Turnbull, Stephen Oda Nobunaga

Samurai Commander 1534-82

Volume 34 of the series From Retinue to Regiment 1453-1618. Oda Nobunaga was Japan's great military genius and the first to envisage the unification of Japan. Long denigrated by historians as a cruel and ruthless despot, he remains one of the most controversial figures in Japanese history - a man whose strategic genius and military prowess are his only indisputable qualities. Nobunaga recognised the revolutionary potential of firearms with unparalleled enthusiasm and achieved results through a ruthlessness that terrified his contemporaries. Through a series of decisive victories, supported by a loyal and well-organised army, Nobunaga initiated the process that would ultimately lead to the unification of Japan a goal that was only thwarted by his sudden and violent death. "Oda Nobunaga. Samurai Commander 153482" traces his campaigns in detail, from his impressive victory at Okehazama in 1560 to the bloody Battle of Anegawa in 1570, the famous Battle of Nagashino in 1575, and the naval battle of Kizugawaguchi in 1578. His brutal suppression of the Ikko-Ikki Buddhist uprisings and the accompanying massacres of civilians reveal a darker, more complex side to his character. This study portrays Nobunaga as a strategist, tactician, military commander and ruthless politician. It also examines in depth, for the first time, the campaigns he entrusted to his subordinates. The book concludes with a dramatic account of his unexpected death during the treacherous Honnoji Incident. Richly illustrated, Oda Nobunaga. Samurai Commander 153482" contains images of all the battlefields discussed, detailed photos of weapons and armour, maps and specially commissioned artwork, bringing to life one of Japan's most impressive and fascinating warlords.