Mongolian invasions of Japan

The Mongolian invasions of Japan (元寇, Genkō ) of 1274 and 1281 were the major military operations undertaken by Kubilai Khan to conquer the Japanese archipelago after its conquest of the Korea. In spite of their final defeats, these attempts at invasions had a great macrohistoric importance: they put a terminal at the Mongolian expansion, and are events of national size in the Histoire of Japan. Many works of fiction refer there, and it is the first events during which the term of kamikaze (“divine wind”) is used. Moreover, put aside the American occupation of Japan at the end of the Second world war, these invasions fallen through represents what Japan knew nearest to an invasion in the 1500 last years.

First steps

In 1231, the Mongolian invade the Korea, and after thirty years of war, Korea signs a treaty in favor of the Dynastie Yuan. The Mongol Kubilai Khan becomes Empereur of China in 1260 and installs his capital with Beijing in 1264. Two years after, the Mongols send emissary to Japan, asking the Japanese to subject themselves to the Mongolian law or to face an invasion. Other emissary are sent in 1268, returning the empty handeds like their predecessors. All these emissary had met the Chinzei Bugyō , or Police chief with the defense of the West, which transmits the message to the Shogun with Kamakura, and with the emperor with Kyōto. Following that, a certain number of messages is sent, by Korean and Mongolian emissary.

It is the fact that the Samurai S of the Shogunat de Kamakura recently took the control of Japan and are not informed any in foreign politics which determines their reaction. Indeed, if the imperial Cour of Kyōto plans to yield to the threat, the young person regent Tokimune Hōjō refuses firmly, supported by buddhist monks having travelled to China, in particular Nichiren which taught that the invasion of China by the Mongols is a harmful sign.

The regent orders with all those which have strongholds with Kyūshū (the area nearest to the Korea and thus most likely to be attacked) to turn over in their grounds, and makes move the troops of Kyūshū towards the west, to make safe the most probable zones of unloading. Great services of prayers are also organized and the majority of the businesses of the government cease to make place with the management of the crisis.

Unfolding

Khan wants to leave in war as of 1268, but the Mongolian empire does not have the essential resources yet with the constitution of a fleet and an army of invasion. It sends in Korea in 1273 a force which must be used as avant-garde, but this army is unable to provide for its needs in the Korean countryside and must turn over to be supplied with China.

First invasion

Lastly, in 1274, the Mongolian fleet takes the sea, with approximately 15 000 Mongolian and Chinese soldiers and 8 000 warriors coréeens, in 300 large vessels and 4 to 500 smaller. The Japanese not having naval forces, the Mongols easily take the islands of Tsushima and Iki, and unload the November 19th in bay of Hakata, not far from Dazaifu, the old administrative capital of Kyūshū.

The following day takes place the Bataille of Bun' I.E.(internal excitation) (文永の役), so known under the name of “battle of bay of Hakata”. The Mongols, with their armament (including/understanding Chinese explosives which creates sensation near the Japanese) and their higher tactics and their troops largely more overflow the small garrison of Samurai S which must take refuge in the fortress of Dazaifu. However, of heavy losses, a lack of resources, a beginning of rebellion among the Korean auxiliaries and Chinese which constitute the majority of the army and a storm which damages seriously the fleet force the Mongols to give up the invasion. This fast retirement pushes certain historians, in particular Stephen Turnbull, to affirm that the attack was hardly more than one recognition of the enemy forces.

Respite

Starting from 1275, the Bakufu increases its efforts to prepare defense against the inevitable following invasion. In addition to improving the organization of the samurais de Kyūshū, it orders the construction of forts and other defensive structures at many potential points of unloading, Hakata included/understood. The construction of a defensive wall, the Genkōbori , along the coasts north of Kyūshū is undertaken, with the expenses of the samurais, who are not for the majority not Gokenin but of the warriors independent of the government, former members or vassal of the Taira.

During this time, the king of Korea tries with many recoveries to negotiate with the Mongols, hoping to discourage from them making other attempts to invade Japan.

In 1279, the Mongols take the south of China and seize the army and the fleet of the Dynastie Song. Kubilai can now try a new invasion of Japan, with its two fleets, that of the East (15 000 sailors and 25 000 soldiers on board 900 vessels) and that of the South, almost four times more.

Second invasion

It takes place in spring 1281, whereas the Chinese fleet (the army of the South) is delayed by difficulties of supplying its great number of ships.

The Korean fleet (the army of the East) takes the sea, unloads in Tsushima and Iki, then, without awaiting the arrival of the Chinese fleet, tries to unload on the island of Shikanoshima. It undergoes heavy losses vis-a-vis the Shugo Ōtomo No Yasuyori and Adachi Morimune and is folded up to await the reinforcements of the South, initially with broad of Hakata, then off the island of Takashima, because of the harassing of Japanese who approached and set fire to the ships using small boats.

The Chinese fleet arrives in summer. The two combined forces take the island of Iki, and go to Kyūshū, where they unload in several distinct places. In a series of separated skirmishes, collectively known under the name of Battle of Kōan (弘安の役), or of second battle of bay of Hakata, the Mongolian forces are pushed back to their ships.

The Japanese army is always largely exceeded of number, but it strengthened the line of coast and is easily able to push back the auxiliary forces launched against it, while Japanese boats badger the fleet, obliging the army to remain aboard ship. During two days as from the August 15th, typhoon Kamikaze celebrates it devastates the coasts of Kyūshū, and destroyed the major part of the Mongolian fleet, putting thus fine at the second attempt at invasion.

Many current historians consider that the destruction of the Mongolian fleet was largely facilitated by the flat-bottomed Chinese inland waterway vessels which constitute most of its units, and which if Kubilai had used of the ocean liners, equipped with a skittle to avoid the capsizing, its fleet would have mainly survived the storm.

Consequences

Kubilai Khan, after having considered a new attempt in 1284, must give up because of the disorders in Southeast Asia.

Japan thus escapes the Mongolian invasion, but the victory is expensive to him: Louis Frederic notes on this subject that in the absence of national feeling, the warriors fight only for the profit and that the bakufu , “exhausted by the effort of defense, appears unable to reward his vasseaux”, and that some of those are seen obliged to yield grounds to men not forming part of the class of the Bushi .

The bakufu trying to prevent this contrary phenomenon with the laws of the Jōei Shikimoku alienates even more the samurais, while a class of merchants and craftsmen nouveau riches thanks to the war emerge. The collapse of the economy to the profit of a class of pawnbrokers, the additional levies to improve the expenditure of the country cause disorders and involves the instability of the bakufu and make it possible the emperor Go-Daigo to make fall the Shogunat de Kamakura and to initiate the Restauration of Kemmu.

Popular culture

the Mongolian invasions of Japan are the subject of the extension Mongolian Invasion of the play Shogun: Total War . This uchronic countryside describes a situation in which the Mongolian invasion would not have been put in rout by the typhoons.

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