Why the Mongols Never Conquered Japan

In 1274 and 1281, Kublai Khan sent two of the largest sea invasions in history against Japan. Both failed. Everyone remembers the "kamikaze," the divine wind. But the storm is only part of the story. In this animated explainer: Kublai's letter that Japan refused to answer, the first landing at Hakata Bay, the stone wall the samurai built, the night raids of 1281, the typhoon at Takashima, and why the Mongols' third invasion was cancelled because of a war in Dai Viet (Vietnam). Chapters 0:00 The divine wind 0:53 A letter from Kublai Khan 2:07 The first invasion (1274) 4:19 The wall at Hakata Bay 5:36 The second invasion (1281) 8:13 Why the Mongols really failed 10:14 A strange victory Sources: Thomas D. Conlan, "In Little Need of Divine Intervention: Takezaki Suenaga's Scrolls of the Mongol Invasions of Japan" (Cornell East Asia Series, 2001) Bowdoin College, Mongol Invasions of Japan project Randall J. Sasaki, "The Origin of the Lost Fleet of the Mongol Empire" (MA thesis, Texas A&M University) James P. Delgado, "Relics of the Kamikaze," Archaeology 56:1 (2003) Nippon.com, "Saved by the Wind? The Mongol Invasions of Japan" Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan - Genko Borui (defensive wall) Wikipedia, "Mongol invasions of Japan" and "Mongol invasions of Vietnam" (overview and dates) Troop numbers for both invasions are disputed; the video gives the range historians argue over. Dates follow the calendar used at the time. Illustrations and narration are AI-generated. Maps drawn from Natural Earth data (public domain). #history #mongols #japanesemusic