No matter what the period, those who want to start a war find reasons to justify their cause.
A case in point is “Osaka Fuyu no Jin” (the winter campaign for the siege of Osaka); a battle that occurred in October, 1614.
Fourteen years before the siege, a great battle between TOYOTOMI’s Osaka-based forces and the TOKUGAWA forces located in Edo (present day Tokyo) took place at Sekigahara in present day Gifu Prefecture.
Before that TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi – who had unified Japan – passed away; Hideyoshi’s retainers had wanted his young son Hideyori to be his successor, but TOKUGAWA Ieyasu who was Hideyoshi’s second in command aimed to take over the leadership.
The Tokugawa forces won the battle of Sekigahara and Ieyasu became ruler of Japan.
However, because Hideyori still lived, Ieyasu feared that the Toyotomi forces would rise up again.
The winter siege of Osaka started with an accusation Ieyasu made about the text engraved on a gong in a temple that the Toyotomi clan had been rebuilding.
“Kokka ankou” (peaceful nation) was written on the gong; a phrase composed of four kanji which contained the two kanji of Ieyasu’s name.
Ieyasu’s accusation was that by separating the kanji in the Ieyasu name, the Toyotomi clan was cursing the Tokugawa family.
Sensing danger, the Toyotomi clan recruited rounin (wandering samurai without a master to serve).
Ieyasu, who’d been waiting for this to happen, used it as a pretext for battle.
As the Toyotomi gathered their forces, Ieyasu sent out a rallying cry to daimyo (feudal lords) and advanced on Osaka.
In order to consolidate and enlarge their territories, many daimyo joined the Tokugawa side, which had the advantage in terms of military might.
Many rounin – who had lost their positions at the battle of Sekigahara and saw this as a chance for advancement – gathered by Toyotomi’s side, swelling his force to 100,000.
Among them was SANADA Yukimura, a military commander who was fiercely loyal to the Toyotomi clan.
Yukimura was an exceptional strategist, who had caused the Tokugawa forces to suffer much in previous battles.
Ieyasu told Yukimura that he would grant him a domain of his own if he allied himself with the Tokugawa side, but Yukimura turned him down.
Eventually, Ieyasu proposed a peace treaty to Toyotomi.
His terms stipulated that both the Tokugawa and Toyotomi sides would fill in their outer moats.
Protected by outer and inner moats, Osaka castle was Japan’s sturdiest castle.
The Toyotomi clan, who had also suffered considerable damage, accepted the peace treaty.
The Tokugawa military retreated, but filled in not only the outer moat, but also the inner moat within a month.
The following year, the Tokugawa clan regrouped its troops, and breaking the treaty, attacked the vulnerable Osaka castle.
With this battle – named “Osaka Natsu no Jin” (the summer siege of Osaka) – the Tokugawa clan completely vanquished the Toyotomi clan.
It’s surprising that 400 years later, this still continues all over the world, with powerful nations using flimsy pretexts to make accusations against vulnerable nations in order to rob them of territory.
いつの時代も
Itsuno jidai mo
no matter what (the) period
戦いを
tatakai o/wo
(a) war
始める側は、
hajimeru’gawa wa/ha,
those (who) want to start
それを
sore o/wo
their cause <that>
正当化するための
seitouka suru tame no
to justify
その典型が
Sono tenkei ga
a case in point
1614年
sen roppyaku juu yo/1614 nen
sixteen fourteen [year]
10月
Juu/10 gatsu
October
「大坂冬の陣」
“Oosaka Fuyu no Jin”
(the) winter campaign for the siege of Osaka
14年
juu yo/14 nen
fourteen years
大阪を基盤とする
Oosaka o/wo kiban to suru
Osaka-based
豊臣勢
Toyotomi’zei
Toyotomi’s forces
(現在の東京)
(genzai no Toukyou)
present day Tokyo
拠点とする
kyoten to suru
located
徳川勢
Tokugawa’zei
(the) Tokugawa forces
戦いが、
tatakai ga,
(a) battle
関ヶ原
Sekigahara
Sekigahara
(現在の岐阜県)
(genzai no Gifu Ken)
(in) present day Gifu Prefecture
ありました。
arimashita.
