During the February 26 Incident, army leaders hesitated to describe rebelling troops as insurrectionists. Yonai did so directly and declared that he would suppress them. Naval officers quickly withdrew any thought of support rather than cross his position. The firmness exposed him to repeated assassination attempts, which he survived. The episode presents Yonai as closer to the samurai ideal than many officers who merely invoked it.
Notable Point · 3:14:44-3:15:41
Yonai named the February 26 rebels and survived
When army leaders hesitated to call mutineers rebels, Yonai openly rejected the insurrection and used naval authority to deny it support.