The failure of the Mongol expedition against Japan was, in essence, the inability of the land powers to meet the seas.
The Japanese archipelago, unlike those conquered by the Mongols, is located above the sea. Therefore, if the invincible Mongol army wanted to conquer Japan, it had to resort to shipping. In the world of the 13th century, it was not easy to conquer a fully prepared and determined country across the sea.
The title mentions that the second Mongol expedition to Japan took place in 1281, seven years after the failure of the first expedition. In order to ensure the victory of this attack, Kublai Khan gathered more than 100,000 troops (29,000 Northern Route Army, 17,000 Goryeo sailors, 900 warships, 100,000 Southern Route Army, and 3,500 warships) and launched an expedition in the spring of 1281.
In order to fight a protracted war, Kublai Khan specially ordered the Southern Route Army to carry seeds and produce rice grain to feed the army in the occupied areas.
First, logistics and replenishment depend on maritime transport
Attacking across the sea meant that shipping was the key to the Mongol army's offensive victory. On the vast seas, all the logistical supplies of the Mongol army depended on fleets of ships anchored at sea.
When attacking on land, the Mongol army could snatch supplies from the other side, but when it landed on the beachhead, it could only rely on its own supplies.
In addition, when the Mongol army attacked, it was the height of summer, fresh vegetables and drinking water supply were not easy, and the soldiers lived and fought at sea for a long time, not only tired, but also prone to various diseases.
This is also an important reason for the decline in the combat effectiveness of the Mongolian army.
Soon after, the Northern Route Army retreated, and the commanders of the Southern Route Army, such as Fan Wenhu, also chose to flee, and the Mongol army trapped on the island was forced to surrender (in fact, it could not be defeated).
Second, the Japanese side is fully prepared
The Mongols invaded Japan twice, during the Kamakura shogunate, and the real power was in the hands of the hojo clan.
After thwarting the first Mongol invasion in 1274, the Hojo clan built forts and other fortifications in all important areas along the Japanese coast, the so-called "Motoko Fortress", for the sake of the Mongols' re-invasion.
The fact of the subsequent battles amply illustrates the importance of the fortress: when the warships of the Yuan Army arrived off the coast of Japan, they could not find a suitable landing place and were forced to anchor in Hakata Bay for a month.
During this period, the Mongol army launched several landings, all of which ended in failure.
It was not until early July, after the confluence of the northern and southern armies, that they re-landed, but the Mongols encountered a Japanese army that relied on the fortress to resolutely resist. They spent a month on the offensive and still couldn't make progress.
At this time, the Mongol army, whether it was food or bows and arrows, was running out, and it was only a matter of time before it was a matter of time before the landing failed.
On August 1st, Hakata Bay blew a typhoon for four consecutive days, and everything was over.
Therefore, people will help themselves, and genius will help them.
If it were not for the resolute resistance of the Japanese, perhaps the Mongols would have landed successfully before the typhoon came.
In fact, from the failure of the Persian expedition to Greece, to Napoleon and Hitler facing the English Channel, the defeat of the Mongols was just one of the episodes.
After that, although Kublai Khan still insisted on attacking Japan to avenge his two defeats, he was ultimately unable to launch an attack due to various conditions.