took place
それ以前に
Sore izen ni
before that
統一した
touitsu shita
(who) had unified
豊臣秀吉が
TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi ga
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
亡くなり、
nakunari,
passed away
秀吉の家臣は
Hideyoshi no kashin wa/ha
Hideyoshi’s retainers
幼い息子、
osanai musuko,
young son
秀頼を
Hideyori o/wo
Hideyori
後継者に
koukeisha ni
(his) successor
望みました
nozomimashita
had wanted
秀吉の
Hideyoshi no
Toyotomi’s
ナンバーツー
nanba-tsu-
second in command
徳川家康は
TOKUGAWA Ieyasu wa/ha
Tokugwa Ieyasu
権力を
kenryoku o/wo
(the) leadership
奪おうと
ubaouto
to take over
狙っていました。
neratte imashita.
aimed
徳川側が
Tokugawa’gawa ga
the Tokugawa forces
「関ヶ原の戦い」で
“Sekigahara no tatakai” de
(the) battle of Sekigahara
家康は
Ieyasu wa/ha
Ieyasu
支配者に
shihaisha ni
ruler
なりました。
narimashita.
became
秀頼が
Hideyori ga
Hideyori
生きていた
ikite ita
(still) lived
家康は
Ieyasu wa/ha
Ieyasu
豊臣の勢力が
Toyotomi no seiryoku ga
(the) Toyotomi forces
復活する
fukkatsu suru
would rise up again
恐れていました。
osorete imashita.
feared
大坂冬の陣は、
Oosaka Fuyu no Jin wa/ha,
(The) winter siege of Osaka
豊臣家が
Toyotomi’ke ga
(the) Toyotomi clan
再建していた
saiken shite ita
(that) had been rebuilding
言いがかりを
iigakari o/wo
(an) accusation
始まりました。
hajimari mashita.
started
「国家安康」と
“Kokka’ankou” to
peaceful nation
刻まれ、
kizamare,
was written <engraved>
4つの漢字
yo/4 ttsu no kanji
four kanji
構成される
kousei sareru
composed
文字には
moji niwa/ha
(a) phrase <characters>
家康の名前
Ieyasu no namae
Ieyasu’s name
漢字二つが
kanji futatsu ga
(the) two kanji
含まれていました。
fukumarete imashita.
(which) contained
家康の言いがかりは、
Ieyasu no iigakari wa/ha,
accusation
「家康」の名前
“Ieyasu” no namae
(the) Ieyasu name
漢字を
kanji o/wo
(the) kanji
切り離し、
kirihanashi,
by separating
豊臣家が
Toyotomi’ke ga
(the) Toyotomi clan
徳川家を
Tokugawa’ke o/wo
(the) Tokugawa family
呪っている
norotte iru
was cursing
豊臣家は
Toyotomi’ke wa/ha
(the )Toyotomi clan
浪人を
rounin o/wo
wandering samurai without (a) master to serve
集めます。
atsumemasu.
recruited
そうなることを
Sou naru koto o/wo
for this to happen
待っていた
matte ita
(who)’d been waiting
家康は、
Ieyasu wa/ha,
Ieyasu
口実に
koujitsu ni
(a) pretext
豊臣が
Toyotomi ga
(the) Toyotomi
兵を
hei o/wo
(their) forces
家康は
Ieyasu wa/ha
Ieyasu
大名
daimyou
feudal lords
呼びかけ
yobikake
(a) rallying cry and
伝えます。
tsutaemasu.
sent out
大名は
daimyou wa/ha
daimyo
戦力的に
senryokutekini
in terms of military might
有利な
yuurina
(which) had (the) advantage
徳川側に
Tokugawa’gawa ni
(the) Tokugawa side
加わります。
kuwawarimasu.
joined
関ヶ原の戦い
Sekigahara no tatakai
(the) battle of Sekigahara
職を失い、
shoku o/wo ushinai,
(who)had lost (their) positions and
出世の
shusse no
for advancement
チャンス
chansu
(a) chance
浪人たちは
rounintachi wa/ha
ronin
豊臣側
Toyotomi’gawa
Toyotomi’s side
戦力は
senryoku wa/ha
(his) force
10万人
juu/10 man nin
(a) hundred thousand [people]
なりました。
narimashita.
