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==Franco-Chinese war (1884-1885)==
Back in the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]], Tōgō received several commands, first as captain of ''[[Japanese warship Teibo|Daini Teibo]]'', and then ''Amagi''. During the [[Franco-Chinese War]] (1884–1885), Tōgō, onboard ''Amagi'', closely followed the actions of the [[French Navy|French fleet]] under [[Admiral Courbet]].
Tōgō also observed the ground combat of the [[French Army|French forces]] against the Chinese in Formosa ([[Taiwan]]), under the guidance of [[Joseph Joffre]], future Commander-in-Chief of French forces during [[World War I]].
==Sino-Japanese war (1894-1895)==
In 1894, at the beginning of the [[First Sino-Japanese War]], Tōgō, as a captain of the [[cruiser]] ''[[Japanese cruiser Naniwa|Naniwa]]'', sank the [[United Kingdom|British]] transport ship, ''Kowshing'', which was chartered by the Chinese [[Beiyang Fleet]] to convey troops. A report of the incident was sent by [[Suematsu Kencho]] to [[Mutsu Munemitsu]].
The sinking almost caused a diplomatic conflict between Japan and Great Britain, but it was finally recognized by British jurists as in total conformity with International Law, making Tōgō famous overnight for his mastery of contentious issues involving foreign countries and regulations. The British ship had been ferrying hundreds of Chinese soldiers towards [[Korea]], and these soldiers had mutinied and taken over the ship upon the appearance and threats from the Japanese ships.
He later took part in the [[Battle of the Yalu]], with the ''Naniwa'' as the last ship in the [[line of battle]] under the overall command of Admiral [[Tsuboi Kōzō]]. Togo was promoted to [[rear admiral]] at the end of the war, in 1895.
After the end of the Sino-Japanese War, Tōgō was successively commandant of the [[Naval War College (Japan)]], commander of the [[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo]] Naval College, and Commander of the Standing Fleet.
==Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)==
[[File:MIKASAPAINTING.jpg|thumb|250px|Admiral Tōgō on the bridge of the battleship [[Japanese battleship Mikasa|''Mikasa'']], at the beginning of the [[Battle of Tsushima]], in 1905]]
In 1903, the [[Ministry of the Navy of Japan|Navy Minister]] [[Yamamoto Gonnohyōe]] appointed Tōgō [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[Combined Fleet]] of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]. This astonished many people, including [[Emperor Meiji]], who asked Yamamoto why Tōgō was appointed. Yamamoto replied to the emperor, "Because Tōgō is a man of good fortune".
During the [[Russo-Japanese War]], Tōgō had engaged the [[Russia]]n navy at [[Lüshunkou|Port Arthur]] and the [[Yellow Sea]] in 1904, and destroyed the [[Russian Baltic Fleet]] at the [[Battle of Tsushima]] in 1905, a battle which shocked the world with not little strategic upset. ''Tsushima'' had broken the Russian strength in [[East Asia]], and is said to have triggered various uprisings in the Russian Navy (1905 uprisings in [[Vladivostok]] and the [[Battleship Potemkin uprising]]), contributing to the [[Russian Revolution of 1905]].
Post war investigations were held for the Russian naval leadership during those battles, in which Tōgō had either destroyed or captured, into the reasons behind their utter defeat. The Russian commander of the destroyed Baltic fleet, [[Admiral]] [[Zinovi Rozhdestvenski]] (who was badly wounded in the battle) attempted to take full responsibilities for the disaster, and the grateful authorities (and rulers of Russia) acquitted him at his trial. However, they made [[Admiral]] [[Nikolai Nebogatov]], who had tried to affix blame to the Russian Government, a scapegoat. Nebogatov was found guilty, sentenced to ten years imprisonment in a fortress, but was released by the Tsar after only serving 2 years.
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==Later life==
[[File:Togo&Tetsu.jpg|thumb|200px|Admiral Tōgō with his wife Tetsu, in 1913]]
In 1906, Tōgō was made a Member of the British [[Order of Merit (Commonwealth)|Order of Merit]] by [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]].
Later, Tōgō was [[Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff|Chief of the Naval General Staff]] and was given the title of ''hakushaku'' ([[Count]]) under the ''[[kazoku]]'' peerage system. He also served as a member of the [[Supreme War Council (Japan)|Supreme War Council]].
In 1913, Tōgō received the honorific title of [[Admiral of the Fleet (Japan)|Fleet Admiral]].
From 1914 to 1924, Tōgō was put in charge of the education of Crown Prince [[Hirohito]], the future [[Shōwa period|Shōwa Emperor]].
Tōgō publicly expressed a dislike and disinterest for involvement in politics; however, he did make strong statements against the [[London Naval Treaty]].
[[File:SempillMission.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Sempill Mission|Captain Sempill]] showing a Sparrowhawk to Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō, 1921.]]
Tōgō was awarded the Collar of the Supreme [[Order of the Chrysanthemum]] in 1926, an honor that was held only by Emperor Hirohito and [[Prince Kan'in Kotohito]] at the time. He added the award to his existing [[Order of the Golden Kite]] (1st class) and already existing Order of the Chrysanthemum. His title was raised to that of ''koshaku'' [[marquis]] in 1934 a day before his death.
On his death in 1934 at the age of 86, he was accorded a [[state funeral]]. The navies of Great Britain, [[United States Navy|United States]], [[Netherlands Navy|Netherlands]], France, [[Regia Marina|Italy]] and [[Chinese Navy|China]] all sent ships to a naval parade in his honor in [[Tokyo Bay]].
[[File:TogoShrine.JPG|thumb|300px|The [[Tōgō Shrine]], in [[Harajuku]], [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]].]]
[[File:Togo gensui kinen koen.jpg|thumb|rigtht|250px|''Tōgō Gensui kinen kōen''<br/>[[Chiyoda, Tokyo]]]]
In 1940, [[Togo Shrine|Tōgō Jinja]] was built in [[Harajuku]], [[Tokyo]], as the naval rival to the [[Nogi Shrine]] erected in the honor of [[Imperial Japanese Army]] General [[Nogi Maresuke]]. The idea of elevating him to a [[Shinto]] ''[[kami]]'' had been discussed before his death, and he had been vehemently opposed to the idea. There is another Tōgō shrine at [[Tsuyazaki, Fukuoka]]. The statues to him in Japan include one at Ontaku Shrine, in [[Agano]], [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]] and one in front of the [[Japanese battleship Mikasa|memorial battleship Mikasa]] in [[Yokosuka]].
Tōgō's son and grandson also served in the Imperial Japanese Navy. His grandson died in combat during the [[Pacific War]] on the [[heavy cruiser]] ''[[Japanese cruiser Maya|Maya]]'' at the [[Battle of Leyte]].
In 1958, Admiral [[Chester Nimitz]], an admirer of Admiral Tōgō, helped to finance the restoration of the ''Mikasa'', Admiral Tōgō's flagship during the Russo-Japanese war. In exchange, Japanese craftsmen assembled a Japanese "Garden of Peace," a replica of Admiral Tōgō's garden, at the National Museum of the Pacific War (formerly known as The Nimitz Museum) in [[Fredericksburg, Texas]].<ref>[http://www.nimitz-museum.org/JapaneseGardens.asp Japanese Garden of Peace]</ref>
{{Commonscat|Togo Heihachiro}}
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