Who's the greatest of Japan's warring state period?

Discussion in 'History' started by Fugu-dono, Jun 28, 2007.

  1. Fugu-dono Scholar Of Shen Zhou Registered Senior Member

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    Who do you think was the most capable of the three arguably greatest heroes of the sengoku jidai (warring states period)? Was it Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, or Tokugawa Ieyasu? Perhaps you think another of that period is more capable. If you don't agree with those three and want to nominate another dominant warlod (like Shingen, Uesugi, etc) then that's fine too. Please provide your reasoning. Things that might be worth discussing are their acheivements, personality, contribution, what Japan was like/could be like with them as as ruler.

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    I'll start with my preference in Oda Nobunaga. He had a pioneering vision to unite Japan. Besides his ambition he had the ability to do so as well. He had great alliance and somewhat of an interesting friendship with Ieyasu. He commanded several capable people like Mitsuhide, Katsuie, Toshiie, Hideyoshi. With these people he achieved some amazing military conquest and came close to unification himself before a betayal at the hand of one of his own trusted man.

    Though considered by just as many then as a fool and brute, IMO he was ruthlessly intelligent. I believe his outrageous act at at Nobuhide's funeral was to incite movements of people that are against him. He quelled his own brother's opposing force and somewhat united the Oda factions. Nobunaga is well aware of any political, and military threat to him hence eliminated such as mercenaries for hire, and even the the politic provoking warrior monks of Enrykuji. Brutal perhaps but IMO a necessity for his goal. His campaigns were all strategically well maneuvred. His perhap only seeming threat was Kenshin Uesugi who had managed to paused Nobunaga's expansion but died soon after that victory.

    The man had great vision and changed warfare in Japan with great usage of western armaments. The famous battle of Nagashino which he won a decisive victory over the supposedly strategically gifted Takeda Shingen and his great cavalry is a great example.

    He has fine appreciation for arts. Both the Japanese and the western arts (especially the latter). This IMO could mean that Japan could potentially go through a period of interesting art had he accomplished his unification. Many would argue him to be the death of Japanese art and that Tokugawa government did it's best to preserve the Japanese way, but I disagree. The many garden and castles ordered built by Nobunaga were all aesthetically appealing and very traditional. He also helped popularised the famous tea ceremony of Japan and somewhat promoted kabuki and no performance.

    His interest in western culture means that Japan could be more receptive to the rapid development in the west. This in my mind could have been a turning point for Japan instead of the relative isolation it put itself into under the Tokugawa shogunate. I suppose one could argue too that Japan could fall into the hands of one of European powers had they not isolated themselves (much like what happened to China), however I would think with Nobunaga's weariness towards any political and military threat he would not allow that to happen at first sign. There would probably not be persecution of Christians under Oda rule either unless they try to involve themselves in Japan's politic.

    Nobunaga developed lots of policys. He instituted a specialized warrior class system and appointed his retainers and subjects to positions based on ability rather than based on name, rank, or family relationship as in prior periods. Land were given on the basis of rice output rather than land size to retainers. This organizational system was also later used developed by Tokugawa. He modernize the economy from an agricultural base to a manufacture and service base. Fortified towns were developed as the center and basis of local economies. Roads in places that came under his domain were well made for trade as well as movement of troops. He also abolished monopoly, opened unions/guilds, developed tax exemptions, and regulated debt burrowing to be much more friendly. Based on this he was as much an economist, businessman, and civil planner as much as he was militant.

    Hypothetically I can see Nippon being a stronger and much faster developing country under Oda instead of other warlords of the time.

    Please discuss your view...
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2007

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