The Mongol Invasions of Japan 1274 and 1281

An illustrated account of one of the most important campaigns in the history of Japan and the origin of the kami kaze - a key part of Japanese national identity.

Tells the dramatic story of the two Mongol invasions of Japan that pitted the masters of the steppes against the noble Samurai. Using maps and illustrations, this title charts the history of these great campaigns, which included numerous bloody raids on the Japanese islands, and ended with the famous kami kaze that destroyed the Mongol fleet.From his seat in Xanadu, the great Mongol Emperor of China, Kubla Khan, had long plotted an invasion of Japan. However, it was only with the acquisition of Korea, that the Khan gained the maritime resources necessary for such a major amphibious operation. Written by eastern warfare expert Stephen Turnbull, this book tells the dramatic story of the two Mongol invasions of Japan that pitted the masters of the steppes against the noble Samurai. Using detailed maps, illustrations, and newly commissioned artwork, Turnbull charts the history of these great campaigns, which included numerous bloody raids on the Japanese islands, and ended with the famous kami kaze, the divine wind, that destroyed the Mongol fleet and would live in the Japanese consciousness and shape their military thinking for centuries to come.