Rating: 5 out of 5
Mr Shiba’s final instalment in the Clouds Above the Hill series is one that can bring about many memories for anyone who has been on the sea. The pages of descriptions in which the fleets sail through half the world, only to end up in such a small strait between Korea and mainland Japan… I would think that perhaps as descriptions go, this book provides one of the most colourful ones on the battle of Tsushima, while managing to capture the reality of life (and death) at sea.
This might make it a book for a military person, but I don’t think such a background is needed to get a sense of the effort that went into the planning and operation of the Battle of Tsushima. The scale of the battle is something that I only began to consider in more depth when reading the book this time round. To imagine that number of ships—of people!—being coordinated to act as one, in a time before easy communications: though Mr Shiba also describes the wireless sets from both sides and their use. It’s clear that better technology provided an important edge, though the wireless was not the only advantage the Japanese had.
The title draws to a close very quickly after the Japanese win at sea, and it’s clear that the political machinations that were the real end to the war are not as important to the author. The fate of the two brothers is, however, and these left me with a poignant feeling. Saneyuki’s desire to become a monk and not be able to do so seemed to have affected the author to a considerable degree as well. This is but one example of the author’s innate empathy towards the people who he wrote about, including the Russians, for example, Rear Admiral Volkersahm (Фёлькерзам) amongst many others. The names of the captains and officers included many other Baltic-Germans, and I wondered what Volkersahm would have made of his great-ancestor who died in 1560, fighting against the Russians. This is one digression that the author does not go into, amongst many others that provide important background to ongoing activities.
This book remains a strong favourite, though my reasons for liking it have changed over the years. Not only is it a look into Japanese history, but it’s also a deeply evocative story of the people of that time. Some moments of the four-book series have stayed with me, for example the characterisation of Masaoka’s dreams of leading the Parliament as “childish”. And, of course, many other facts and tidbits that Mr Shiba brought to life on these many pages.
