The typhoons that repelled Mongol invasions of Japan were called kamikaze, meaning “divine wind.” The term referred to storms that struck Mongol-led invasion fleets in 1274 and 1281, during campaigns ordered by Kublai Khan.
The first invasion reached northern Kyushu in 1274 but withdrew after fierce Japanese resistance. During the retreat, a typhoon damaged or destroyed many ships. The second invasion, launched seven years later with a much larger fleet, stalled near Hakata Bay. A powerful storm struck on 15 August 1281, devastating the fleet and helping end the campaign.
Kamikaze was not originally a military term for suicide attacks. Its older meaning was a sacred or divinely sent wind, associated with Japan’s belief that the gods had protected the country. During World War II, Japan later applied the word to pilots who deliberately crashed into enemy targets, creating the meaning most familiar to modern English speakers.
The storms were crucial, but they were not the only reason for the Mongols’ failure. Japanese fortifications, samurai raids, logistical problems, and the difficulty of maintaining a large army at sea also weakened the invasions.