Why (aside from the Oda clan) are late Samurai commanders rated as instinctive not professional?
Oda are and whilst I would agree Oda Nobunga was a better general than most (but this would rate hime Legendary rather than making him Professional) - all clans used highly organised battlefield communications, logistics and battlefield maneuverability and formations. All had professional Ashigaru foot soldiers. All had spent their lives training for war.
By comparison the Ming Chinese and Korean Josen are Professional.
The use of a floating professional general by the Samurai would accurately represent their command structure with the commander often remaining behind the lines to command the disposition and tactics of his subcommanders.
In my opinion the Samuarai are incorrectly rated - both in reflection of historical capabilities and in comparison to near neighbours.
What do you think?
I know little about Samurai armies, I would welcome the opinion of others who do.
Happy to consider it as a 2022 list change.
Richard
Thanks Richard
Hy I had a look at Thurnbull's books on samurai generals ( osprey ) and other books. What comes out of it is that "samuraï" armies evolved mid 16th century to a more "professionnal" organisation with more permanent units, supply, logistics and so on.
So my guess is that for those later armies forged out of years of warfare and still going to war for many years , there should be a distinct possibility for professionnal generals .
However they still remained feudal overlords, lords ..hence a possibility, not mandatory as to reflect that uncertainty , professionnal or instinctive
Also samuraï generals had a tendancy to command from the front !
So highly trained, competent, exoerienced but some still very independant but not all of them
The issue with Samurai generals is a complex one clouded Japanese etiquette, and legend worship via Noh and Kabuki productions.
in the early years up to the say the the Gen-Pi War, Chinese/Korean Generals where hired as advisors, did these generals go on to command troops is another question. One way for these "adivisors" could have commanded troops would be to command from behind the curtain, a very Japanese system where orders where relayed via a figure head. Japanese did studied Chinese writing and culture, so much so that Poetry written in Chinese was coincided to be the highest form and even speaking Chinese was seen as cultured (Source: the Tale of Genji). Sun-Tzu art of war a a well copied book in these period, but also kept hidden from other people (Source: the Tales of Heike).
Japanese "Samurai" Generals where raised in a form of feudal slavery, and personnel success or friendship within the Court of Emperor/Shogun would lead to promotion, this could lead to less than professional standards. The view of the Samurai lord still in the camp ordering people is a later period, almost Commanding from behind the curtain could be a throw back to the Hire Chinese Advisors, showing they did command.
I would say that a Japanese Generals could be classed as professional but not all.
my 5 cents