Saneyuki Akiyama 532696 222842296 2008-07-01T11:22:20Z Cydebot 1215485 Robot - Moving category Deaths of peritonitis to Deaths from peritonitis per [[WP:CFD|CFD]] at [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2008 June 21]]. {{Infobox Military Person |name= Saneyuki Akiyama |lived=[[12 April]] [[1868]]–[[4 February]] [[1918]]<ref>Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy</ref> |placeofbirth=[[Matsuyama, Ehime|Matsuyama]], [[Tosa han|Tosa]] domain [[Japan]] |placeofdeath=[[Odawara, Kanagawa]], [[Japan]] |image=[[Image:Akiyama Saneyuki.jpg|center|200px]] |caption= Japanese Admiral Akiyama Saneyuki |nickname= |allegiance=[[Empire of Japan]] |branch={{navy|Empire of Japan}} |serviceyears=1886-1917 |rank=[[Vice Admiral]] |commands= [[Japanese cruiser Akitsushima|''Akitsushima'']], [[Japanese cruiser Otowa|''Otowa'']], [[Japanese cruiser Hashidate|''Hashidate'']], [[Japanese cruiser Izumo|''Izumo'']], [[Japanese cruiser Ibuki|''Ibuki'']]. |unit= |battles=[[Russo-Japanese War]] |awards= |family= |laterwork=IJN 2nd Fleet }} {{Japanese name|Akiyama}} {{nihongo|'''Saneyuki Akiyama '''|秋山 真之| Akiyama Saneyuki|extra=[[12 April]] [[1868]]–[[4 February]] [[1918]]}} was a [[Meiji period|Meiji-period]] career officer in the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]. He was famous as a planner of [[Battle of Tsushima]] in the [[Russo-Japanese War]]. The [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese general]] [[Akiyama Yoshifuru]] was his elder brother.<ref>Dupuy, Encyclopedia of Military Biography</ref> ==Biography== ===Early life and career=== Akiyama was born in [[Iyo-Matsuyama Domain|Matsuyama Domain]], [[Iyo Province]], as a son of a poor ''[[samurai]]''. As a youth, he studied literature, especially [[waka (poetry)|traditional waka poetry]]. The famous poet [[Masaoka Shiki]] was his friend from childhood. Later two young men went to [[Tokyo]] to study literature and Akiyama began to prepare for entry into the Literature Department of [[Tokyo Imperial University]]. However, Akiyama was forced to abandon his study of letters as his elder brother Yoshifuru ordered him to go to Naval School in Tsukiji, Tokyo instead, largely due to the economically severe condition of the Akiyama family. While Akiyama was a student, the Tsukiji Naval School moved to [[Etajima, Hiroshima|Etajima]], in [[Hiroshima prefecture]], and was renamed the [[Imperial Japanese Naval Academy]]. Akiyama was an outstanding student, graduating at in 1890 at the top of the 17th class, out of 88 cadets. He graduated just weeks after the publication of the first and last chapters of [[Alfred Thayer Mahan]]'s classic study, ''[[The Influence of Sea Power Upon History]], 1660-1783'' in its [[Japanese language|Japanese]] translation in July 1890. Akiyama served his [[midshipman]] tour on the [[Japanese corvette Hiei (1877)|''Hiei'']] and cruiser [[Japanese cruiser Takachiho|''Takachiho'']]. On commissioning as an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] in 1892, he rose through the ranks in a variety of routine shipboard assignments and duties that included deployments throughout the [[Pacific Ocean]], [[Mediterranean Sea]], and European waters. He was assigned to the [[Japanese battleship Ryūjō (1864)|''Ryūjō'']]. He subsequently served on the [[Japanese cruiser Matsushima|''Matsushima'']], [[Japanese cruiser Yoshino|''Yoshino'']], [[Japanese corvette Tsukushi|''Tsukushi'']] (during the [[Battle of Weihaiwei]] in the [[First Sino-Japanese War]]), [[Japanese cruiser Izumi|''Izumi'']] and [[Japanese cruiser Yaeyama|''Yaeyama'']]. Following the hostilities he served a tour at the Imperial Navy's [[Torpedo]] school and then was assigned to [[naval intelligence]], where he spent several months posing as a laborer and conducting missions in [[Manchuria]] and [[Korea]]. ===Studies in the United States=== After his promotion to [[lieutenant]] in 1896, Akiyama was sent to the [[United States]] as a [[naval attaché]] from [[26 June]] [[1897]] to [[27 