuboi Kōzō
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| Baron Tsuboi Kōzō | |
|---|---|
| 7 March 1843 - 1 February 1898[1] | |
 Japanese Admiral Baron Tsuboi Kōzō |
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| Place of birth | Chōshū domain Japan |
| Place of death | Tokyo, Japan |
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
| Service/branch |  Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Years of service | 1871 - 1898 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Battles/wars | Boshin War First Sino-Japanese War oBattle of Pungdo oBattle of the Yalu |
- In this Japanese name, the family name is Tsuboi.
Tsuboi Kōzō (坪井航三 Tsuboi Kōzō?, 7 March 1843 - 1 February 1898) was an admiral of the early modern Imperial Japanese Navy, known primarily for his role in the First Sino-Japanese War.
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[edit] Biography
Born Hara Kōzō in Chōshū domain (present Yamaguchi prefecture), Tsuboi, as a Chōshū samurai took part in the defense of the city during the bombardment of Shimonoseki by European warships from 5 September-8 1864. Witnessing firsthand the firepower and devastation caused by a relatively few western warships, Tsuboi became convinced Japan must also obtain this weaponry to survive. He enlisted in the Chōshū domain navy later that year and served aboard the Kigai-maru while studying the English language and navigation at the Chōshū Naval School.
Serving on five Chōshū domain ships between 1866 and 1868, Tsuboi assisted in transporting imperial soldiers on the Inland Sea during the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration against the Tokugawa shogunate, and was later officially commissioned a lieutenant in the newly established Imperial Japanese Navy in 1871, becoming executive officer of the Kotetsu. That same year he received training onboard the flagship USS Colorado of the American Asiatic Squadron and was sponsored by Admiral John Rodgers to attend Columbia University from 1872 until 1874.
Returning to Japan in 1874, Tsuboi was promoted to lieutenant commander. His first command was as captain of the Daiichi Teibo from 13 August 1874. He served as commander of various ships between 1874 and 1884, including the paddle corvette Jingei, gunboat Banjo, corvette Nisshin and corvette Kaimon, and various shore posts until 1889, when he assumed command of the Takachiho.
As a rear admiral from 1890, he was Commandant of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy from 1892-1893, and Commandant of the Naval War College (Japan) from 1893-1894.
In command of the Standing Fleet during the First Sino-Japanese War, Tsuboi was at the Battle of Pungdo in command of the Yoshino, and later won distinction at the Battle of the Yalu on 17 September 1894, where (as commander of the Flying Squadron), he displayed innovative tactics and aggressive maneuvers.
A national hero following the war, Tsuboi was ennobled with the title of danshaku (baron) under the kazoku peerage system on 20 August 1895, and promoted to vice admiral the following year. In 1896 he was Commander in Chief of the Readiness Fleet, and in 1897 Commander in Chief of the Yokosuka Naval District. He died of cancer in 1898.
[edit] References
[edit] Books
- Craig, Albert M. (1961). Chōshū in the Meiji Restoration. Harvard University Press. ISBN 1-85043-569-3.*Dupuy, Trevor N. (1992). Encyclopedia of Military Biography. I B Tauris & Co Ltd. ISBN 1-85043-569-3.
- Schencking, J. Charles (2005). Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922. Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-4977-9.
- Volpicelli, Zenone. The China-Japan War, London, 1896.
[edit] External links
- Nishida, Hiroshi. Imperial Japanese Navy. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy
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