Mongol invasion of Japan. Mongol invasion of Japan

The Mongols did not have the slightest experience in shipbuilding, and without the presence of military ships it was pointless to go to Japan. The inhabitants of the defeated Koryo built ships for them. Part of the troops for the attack on the Japanese were also "legionnaires" from among the indigenous inhabitants of the country captured by the Mongols.

In 1274, a fleet of 300 large and 400 small ships, as well as 23 thousand soldiers (of which 15 thousand were Mongols, the rest were Koreans) advanced towards the lands of Japan. In preparation for the war, Koryo, devastated by the Mongols, could not provide the soldiers with provisions, and it had to be urgently requested from China.

On the Japanese islands of Tsushima and Iki, the Mongols slaughtered most of those who were not captured. As the British researcher of Japanese military history Stephen Turnbull wrote in his work, the Japanese were shocked by this fact: they never allowed themselves to kill civilians in military conflicts.

In the battle for Hakata Bay, all the advantages and disadvantages of the opposing sides were manifested. The Mongols threw metal bombs-balls with catapults, which exploded and ignited everything around. The invaders pressed on with brute and outnumbered force. Opponents' tactics also opposed each other: the Mongols marched in phalanx and took in numbers and pressure, and Japanese military tradition ordered to attack first, cut and collect the heads of enemies. The samurai had to fight a worthy opponent one on one. Immeasurable courage was the main advantage of the Japanese warriors.

In the decisive battle, the Japanese withdrew to fortified positions in anticipation of reinforcements that were to arrive from the islands of Shikoku and Honshu. The Mongols, surprised by such fierce resistance from the samurai, understood that this was not the final stage of the battle.

The redistribution of forces for the invaders that night became fatal - a terrible typhoon rose, sinking hundreds of Mongol ships and destroying thousands of foreign soldiers. The Japanese ships were more maneuverable, and they took advantage of this to finish off the Mongols. The few surviving ships returned to Koryo.

Attempts to invade Japan by the Mongols were made by the Mongol-Korean-Chinese empire of Genghis Khan's grandson Kublai Khan twice: in 1274 and 1281.

Both times, powerful invasion fleets were created in a short time, the second of which was the largest in the history of mankind before Operation Overlord of the Second World War. However, having no experience in seafaring, navigation and naval battles, as well as insufficiently knowing the technology of shipbuilding, the armadas of the continental empire were both times swept away both, to a small extent, by the more maneuverable Japanese fleet and defensive forces, and mainly by strong winds. The invasion failed.
According to legend, the strongest typhoons that arose during the landing of the invaders on the Japanese islands and destroyed most of the ships were called by Japanese historians "kamikaze", which means "divine wind", making it clear that this is divine help to the Japanese people.

During the first attack, which took place in 1274, the Mongol-Korean fleet operated with up to 23-37 thousand people. The Mongols easily defeated the Japanese troops on the islands of Tsushima and Iki and devastated them. Then they approached the island of Kyushu and launched an attack, which included shelling from flamethrowers. However, a typhoon began, in addition, the commander-in-chief Liu died, as a result of which the Mongols were forced to retreat. Khubilai began to prepare for a new attack. The Japanese also did not waste time - they built fortifications and prepared for defense. In 1281, two Mongol-Korean-Chinese fleets - from Korea and from South China - headed for the island of Kyushu. The number of the fleet reached 100,000 people. The small eastern fleet arrived first, which the Japanese managed to repel. Then the main fleet sailed from the south, but the repeated history of the typhoon destroyed most of the conquering fleet.

The Mongol invasions, the only significant external conflict in the centuries that affected the territory of Japan, played an important role in the formation of the national identity of the Japanese. These events include the creation of the flag of Japan, which, according to legend, was given to the shogunate by the Buddhist patriarch Nichiren.

In Japan, there is an opinion that two defeats without a fight stopped the Mongols. From a nationalistic point of view, in this way the gods of Japan protected it from the enemy. The term kamikaze, which arose in connection with this, was subsequently used in the Second World War.

According to Soviet historiography, it was not defeat that stopped the Mongols. Kublai planned a third attack, but he was thwarted by problems in Indochina and the resistance of the peoples of Korea, South China, and Vietnam.

First Mongol invasion of Japan

Let's go to Wikipedia:

First Mongol invasion of Japan
During the first attack, which occurred in 1274, the Mongol-Korean fleet operated with a strength of up to 23-37 thousand people. The Mongols easily defeated the Japanese troops on the islands of Tsushima and Iki and devastated them. Then they approached the island of Kyushu and launched an attack, which included shelling from flamethrowers. However, a typhoon began, in addition, the commander-in-chief Liu died, as a result of which the Mongols were forced to retreat.