December]] [[1899]]. It was a time of heightened tension between Japan and the United States, due to the overthrow of the [[Kingdom of Hawaii]] by [[USMC|American marines]] and settlers, which nearly led to a rupture of diplomatic relations. On Akiyama's arrival in [[New York]], he attempted to contact Alfred Thayer Mahan for advice and recommendations on how to study at either the [[US Naval Academy]] or [[Naval War College]]. Mahan was unwilling to help, aside from giving Akiyama a list of books to read. Akiyama then contacted the Assistant [[Secretary of the Navy]], [[Theodore Roosevelt]], but his pleas to be allowed to attend the Naval War College were refused. Akiyama’s tour of duty coincided with the start of the [[Spanish-American War]], and he joined the American fleet as a foreign military observer. He was able to watch American forces capture [[Santiago de Cuba]] in June 1898, and the blockade of [[Havana]] harbor in July. Akiyama submitted a lengthy report back to Japan on his observations, and noting problems in the blockade and landing operations. On conclusion of his tour, he served a short tour as the Naval Attache with the Japanese Embassy in Washington DC. In February 1899, due to the efforts of the Japanese ambassador, Akiyama received permission to serve a six-month tour on board a [[US Navy]] warship, the U.S.S. New York, where he was able to observe American tactics and fleet operations in the [[North Atlantic]] and [[Caribbean]] firsthand. As a result of his service onboard, Akiyama participated in several lectures at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. On completion of his studies in the United States, Akiyama traveled to [[England]] from [[27 December]] [[1899]] to [[20 May]] [[1900]]. ===Instructor at the Navy War College=== On his return to Japan, Akiyama was promoted to [[lieutenant commander]] and assigned to various staff posts, and was the senior strategy instructor at the [[Naval War College (Japan)]] from July 1902-November 1903. Akiyama initiated a curriculum reform using hypothetical situations to simulate the formulation of orders and development of realistic contingency plans. He also introduced the concepts of [[war game|war gaming]] and tabletop map exercises, and developed theories for a new strategic and tactical doctrines for the Japanese Navy based upon his observations during the Spanish-American War. Akiyama focused on [[Russia]] as the primary threat to Japan in his lectures. Akiyama was 34 years old, and was lecturing to officers who were of the same age, or in some cases his senior. Nonetheless, he achieved the respect of his peers due to his professional knowledge, expertise and personality.<ref>Rivera, Smells Like Butter</ref> ===Russo-Japanese War=== With the outbreak of the [[Russo-Japanese War]], Akiyama was promoted to commander, but remained on the planning staff, and was a close and trusted confidant of Japanese [[Commander in Chief]] of the [[Combined Fleet]], [[Togo Heihachiro]]. Togo insisted that Akiyama accompany him into battle on his battleship [[Japanese battleship Mikasa|''Mikasa'']] as an advisor, and despite his junior rank Akiyama played a central role in planning for the [[Battle of Port Arthur]], [[Battle of the Yellow Sea]], and planning for arrival of the [[Russian Baltic Fleet]] and the subsequent [[Battle of Tsushima]]. During the preliminary negotiations for the [[Treaty of Portsmouth]], the Japanese government had designated Akiyama as the senior naval representative, but his mother's death led to his replacement. <ref>Warner, The Tide at Sunrise</ref> ===Postwar activities=== After the end of the war, in 1908, Akiyama received an assignment as [[executive officer]] on ''Mikasa'', and subsequently his first command, as captain of ''Akitsushima''. He was subsequently captain of the [[Japanese cruiser Otowa|''Otowa'']], [[Japanese cruiser Hashidate|''Hashidate'']], [[Japanese cruiser Izumo|''Izumo'']], and [[battlecruiser]] [[Japanese cruiser Ibuki|''Ibuki'']].