Do you know the origins of the word “kamikaze”? (1 Viewer)

[Ahsoka]

Many people probably associate kamikaze with Japanese suicide attacks in WW2. However, the use of the word kamikaze (which means divine winds) actually dates back to the late 1200’s. In 1274 and 1281, the Mongols sent very large fleets in an attempt to invade Japan. Both were ultimately defeated by the Japanese with the help of a big typhoons.

In the second attempt, the Mongols sent about 140,000 men and 4,400 ships, while the Japanese only had about 40,000 fighting men. However, a typhoon drowned/sunk at least half the Mongol soldiers and all but a few hundred ships. Most of the remaining Mongol soldiers were killed after the storm. The word kamikaze was given to the second typhoon, as they viewed the typhoon to be sent by the gods to protect them.

 

[Ahsoka]

History taglist:
@LexieBoo @Nyaz @Dreamer_of_Songs @Nina @velvet @A_Vow_of_Silence @ChuuAntics @alo @sick @Moguri

 

[dark_tranquility]

I am inclined to say the suicide plane attacks
but your words have weight
never knew that about the term and meaning

 

[Moguri]

Moguri had no idea... they got really lucky with those typhoons..

 

[RandAlThor]

Many people probably associate kamikaze with Japanese suicide attacks in WW2. However, the use of the word kamikaze (which means divine winds) actually dates back to the late 1200’s. In 1274 and 1281, the Mongols sent very large fleets in an attempt to invade Japan. Both were ultimately defeated by the Japanese with the help of a big typhoons.

In the second attempt, the Mongols sent about 140,000 men and 4,400 ships, while the Japanese only had about 40,000 fighting men. However, a typhoon drowned/sunk at least half the Mongol soldiers and all but a few hundred ships. Most of the remaining Mongol soldiers were killed after the storm. The word kamikaze was given to the second typhoon, as they viewed the typhoon to be sent by the gods to protect them.

i actually did know this :)

 

[RandAlThor]

i actually did know this :)

as i always say, projecting force across water is so much harder than people realize. Especially a calvary orientated military.

 

[Ahsoka]

as i always say, projecting force across water is so much harder than people realize. Especially a calvary orientated military.

For sure. And it definitely doesn’t help if you’re going against an island nation. There’s a reason you have so many prominent land armies that struggle to take over island nations (like how Napoleon and the Nazis couldn’t take over the UK).

 

[RandAlThor]

For sure. And it definitely doesn’t help if you’re going against an island nation. There’s a reason you have so many prominent land armies that struggle to take over island nations (like how Napoleon and the Nazis couldn’t take over the UK).

Yep to the point that the United states pretty much chose to specialize in lets call it Joint warfare. Since they are in effect just a huge island nation.

 

[Ahsoka]

Yep to the point that the United states pretty much chose to specialize in lets call it Joint warfare. Since they are in effect just a huge island nation.

I think it’s more so that the US just focuses a lot on the military now so they have money to spend on everything The US wasn’t that much of a naval power or land army power before the 1900s. If anything WW2 and the Cold War seems to be a big reason they wanted to focus on both land and sea in war

 

[RandAlThor]

I think it’s more so that the US just focuses a lot on the military now so they have money to spend on everything The US wasn’t that much of a naval power or land army power before the 1900s. If anything WW2 and the Cold War seems to be a big reason they wanted to focus on both land and sea in war

True i think WW2 taught them that unless they want someone else to handle problems. They were going to have to build on the crazy force projection lessons learned in that war.