The description does not say where Wikipedia got the figure of 23-37 thousand. Why not 13-18, why not 9-12? Elementary logic suggests that information about the number is taken from the ceiling, there is simply nowhere else to take it from.
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Have you ever seen in the pictures a ship that would sail under the Mongolian flag? Yes, surprisingly, there are. These are the ships of other countries that affix the Mongolian flag and have accompanying Mongolian documents in order to evade taxes in their home ports.
But where are these ships made? Probably where there are shipyards, technologies, skilled workers, and, oddly enough, where there is an opportunity to launch a ship.
These are such simple things that even a child should understand.
There is also the most important detail, without which it is impossible to build not only a fleet, but also a large sea ship. It's... money, loans and banks. On bare enthusiasm, you can’t build any fleet.
The fleet of England in the 17th century was a pitiful sight, they were beaten by the Dutch, and the Spaniards, and the French, and even pirates. Everything changed in 1694, a major event took place that changed the course of the history of the planet Earth. The Bank of England was founded. The royal family received an inexhaustible, unlimited source of funds, on which the fleet was built in the first place. The dream of alchemists was embodied, to get gold from nothing, from thin air. Already by 1720, England had won maritime dominance, thanks to money belonging to one private Jewish person.
Was there a free-fraudulent monetary system in Mongolia in the 13th century? No, of course it wasn't, and it couldn't be. Consequently, there was no way to lend to such a grandiose construction. No one will create masterpieces for free that can cross such a large sea as the Sea of ​​Japan.
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The first logical question arises as follows: Why exactly?
Why did they need such a huge number of ships and people to attack the islands? To "empty them"?
Elementary logic suggests that any aggressive war is needed in order to get an impressive gesheft from this, because the sacrifices made are unreasonably expensive. War is needed in order to subjugate the conquered territory, rob it, and receive income from it in the form of taxes. A possible other reason for the war is to destroy a competitor before he gains strength. Could Japan match anything? It was possible, at least, to beat off the costs of this military company? - the answer is no. Do not forget that in the 13th century, Japan did not have everything that is now, neither mechanical engineering nor electronics.
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Further idiocy intensifies,
it turns out the Mongols fired at the shore with flamethrowing guns. Fairy tale for children.
Has anyone seen the shore from the ship? I think yes, the coast is so huge, located far away, and on the coast there are stones that cannot burn in any way. Here the Japanese neighed when they saw how, from ships that were packed to capacity and that swayed, fires fly out (which are throwing) and fall a little further than 10 meters from the side. + we take into account that the open sea is a little stormy, so that the severity of the flamethrowing structure tends to turn the ship over.
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Although, perhaps, everything was simpler, because the Japanese are idiots, right (?) They saw how Mongolian ships with flamethrowers and tens of thousands of people swim up to their shores. Then, they arranged a flash mob, informing all the islands by phone that they urgently needed to gather in a bunch. A handful boarded a train and arrived ashore in sufficient numbers to repulse an attack by an army of 37,000 men. Having got off at the final station, they began to group in such a way that the shelling of the Mongolian flamethrowers was more effective. The game is similar to tennis, probably tennis was invented in Japan.
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Flamethrowers
Here it is necessary to note the high professionalism of the Mongolian designers, from the Mongolian design bureaus, who were able to design a marine flame-throwing structure in an amount "to hell and more."
Question: what do we know about the Mongolian design bureaus that made the most advanced weapons in the world at that time?
It's amazing how they managed without the experience of early wars, without high-quality steel carbon springs, without napalm, which can flare up right on the ship. "Napalm" is a huge danger to the ship itself, and is completely harmless on a rocky shore. Logic accessible to children, but ... not to "historians".
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Question: How did they even come up with the idea to make and use a tool that will be used only after 700 years and only in Hollywood films?
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Death of the Commander-in-Chief
Then, the Japanese saw how the paw of the flamethrower, while swinging, hit Commander Liu on the head and he died. I can't think of any other reason for his death...
I wonder how they knew that it was Liu and that now you can exhale? And this typhoon is just a fairy tale. So the Mongols traveled hundreds of kilometers, launched an attack with flamethrowers, but then breakups began. The typhoon, and even the commander was hit, in general, some troubles, right one after the other, which did not allow to overcome the remaining 30 meters.
It remains to ask a logical question: did these troubles grow among the Mongols, or among the "historians"?
Conclusion: The first Mongol invasion is a completely fictional fairy tale.

