Background and Participants
– Satsuma Rebellion occurred in 1877 as a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government of Japan.
– The rebellion was led by Saigō Takamori.
– Satsuma Domain became home to unemployed samurai after military reforms.
– The rebellion lasted from January to September 1877.
– The Imperial military consisted of conscripted soldiers, with a total of 45,920 infantry soldiers.
– The Imperial police force, Rasotsu, was organized in 1871 and expanded rapidly to 18,000 in 1877.
Military Details
– The Imperial military had various units, including infantry regiments, cavalry squadrons, artillery battalions, engineer companies, and train companies.
– The engineer company had 150 men, and the train companies had a total of 480 men.
– There were nine coastal artillery battalions with 100 men each.
– The mobile artillery consisted of 12 mountain gun batteries with 1,920 men and six field gun batteries with 780 men.
– The Imperial guard included two regiments of infantry, one cavalry squadron, one artillery battalion, one engineer company, and a train company.
Rebel Forces
– Saigō’s rebel forces were only partially modernized.
– The rebel army had six infantry battalions of 2,000 men and a limited number of gunners for the artillery pieces.
– There was little to no cavalry in the rebel army.
– The rebels had 28 mountain, 2 field, and 30 mortar pieces.
Key Events
– The rebellion was known as the Southwestern War and took place in Japan in 1877.
– The Siege of Kumamoto Castle occurred, where the Satsuma army failed to take the castle defended by Major General Tani Tateki.
– The Battle of Tabaruzaka lasted for eight days and involved a failed attempt at negotiation by Saigō.
– The Imperial Army forced Saigō’s forces to retreat from Kumamoto and engaged in a pincer attack, reducing the Satsuma army to 3,000 combatants.
– The final battle, the Battle of Shiroyama, took place at Shiroyama, where Saigō and his remaining samurai were outnumbered and eventually defeated.
Aftermath and Impact
– The financial cost of the Satsuma Rebellion was ¥420,000,000 (£8,400,000), resulting in Japan being forced off the gold standard and printing paper currency.
– The rebellion led to a reduction in land tax and Japan’s yearly expenditure, but an increase in national debt.
– The Meiji government became bankrupt, state-owned enterprises were sold off, and large industrial firms or zaibatsu were formed.
– The defeat of the samurai class demonstrated the power of modern artillery and rifles, effectively ending the samurai class.
– The English name ‘Satsuma Rebellion’ has been questioned, with suggestions for a more accurate name such as ‘War of the Southwest’ or characterizing it as a civil war.
– Various books and articles provide information and insights into the rebellion, including works by Hane Mikiso, Kallie Szczepanski, Andrew Gordon, Gabriele Esposito, and Augustus Mounsey. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satsuma_Rebellion
