[War & Business] Why Did the Japanese Commander in the Movie "Hansan" Underestimate the Crane Wing Formation?

Tokugawa Ieyasu, Founder of the Japanese Shogunate, Lost After Using the Crane Wing Formation
Risk of Being Encircled If the Flanks Are Breached

[Image source= Still cut from the movie Hansan: Rising Dragon]

The central theme of the recently popular movie Hansan: Rising Dragon is the “Crane Wing Formation (Hakikjin, 鶴翼陣)” used by Admiral Yi Sun-sin during the Battle of Hansan. This formation, which envelops and surrounds the enemy like the wings of a crane, is a tactic employed not only by Admiral Yi but also in various battles throughout history across East and West.

In particular, in Korea, it has become firmly established as an invincible tactic because Admiral Yi frequently used it. However, across the sea in Japan, it is known quite the opposite?as a tactic destined for defeat. This is because Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate in the 17th century, suffered a near-total defeat when he deployed the Crane Wing Formation at the Battle of Mikatagahara in 1573.

At that time, Ieyasu, who was just thirty years old and lacked much battlefield experience, believed that simply encircling the enemy with the Crane Wing Formation would guarantee victory. Accordingly, he surrounded Takeda Shingen’s army, which was three times larger than his own, using the Crane Wing Formation. However, the seasoned veteran Shingen saw through the weaknesses of the formation and led Ieyasu to a crushing defeat.

In fact, the Crane Wing Formation, known as invincible in Korea, carries the risk of being encircled by the enemy if its left and right flanks are breached. Shingen exploited this by using his force, three times larger than the enemy’s, to break through one side of Ieyasu’s formation and then encircle and annihilate the enemy.

It is said that Ieyasu was so shocked at the time that he defecated in his pants while fleeing on horseback. When his subordinates expressed concern, he famously retorted that it was not feces but a broken miso jar he wore at his waist.

Afterward, Ieyasu reflected on his reckless pride in deploying the Crane Wing Formation against Shingen and commissioned a painter to depict his defeated state. This painting is known as the “Ukegami Portrait (しかみ像).” Recently, Masayoshi Son, chairman of SoftBank, who recorded the worst performance, displayed this painting and bowed his head saying, “I reflect.”

Wakizaka Yasuharu, the enemy commander who faced Admiral Yi Sun-sin at the Battle of Hansan, was also well aware of Ieyasu’s defeat when he used the Crane Wing Formation. He knew its weaknesses and is believed to have attempted a breakthrough using his overwhelmingly superior number of ships compared to the Joseon navy.

However, Yasuharu, who was only familiar with land warfare, did not fully understand the differences between naval and land battles, nor did he appreciate the power of the Joseon navy’s cannons. Ultimately, Yasuharu was caught in Admiral Yi’s Crane Wing Formation, subjected to concentrated fire, and his fleet was annihilated by the Joseon navy, which was less than half his size.

Contrary to the movie’s portrayal, Admiral Yi Sun-sin was not a figure who was fixated solely on the Crane Wing Formation. It is extremely dangerous to insist on a single tactic in the ever-changing battlefield. Admiral Yi constantly adapted various formations to suit the situation and conducted numerous drills and training exercises so that his soldiers would be familiar with changing formations.

In the end, the stories involving Admiral Yi, Ieyasu, and Yasuharu related to the Crane Wing Formation serve as a good example of how dangerous it can be for a general to be fixated on a single invincible tactic. This lesson extends beyond battlefield commanders to national leaders and corporate CEOs, emphasizing that as circumstances rapidly change, strategic flexibility and the pursuit of diverse strategies are essential.