Harder than beating the enemy

The War Diary of Yi Sun-sin

Harder than beating the enemy was surviving the doubt of his own side.

⚓ Not sure who stood where? Start with the cast

11 figures, grouped into those who fought beside him, the court, his rival and his family. Pick anyone and jump straight to the chapters they appear in.

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1. Before the First Battle

Part 1, Chapter 1, From New Year's Longing to a Decision to Sail

9 min read
- longing
- resolve
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2. The First Victory at Okpo

Part 1, Chapter 2, Move Not Rashly, Be Still as a Mountain

9 min read
- composure
- first victory
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3. The Turtle Ship Sails

Part 1, Chapter 3, Wounded at Sacheon, He Does Not Step Back

9 min read
- new weapon
- endurance
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4. Why He Would Not Yield

Part 1, Chapter 4, The One Seated Beneath the Red Parasol

9 min read
- striking the command
- morale
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5. The Crane Wing Takes Shape

Part 1, Chapter 5, Not Fighting in a Narrow Strait

9 min read
- terrain
- planning
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6. Hansan Island, How to Set a Formation

Part 1, Chapter 6, A Commander Who Fled and a Fleet That Sank

9 min read
- decisive victory
- execution
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7. Striking at the Enemy's Heart

Part 2, Chapter 1, Losing His Right Arm

9 min read
- great victory
- loss
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8. Commander of the Three Provinces' Navy

Part 2, Chapter 2, Binding Three Commands into One

9 min read
- new post
- the court's trust
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9. Why He Would Not Sail Out

Part 2, Chapter 3, Holding a Line Is Also a Fight

9 min read
- patience
- strategic judgment
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10. Working the Military Farms

Part 2, Chapter 4, A Commander on the Days Without Battle

9 min read
- daily life
- care
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11. The Rift with Won Gyun

Part 2, Chapter 5, What a Single Report Divided

9 min read
- disputed credit
- trust
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12. What the Court Asks

Part 2, Chapter 6, How Can I Trust That Enemy

9 min read
- distrust
- conviction
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13. Won Gyun's Reports

Part 3, Chapter 1, What He Did Not Let Go of, Even After Leaving

9 min read
- slander
- ambition
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14. The Court's Suspicion

Part 3, Chapter 2, Do You Trust What the Enemy Let Slip

9 min read
- intelligence warfare
- distrust
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15. Taken to the Capital

Part 3, Chapter 3, From Commander to Prisoner

9 min read
- downfall
- silence
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16. The Interrogation

Part 3, Chapter 4, A Question Whose Answer Was Already Decided

9 min read
- questioning
- life at stake
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17. The People's Plea

Part 3, Chapter 5, Those Who Joined Their Hands for Him

9 min read
- public sentiment
- solidarity
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18. Spared from Execution

Part 3, Chapter 6, A Man Not Easily Found Again

9 min read
- rescue
- talent
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19. The Order to Serve as a Disgraced Soldier

Part 3, Chapter 7, Standing Again With No Rank

9 min read
- humiliation
- starting over
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20. The Road of a Disgraced Soldier

Part 4, Chapter 1, A Son Who Is Also a Common Soldier

9 min read
- journey
- longing
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21. His Mother's Death

Part 4, Chapter 2, Even the Sun in the Sky Looked Dark

9 min read
- loss
- grief
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22. Watching a Battle That Cannot Be Won

Part 4, Chapter 3, Beaten With a Rod, Sent Out to Sea

9 min read
- foreboding
- helplessness
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23. The Fleet Falls

Part 4, Chapter 4, A Fleet Broken in a Single Day

9 min read
- defeat
- collapse
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24. Commander Once More

Part 4, Chapter 5, I Still Have Twelve Ships

9 min read
- reinstatement
- resolve
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25. Counting the Twelve

Part 4, Chapter 6, Taking Over the Ships at Hoeryeongpo

9 min read
- rebuilding
- discipline
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26. Scouting Myeongnyang

Part 4, Chapter 7, The Days at Byeokpajin

9 min read
- scouting
- preparation
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27. What the People Left Behind

Part 4, Chapter 8, The Boats That Followed

9 min read
- the people
- support
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28. The Currents of Uldolmok

Part 5, Chapter 1, Making Camp With the Channel in Front

9 min read
- terrain
- resolve
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29. Rebuking An Wi

Part 5, Chapter 2, After the Summoning Flag Went Up

9 min read
- myeongnyang
- command
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30. The Day of the Twelve Ships

Part 5, Chapter 3, What the Diary Records and What It Does Not

11 min read
- myeongnyang
- record
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31. What the Victory Left

Part 5, Chapter 4, Leaving the Place He Had Won

9 min read
- aftermath
- reward
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32. The Death of His Son Myeon

Part 5, Chapter 5, Two Characters on the Envelope

10 min read
- family
- loss
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33. Weeping by the Lamp

Part 5, Chapter 6, Going Into the Salt Burner's House

9 min read
- grief
- command
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34. Back Out to Sea

Part 5, Chapter 7, A Hundred Days at Gohado

9 min read
- rebuilding
- provisions
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35. Meeting Chen Lin

Part 6, Chapter 1, How to Receive a Guest

9 min read
- alliance
- diplomacy
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36. The Enemy Moves to Leave

Part 6, Chapter 2, The One Leaving and the One in the Way

9 min read
- withdrawal
- blockade
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37. A Different Reckoning

Part 6, Chapter 3, The One Ship That Got Out

9 min read
- alliance
- judgment
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38. The Road to Noryang

Part 6, Chapter 4, Leaving the Position He Had Been Holding

9 min read
- sortie
- judgment
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39. Do Not Announce My Death

Part 6, Chapter 5, A Battle That Ran Until Noon

10 min read
- noryang
- last
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40. Where the Diary Ends

Part 6, Chapter 6, After the Last Page

10 min read
- record
- epilogue

The War Diary of Yi Sun-sin

1. Before the First Battle

2. The First Victory at Okpo

3. The Turtle Ship Sails

4. Why He Would Not Yield

5. The Crane Wing Takes Shape

6. Hansan Island, How to Set a Formation

7. Striking at the Enemy's Heart

8. Commander of the Three Provinces' Navy

9. Why He Would Not Sail Out

10. Working the Military Farms

11. The Rift with Won Gyun

12. What the Court Asks

13. Won Gyun's Reports

14. The Court's Suspicion

15. Taken to the Capital

16. The Interrogation

17. The People's Plea

18. Spared from Execution

19. The Order to Serve as a Disgraced Soldier

20. The Road of a Disgraced Soldier

21. His Mother's Death

22. Watching a Battle That Cannot Be Won

23. The Fleet Falls

24. Commander Once More

25. Counting the Twelve

26. Scouting Myeongnyang

27. What the People Left Behind

28. The Currents of Uldolmok

29. Rebuking An Wi

30. The Day of the Twelve Ships

31. What the Victory Left

32. The Death of His Son Myeon

33. Weeping by the Lamp

34. Back Out to Sea

35. Meeting Chen Lin

36. The Enemy Moves to Leave

37. A Different Reckoning

38. The Road to Noryang

39. Do Not Announce My Death

40. Where the Diary Ends