Second Mongol invasion of Japan

Second Mongol invasion of Japan
Khubilai began to prepare for a new attack. The Japanese also did not waste time - they built fortifications and prepared for defense. In 1281, two Mongol-Korean-Chinese fleets - from Korea and from South China - headed for the island of Kyushu. The number of the fleet reached 100,000 people. The small eastern fleet arrived first, which the Japanese managed to repel. Then the main fleet sailed from the south, but the repeated history of the typhoon destroyed most of the conquering fleet.

* The historian took his place for the sake of the place, the place that he either took away from an honest person, or the one that is needed to knock out budget money.
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* History is not a science, but a chronology of events. The interpretation of events, again, this is not History, this is Politics.
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* Official History, which is now, it is still serving the ruling elite *, fooling ordinary people on order.
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History is an occupation parallel to the gigantic fake art market.
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Ordinary people do not understand the importance of real history.

In 1259 Kublai Khan, the great Khan of the Mongols, the grandson of the famous Genghis Khan, became Emperor of China and in 1264

moved his capital to what is now known as Beijing. By the time of Khubilai's accession, Korea, neighboring China, also recognized the authority of the Mongols; thus, the border of the Mongol possessions was only fifty miles from Japan. In 1266 Kublai sent two envoys to Japan, but they were unable to land due to severe storms in the Korea Strait, much to the relief of the Koreans who were ordered to accompany them.

In this situation, the position of Korea was unenviable. Korea submitted to the Mongols only when their furious offensive brought the country to its knees. Throughout its history, this unfortunate country had been a buffer between the great powers, and by 1266 had fallen into complete decline. Korea wanted nothing but peace with Japan, but had Khubilai continued his policy of conquest, the Koreans would inevitably have been forced to take part in his wars. The fact is that the Mongols, unsurpassed riders, were not familiar with navigation and did not have a fleet. The Koreans were sailors and had a large fleet. At the same time, they turned out to be subjects of the Mongols. If the Mongols attempted to invade Japan, they could only reach its shores on Korean ships and possibly with a Korean contingent on board. The Japanese, for their part, also sought to maintain the most friendly relations with Korea. The degree of their benevolence is clearly evidenced by the cruelty with which they dealt with their own pirates who raided the Korean coast.

Golden Horde and the Yuan Empire.

In 1268, Khubilai's envoys finally crossed the strait and delivered a letter to the representative of the local bakufu in Kyushu. It turned out that the Japanese spies in Korea were giving the shogunate, or rather the Hojo regency, a fair picture of what they were to expect:

“We, by the grace and command of Heaven, the Emperor of Great Mongolia, are sending this message to the ruler of Japan.

We know that from ancient times the rulers of even small states sought to maintain friendly relations with the rulers of neighboring lands. To a much greater extent, our ancestors, who acquired the Middle Empire, became known in many distant countries, which all bowed before their power and greatness.

When we first ascended the throne, many innocent people in the country of Cork were suffering from long wars. Therefore, we put an end to the wars, restored their lands and freed the captives, old and young...

We ask that from now on you, O ruler, establish friendly relations with us, so that the sages can make the Four Seas their home. Is it reasonable to refuse to maintain relations with each other? This will lead to war, and who likes this state of affairs! Think about it, o ruler!"

The letter caused panic in the imperial court, although fear of the Mongols was partly offset by resentment that the Emperor of Japan, a descendant of the Sun Goddess, was being addressed as an ordinary ruler, while Kublai Khan emphatically referred to himself as emperor. The letter arrived in preparation for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the accession to the throne of the abdicated Emperor Go-Saga. All preparations were hurriedly put aside and they began to compose a response to the terrible message.

If the imperial court had continued to be the true government of Japan, the next few years could have been a disaster for the country. However, the center of power was now in Kamakura, and Kublai sent threats to the warriors, not to the courtiers. The Bakufu dismissed the court's diplomatic response with contempt. The Mongol ambassadors went back empty-handed, while the samurai prepared to defend their country.

Chinese ship of the 14th century.

On April 18, 1268, the regent Hōjō Masamura resigned his position and assumed the duties of chief of staff of the bakufu. He was succeeded as regent by Hojo Tokimune, an eighteen-year-old samurai, the perfect symbol of the nation's resolve. He appealed to the samurai with a call to leave all clan strife and unite to protect the home and hearth. The success of his conversion must be largely attributed to the foundations laid by Yoritomo. Had the Mongols decided to invade Japan a century earlier, the outcome might have been different.

