They Conquered The World Then The Sea Swallowed Their Army

The Mongol Empire conquered China, Persia, and Russia. They reached the gates of Europe. Nothing on land could stop them. So why did they fail — twice — against one small island nation? In 1274 and again in 1281, Kublai Khan launched two massive seaborne invasions of Japan. The second was the largest naval invasion in human history up to that point: a reported 4,400 ships and over 140,000 men. And both times, a sudden, devastating storm tore the Mongol fleet apart. The Japanese called these storms the "kamikaze" — the divine wind. But was it really the gods? Or was it geography, timing, and Mongol overreach? This is the true story behind the legend — the same history that inspired the world of Ghost of Tsushima. This is the third video in our series on the underdog nations that stopped the unstoppable Mongol Empire. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 They conquered the world 0:36 Kublai Khan looks east 1:40 The letter Japan ignored 2:11 The first invasion (1274) 3:00 The battle for Hakata Bay 3:41 The first divine wind 4:51 Seven years of preparation 5:25 The largest invasion in history 6:57 The second storm 8:09 Was it really the gods? 9:02 The limit of an empire 📜 SOURCES & FURTHER READING The Mongol invasions of Japan (Bun'ei Campaign 1274, Kōan Campaign 1281) The History of Yuan (official Yuan dynasty record) — fleet & casualty figures The defensive stone wall at Hakata Bay (genkō bōrui) Origin of the term "kamikaze" (神風, "divine wind") Note: ancient fleet and troop numbers come from historical chronicles and may be exaggerated; figures are presented as reported by the sources. ▶️ WATCH THE SERIES Why The Mongols Could Never Conquer Vietnam → [dán link video 1] Why The Mongols Could Never Conquer India → [dán link video 2] 🔔 Subscribe for more underdog history — the small nations that defeated the world's greatest empires. #history #mongols #japan #kamikaze #samurai