swelling
その中に、
Sono naka ni,
among them
豊臣家
Toyotomi’ke
(the) Toyotomi clan
並はずれて
namihazurete
fiercely
忠義な
chuugina
(who) was loyal
武将、
bushou,
(a) military commander
真田幸村が
SANADA Yukimura ga
Sanada Yukimura
幸村は、
Yukimura wa/ha,
Yukimura
徳川勢を
Tokugawa’zei o/wo
(the) Tokugawa forces
苦しめた
kurushimeta
(who) had caused to suffer much
有能な
yuunouna
exceptional
戦略家
senryakuka
a(n) strategist
20万の
Nijuu/20 man no
two hundred thousand
強力な
kyouryokuna
strong
徳川軍は
Tokugawa’gun wa/ha
(the) Tokugawa force
大阪城を
Oosakajou o/wo
Osaka castle
幸村の
Yukimura no
Yukimura’s
戦略
senryaku
strategizing
犠牲者が
giseisha ga
casualties
家康は
Ieyasu wa/ha
Ieyasu
幸村に、
Yukimura ni,
Yukimura
徳川側に
Tokugawa’gawa ni
(the) Tokugawa side
つけば
tsukeba
if (he) allied (himself) with
1国を
i/1 kkoku o/wo
(a) domain (of his own)
与える
ataeru
(he would) grant (him)
幸村は
Yukimura wa/ha
Yukimura
応じません。
oujimasen.
turned (him) down
結局、
Kekkyoku,
eventually
家康は
Ieyasu wa/ha
Ieyasu
豊臣側
Toyotomi’gawa
Toyotomi
和議を
wagi o/wo
(a) peace treaty
申し出ます。
moushidemasu.
proposed
その条件は、
Sono jouken wa/ha,
his <its> terms
徳川側
Tokugawa’gawa
(both the) Tokugawa [side]
豊臣側で
Toyotomi’gawa de
Toyotomi sides
外掘を
sotobori o/wo
(their) outer moats
ものでした。
mono deshita.
stipulated
外堀
Sotobori
outer [moats]
内堀
uchibori
inner moats
守られている
mamorarete iru
protected
大阪城は、
Oosakajou wa/ha,
Osaka castle
最も強固な
mottomo kyoukona
sturdiest
豊臣側
Toyotomi’gawa
(the) Tokugawa clan
少なからず
sukunakarazu
considerable
出ていたため、
dete ita tame,
(who) had suffered
和議を
wagi o/wo
(the) peace treaty
受け入れました。
ukeiremashita.
accepted
徳川勢は
Tokugawa’zei wa/ha
(the) Tokugawa military
撤退します
tettai shimasu
retreated
1ヵ月たらずで
i/1 kkagetsu tarazu de
within a month
外堀
sotobori
(the) outer moat
だけでなく
dake de naku
not only but
内堀
uchibori
the inner moat
埋めてしまいます。
umete shimaimasu.
filled in
翌年、
Yokutoshi,
(the) following year
徳川勢は
Tokugawa’zei wa/ha
(the) Tokugawa clan
態勢を整え、
taisei o/wo totonoe,
regrouped its troops and
和議を
wagi o/wo
(the) treaty
丸裸となった
maruhadaka to natta
vulnerable <bared>
大阪城を
Oosakajou o/wo
(the) Osaka castle
攻めました。
sememashita.
attacked
「大坂夏の陣」と
“Oosaka Natsu no Jin” to
(the) summer siege of Osaka
徳川勢は
Tokugawa’zei wa/ha
(the) Tokugawa clan
豊臣家を
Toyotomi’ke o/wo
(the) Toyotomi clan
完全に
kanzennni
completely
滅ぼしてしまいました。
horoboshite shimaimashita.
vanquished
軍事大国が
Gunji’taikoku ga
powerful nations
領土を奪う
ryoudo o/wo ubau
rob them of territory
弱小国
jakushoukoku
vulnerable nations
言いがかりをつけることは、
iigakari o/wo tsukeru koto wa/ha,
with using flimsy pretexts to make accusations
驚くことに、
odorokukotoni,
it’s surprising that
400年後の
yonhyaku/400 nengo no
four hundred years later
世界各地で
sekai’kakuchi de
all over the world
続いています。
tsuzu/duite imasu.
continues