As soon as his first embassy failed in 1268, Kublai Khan began to prepare for war. Several diplomatic missions were sent by him to Japan between 1268 and 1274, but the Japanese treated them all with disdain. Judging by his preparations, Khubilai grossly underestimated the fighting capacity of the Japanese, for his army consisted of only 25,000 Mongol warriors, not counting the several thousand Koreans who were forcibly turned into soldiers and sailors. As might be expected, much of the burden of raising an army fell on Korea: in 1268, Kublai demanded that the ruler of Korea prepare troops and ships for an invasion. Since Korea was in a very difficult situation, the Korean wang replied that he was unable to carry out these instructions and was also unable to provide oxen and plows to increase the supply of rice needed for the invading army. In 1273, the five thousandth Mongol vanguard arrived in Korea. The country was devastated to such an extent that provisions for the Mongols had to be brought in from China.

Flag of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty.

In November 1274, the Mongol fleet headed for the island of Tsushima. The defense of the island was led by Sho Sukekuni, the grandson of Taira Tomomori, the one who was the last to commit suicide at the Battle of Dan-no-ura. The Japanese did not try to attack the Mongol transports while they were crossing the strait - they simply did not have such an opportunity. Apart from pirates, the Japanese were so unfamiliar with navigation that in peacetime all regular shipping was carried out on Chinese ships. Despite the heroic efforts of Sukekuni, Tsushima Island fell under the onslaught of a numerically superior enemy. The same fate befell the island of Iki a few days later. The Mongols dealt with the population of both islands with such cruelty that it terrified Japanese samurai. In Japan, warriors fought warriors, war did not mean the destruction of the civilian population. The Japanese realized for the first time that Mongolian warfare traditions were fundamentally different from their own.

Mongolian Warlords of the Yuan Dynasty.

How unusual and terrible the Mongols were, it became clear on November 19, when the Mongol fleet entered Hakata Bay and the Mongols landed near Imazu. The next day, at dawn, the Mongol army, supported by ships lined up along the coast, launched an attack on Hakata, during which the samurai learned something else about their opponents.

The first lesson was about tactics. The courage of the samurai, in a sense, was his main strength, in this case turned into a weakness. The tradition that prescribed to be the first to fight, to collect severed heads and, most importantly, to challenge a worthy opponent to a duel, was completely inapplicable in relation to a foreign enemy. As we already know, during the Gempei War, formal duels really hardly had any noticeable effect on the outcome of battles, but they became an unshakable legend that every samurai believed in. If we remember that almost a century had passed since the end of the Gempei War and that during this time there had been only one war, rather insignificant (in 1221), it becomes clear that every samurai most of all wanted to fight one on one with some Mongol and cut off his head, imitating the deeds of their ancestors, whose exploits seemed more and more glorious every year.

Kublai Emperor of the Mongol Yuan (1215-1294).

The Mongols, who fought through China and Korea, were not only trained to fight, but fought most of their lives. They fought in close formation, like the Macedonian phalanx. And on this Mongolian phalanx the samurai riders rushed with unthinkable courage, for courage was their main advantage.

Mongolian weapons, with one exception, were inferior to the Japanese. The Mongols fought with straight spears and swords that could not be compared with the magnificent blades of the samurai. However, according to the Taiheiki, a 14th-century military history, they had one "secret weapon".

When the battle began, huge iron balls called teppo were [released?] They rolled down the slopes like cartwheels, thundered like thunder, and looked like lightning. Two or three thousand of them [threw?] at a time, and many warriors burned to death.

The Myoko Surai Ecotoba (Mongol Invasion Scroll), written shortly after the war, depicts one of these "iron balls" as it explodes in front of a Japanese warrior just above him. It is unlikely that these bombs were thrown using explosives. For this, most likely, something like a catapult was used, since the Mongols were then already familiar with powerful crossbows and siege weapons.

The explosion of the "iron ball" of the Mongols.

Finally, speaking of differences in weapons, it should be noted the sad fact that in Japan the art of archery was no longer what it used to be. It should be recognized that the defense of the country fell entirely on the shoulders of the Kyushu samurai, whose bows were lighter and weaker than those of the Kanto warriors, but there is evidence that in Kanto "in the glorious time of peace" military art was neglected.

Despite all their courage, the Japanese had to retreat under the protection of some old fortifications built six centuries earlier. The samurai took cover behind this line of ditches and ramparts. “All night long we mourned our fate,” wrote one of them, “thinking that we were doomed and would be destroyed before last man and that there will be no seed left to fill the nine provinces.” Their only hope was for reinforcements from Shikoku and Honshu, who were sent for as soon as the first news came from the island of Tsushima. The Bakufu acted as quickly as the vastly stretched lines of communication would allow, and orders to equip troops were sent to all areas, including Kyushu. However, before reinforcements or orders reached Kyushu, not a single Mongol was left on Japanese soil.

