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Memorable Turns of Fate in Ancient Japan History

Jiyuu

Tetute
17 Feb 2007
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I had once read a brief history of Japan. I spotted two memorable invasions the nation got through -one from Mongols and one from, I'm not sure but, Koreans I think.

Can anyone having deeper knowledge clarify on these turns of fate for the ancient Japanese history ? What happened, how the Japanese survived etc.
 
As I recall, the Mongols tried invading Japan twice after conquering China, but bad weather spelled their defeat both times. I don't recall any other invasions in Japanese history at all excluding WW2 of course.
 
I spotted two memorable invasions the nation got through -one from Mongols and one from, I'm not sure but, Koreans I think.

the Concrete plan and execution was chiefly by the Korean.
that is why there are many document called ツ坂?壺?氾ュ窶藩?襲ツ(korean invasion ) at that time.

There is another.
chosun dynasty attacked 窶佚寂?拵(tsushima) in 1419 because of WOKOU

Wokou - Wikipedia
 
As I recall, the Mongols tried invading Japan twice after conquering China, but bad weather spelled their defeat both times. I don't recall any other invasions in Japanese history at all excluding WW2 of course.

This is also where the word Kamikaze is from, right?
 
Actually it is. It was believed that the taiphoons that trashed the mongol-korean fleet was send by the kami (Susano-o may be?) to protect, thus kamikaze, Wind of the Gods.
 
Um so it is..

Interesting to learn that one of the most known Japanese words, Kamikaze had such a relation to the topic I was interested in. Thanks

So how many invasions did actually take place on Japanese lands ?
 
Um so it is..

Interesting to learn that one of the most known Japanese words, Kamikaze had such a relation to the topic I was interested in. Thanks

So how many invasions did actually take place on Japanese lands ?

That where only the ones in the Second World war, right?
 
Nah, I mean throughout whole Japanese history including Mongol invasions.

But they did not manage to invade, so what Dutch Baka san posted is correct. Only once, only for a short period of time, Japan was occupied by the US (though I'm not sure if "invasion" is an appropriate term for this occupation.)
 
If you go into pre-recorded history of course the modern Japanese themselves are descended from invaders from somewhere on the continent.
 
If you go into pre-recorded history of course the modern Japanese themselves are descended from invaders from somewhere on the continent.

You know when I first read that I was like......if it's pre-recorded history then how in the heck do you know?:p

Could you explain how you know it was invaders per say and not just a migration?
 
You know when I first read that I was like......if it's pre-recorded history then how in the heck do you know?:p
Could you explain how you know it was invaders per say and not just a migration?

Yes, it certainly could have been a non-violent migration. Given that it was, as you point out, in pre-recorded history there isn't much knowledge of the details.

Though of course if you read the Nihongi it becomes apparent that at the time Japan's recorded history does begin the newcomers were fighting with the natives, and in fact would continue to fight with them until well into the Heian era. So at some point the migration turned into something we might more closely identify with an "invasion", assuming it wasn't that all along. Also we are talking about ancient history in what was, at the time, a very peripheral part of the world so "invasions" wouldn't look anything like what they do today (or in the time of the Mongols).
 
I couldn't find any Osprey Military History books on the Battle of Hakata Bay, which is where a Mongol expeditionary force made landfall in Japan and fought a small pitched battle before withdrawing back to the sea. Nevertheless, I'd look through some books on Japanese or East Asian military history for a description of the battle. It's interesting.

As for Korea invading Japan, I can't think of anything, really, but there were the two expeditions under Hideyoshi, like the Imjin War/Bunroku Campaign, that you might want to look up.
 
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