Background and Causes of the Invasions
- Expansion of the Mongol Empire
- Under Kublai Khan, the Yuan Dynasty sought to expand into Japan to complete Mongol control of East Asia.
- Diplomatic Demands
- In the early 1270s, Kublai Khan sent envoys to Japan demanding tribute and recognition of Mongol authority.
- Refusal by Japan
- The Kamakura Shogunate, led by the HΕjΕ regents, rejected these demands, angering the Mongols.
- Strategic Motivation
- Japanβs position near Korea and China made it a potential naval and trading base for Mongol expansion.
- Cultural Divide
- The Mongols viewed Japanβs refusal as defiance, while Japan saw resistance as a defense of honor and sovereignty.
Definition
Kublai Khan
- Mongol emperor of the Yuan Dynasty who attempted to invade Japan.
Definition
Tribute
- Payment or acknowledgment of submission demanded by a stronger power.
The Two Mongol Invasions
- First Invasion (1274)
- Around 25,000 Mongol, Chinese, and Korean soldiers landed on Kyushu, using advanced weapons and coordinated tactics.
- Samurai Resistance
- Japanese samurai, used to one-on-one combat, struggled at first against Mongol mass formations and explosives (gunpowder bombs).
- Retreat and Storm
- After two days of fighting near Hakata Bay, a sudden typhoon destroyed much of the Mongol fleet.
- Second Invasion (1281)
- Kublai Khan returned with a larger force of about 140,000 troops in two fleets, attacking from Korea and southern China.
