Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga Synopsis

Oda Nobunaga was Japan's great military genius and the country's first unifier. Vilified by historians as a "cruel and callous brute", he is still a controversial figure in Japanese history, a man whose military skills remain his only undisputed qualities. Nobunaga applied new firearms technology with an enthusiasm that none of his contemporaries could match and achieved results with an utter ruthlessness that others only feared. Through a series of victories by a loyal and well-organised army, Oda Nobunaga began the process that was eventually to lead to the reunification of Japan, a goal that only his unexpected and violent death prevented him from achieving for himself. Nobunaga's campaigns (described in detail in this book) include the brilliant and far reaching victory at Okehazama in 1560, the bloody battle of Anegawa in 1570, the famous battle of Nagashino in 1575 and the naval battle of Kizugawaguchi in 1578. Nobunaga's other campaign against the Buddhist armies of the of the Ikko Ikki showed another side to his character through the application of civilian massacre. This unique and original book presents Nobunaga as strategist, tactician, battlefield leader and ruthless politician. The campaigns he delegated to his subordinates are discussed in detail for the first time, and the book ends with his unexpected death during a treacherous raid on him at the temple of Honnoji. The book is exceptionally well illustrated in colour and black and white, including pictures of every battlefield mentioned, highly detailed photographs of arms and armour, maps and specially commissioned artwork.