<ref>Nishida, Imperial Japanese Navy </ref> Akiyama was promoted to [[rear admiral]] on [[1 December]] [[1913]]. Soon afterwards, the [[Siemens scandal|Siemens-Vickers Naval Armaments Scandal]] of 1914 shook up the government, forcing the resignations of [[Yamamoto Gonnohyoe]] and [[Okuma Shigenobu]]. Akiyama remained one of the few senior officers completely untouched by suspicion or corruption, and was nominated by [[Yashiro Rokuro]] as Director-General of the Navy in an effort to restore public confidence. Akiyama served on the [[Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff]] until his retirement on [[1 December]] [[1917]]. His major accomplishment during this period was to have the cruiser [[Japanese cruiser Otowa|''Otowa'']] stationed permanently at [[Shanghai]], from which it helped support a large network of intelligence agents posing as [[exchange student]]s in all corners of [[China]]. At the same time, Akiyama maintained a regular and secret correspondence with [[Sun Yat-sen]], assisting him also materially in his efforts to prevent [[Yuan Shikai]] from establishing a new empire.<ref>Rivera, Smells Like Butter</ref> With the outbreak of [[World War I]], Akiyama traveled to Europe via the [[Trans-Siberian Railroad]] to [[Finland]], and from there to England, where he met with his old acquaintance, former British naval observer Commander Pakenham. He returned to Japan via the United States to assume command of the [[IJN 2nd Fleet]] in October 1917, but by this time he was already very ill, and was forced to resign in late 1917. On retirement, Akiyama was promoted to [[vice admiral]]. In his final years, he became obsessed with religion, especially with the [[Oomoto]] movement and [[Nichiren sect]] [[Buddhism]] and the [[Heart Sutra]]. Akiyama died of [[peritonitis]] in 1918 at the young age of 49, His grave is at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.<ref>Dupuy, Encyclopedia of Military Biography</ref> ==References== ===Books=== *{{cite book | last = Dupuy | first = Trevor N. | year = 1992 | title = Encyclopedia of Military Biography | publisher = I B Tauris & Co Ltd | location = | id = ISBN 1-85043-569-3 }} *{{cite book | last = Rose | first = Lisle A. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2006 | title = Power at Sea: The Age of Navalism 1890-1918 | publisher = University of Missouri Press | location = | id = 082621701X }} *{{cite book | last = Schencking | first = J. Charles | year = 2005 | title = Making Waves: Politics, Propaganda, And The Emergence Of The Imperial Japanese Navy, 1868-1922 | publisher = Stanford University Press | location = | id = ISBN 0-8047-4977-9 }} *{{cite book | last = Warner | first = Denis | coauthors = Warner, Peggy | year = 1974 | title = The Tide at Sunrise: A History of the Russo-Japanese War', 1904-1905 | publisher = Charterhouse | location = AISN B000OLLNGA | id = }} *{{cite book | last = Peattie | first = Mark R. | coauthors = | year = 1977 | title = Akiyama Saneyuki and the Emergence of Modern Japanese Naval Doctrine | publisher = U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings 103 | location = | id = }} ===External links=== *{{cite web | last = Rivera | first = Carlos | url = http://www.russojapanesewar.com/butter.html | title = Smells Like Butter? The Kaigun's Akiyama Saneyuki | work = Russo-Japanese War | accessdate = 2007-08-03 }} *{{cite web | last = Nishida | first = Hiroshi | url = http://homepage2.nifty.com/nishidah/e/px17.htm#v001 | title = Materials of IJN: Akiyama, Saneyuki | work = Imperial Japanese Navy | accessdate = 2007-08-03 }} ==Notes== <div class="references-small"> <references/> </div> {{IJN}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Akiyama, Saneyuki}} [[Category:1868 births]] [[Category:1918 deaths]] [[Category:People from Ehime Prefecture]] [[Category:People in Meiji period Japan]] [[Category:Imperial Japanese Navy admirals]] [[Category:People of the Russo-Japanese War]] [[Category:Deaths from peritonitis]] [[ja:秋山真之]]