100-word proposal +2000-word Essay

Joseon Dynasty's Survival Strategies During the Imjin War: Diplomatic Negotiations and Military Reforms Student's Name Course Name and Code Due Date The Imjin War (1592-1598) was another significant period in East Asia since the Japanese invasion of Korea aimed to unbalance the existing Asian continental equilibrium. It was started by the inflated Japanese invader of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and targeted to annex Korea as the first phase before invading Ming China. However, Korea's Joseon Dynasty was in between these powers, trying to avoid similar fates of the Ming and adapt to the conditions of the war, as well as achieve military reforms that allowed the dynasty to not only live through the war but to remain an independent country for several centuries. This essay will examine how the Joseon Kingdom was able to manage to continue extending its efforts in diplomatic dialogue to both buy time and resources in forging alliances with the Ming dynasty and negotiating with the Japanese; on the other hand, the military reforms that took places within the kingdom adopted guerrilla tactics and the highly effective turtle ships. This combination of strategies proved to be immense regarding the dynasty's survival and sustainability before, during, and after the Imjin War, which followed the key course of Korean history along with future polity and military planning.[Kim, Joy S. "The Imjin War: Japan’s Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China (review)." Korean Studies 32, no. 1 (2008), 186.] Concise Overview of the Imjin War The Imjin War can be traced back to 1592 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a Japanese military general, invaded the Korean Peninsula. Oda Nobunaga's initial idea was to use Korea as a springboard to attack the prosperous Ming Dynasty China to create a unified East Asian empire, and controlling Japan was the first step. However, this plan was implemented, and vehement opposition was garnered from the Joseon Dynasty and its adjacent states. The first stage was characterized by speedy attacks with greater Japanese forces, leading to the conquest of some significant areas, including Pyongyang and the southern capital of Joseon, Seoul. However, the critical Korean naval commander, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, surfaced as a worthy navy that could give a good account of himself to the Japanese through strategic and analytical naval engagements such as the Battle of Myeongnyang. This opposition overturned Hideyoshi's intentions regarding other invasions. According to the material studied in the tutorials, the problem in Hideyoshi's strategy was his lack of consistency in his objectives and mistakes concerning the prospective cooperation with the Ming Dynasty as a significant player in the war.[Ibid 186.] [Lee, Jeong-il. "The Anti-Japanese Strategy of Chosǒn during the Japanese Invasion of Korea (1592-1598): Focusing on the Japanese Retreat to the Southern Coast of Korea between July 1593 and February 1594." 179.] One of Hideyoshi's biggest blunders was underestimating the Ming dynasty's determination to defend Korea. The Japanese invasion would be a big problem because, after the initial confrontation, the Ming forces mobilized a large army to assist the Joseon Dynasty, making life even more challenging for the Japanese. Therefore, in 1598, when Hideyoshi died and the Japanese were exhausted of proper Korean supplies, a truce was reached, and the Japanese troops left Korea. The conflicts escalated massively, and this led to much loss of life and also cultural identity in terms of monuments and other facilities. However, the very existence of the Joseon Dynasty and the establishment of its sovereignty was a victory, especially if one could consider the Japanese army an invincible force.[Lee, Ji-Young. "The Imjin War (1592–1598)." China's Hegemony, 2016, 104-107] Diplomatic Strategies Initially, Joseon's engagements and negotiations with Japan to reach a diplomatic agreement in the early stages of the conflict were intertwined with several tactical activities primarily meant to enable buying time and resources to build a more robust defense. During the aggression of the Japanese forces, Joseon involved itself in a series of negotiations for peace; however, it realized that the better part of the war was the time bought in talks, even as the military backup was pursued and allied support was solicited. The development of diplomatic relations was critical; one of them included a treaty partnership with the Ming Dynasty of China. Joseon's attempts to appeal to the Ming initially responded with reluctance due to the Ming court not fully realizing the threat the Japanese posed. Although, throughout the initial stages of the invasion, the Ming mainly provided support through naval power and diplomatic letters, as the invasion went on and the position of the Korean Peninsula was unveiled to play a significant role in Chinese defense strategies, the Ming sent a large force to assist Joseon. That proved crucial in taming the Japanese forays and supplying the much-needed backup and support to the beleaguered Joseon defenders.[JaHyun K. Haboush, "2 The Volunteer Army and the Emergence of Imagined Community," The Great East Asian War and the Birth of the Korean Nation, 2016, 54] [Swope, Kenneth M. A Dragon's Head and a Serp...