It seems that the resistance offered by the Japanese came as a big surprise to the Mongol leaders, who, moreover, knew that reinforcements could come to the Japanese at any moment. Their supply of arrows was coming to an end - they counted exclusively on a "blitzkrieg", they did not spare arrows and fired them in dense clouds. They also feared a possible night attack by the Japanese, during which, on terrain so familiar to them, their primitive tactics would give them an advantage. Therefore, the Mongols began a tactical evacuation, and to cover the boarding of troops on ships, the great shrine of Hakozaki and several coastal villages were set on fire. The Japanese, who sat in the trenches, saw the sky red from the flames, watched the "sanctuaries of their gods" burn.

The fire did not last long, for that night a strong wind arose and brought with it a downpour. The storm overtook the Mongol fleet at the moment when it was leaving the bay, and scattered the ships. The waves broke those that managed to go out to the open sea, and one was thrown into the Shiga shoal at the exit from Hakata Bay. The Korean chronicles report that the losses on this expedition amounted to 13,000 men and that many of them drowned. Thus ended the first invasion.

The death of the Mongolian fleet. Modern image.

Between 1274 and 1281 the Mongols were too busy conquering southern China to think about completing their plans to take over Japan. Since the Japanese were aware of developments on the continent and foresaw another attack, the shogunate used this time to organize defenses. A stone wall was erected along the shore of Hakata Bay. It was about twenty-five miles long and about five meters high. With inside it was sloping, so that it could be ridden on horseback, and the other side, facing the sea, was sheer. Of course, it would be better to use the funds and forces expended on the construction of the wall, directing them, for example, to the creation of a navy or the construction of transport ships that would allow hostilities to be transferred to enemy territory. There were similar proposals, one samurai from Kyushu even developed a plan to raid Mongolian territory, but they were abandoned under the pretext of excessive costs, and additional military preparations were reduced to the construction of small but easy-to-handle ships that could be effectively used in coastal waters.

"Iron balls" (Tetsuwau), with which the Mongols fired at the Japanese.

Plans were made for a rapid and large-scale mobilization as soon as the second invasion began. The four westernmost provinces of Kyushu were entrusted with the protection of the sea coast directly within their territories. Coast guard detachments were created in Kyushu, and in the event of a surprise attack on Kokurikudo, they also mobilized there. Measures were taken to ensure that everyone who received an order to mobilize, carried it out.

The remains of the Mongolian fleet, discovered by modern underwater archaeologists.

By 1279, the Mongol conquest of China was almost complete, and a significant maritime fleet of southern China came under Kublai's control. Korea was again required to prepare additional ships and troops, and indeed provided 900 ships, 10,000 Korean soldiers and 17,000 sailors. These forces were concentrated at Aiura in Korea and were joined by 15,000 Chinese and Mongols. This was the vanguard of the invading army, which was to be followed by a huge Chinese force of 100,000 men and 60,000 sailors in 3,500 ships. This second echelon, called the army "south of the Yangtze", was supposed to link up with the eastern army near the island of Iki by July 2 and concentrate for a joint attack on Kyushu.

The Eastern (Korean) army set sail on May 22, 1281 and on June 9 invaded Tsushima Island. Resistance was much more stubborn than during the first invasion, both on Tsushima and on Iki, where the Mongols landed on 14 June. The Chinese fleet had not yet weighed anchor - its commanders had problems with the formation and provision of such a huge army, so the eastern army tried to launch an offensive ahead of schedule, without waiting for reinforcements. On June 21, lookouts on the coast of Kyushu noticed the "round bows and folded sails" of the enemy fleet. However, this turned out to be only a part of the Mongol army heading for western Honshu for a diversionary maneuver to cover the landing of the main forces on Kyushu. While this detachment sailed past, the main forces headed for Hakata Bay. The Mongols tried to land on the Shiga Shoals, at the very end of the wall, from where it would be easiest for them to go into the flank of the Japanese. However, they met with such fierce resistance that after several days of continuous fighting, they managed to land only one detachment. Since the wall was held along its entire length, the Japanese managed to move from defense to attack. They left Hakat in small, fast and maneuverable boats, ten to fifteen men each, and made nightly attacks on the Mongol ships, inflicting sudden blows and retreating just as suddenly. Fanatical samurai approached the Mongol ship, brought down their own mast to use it as a boarding bridge, engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Mongols and returned back. In one case, thirty samurai swam to the ship, cut off the heads of the crew, and sailed back. Another famous episode is connected with a certain Kusano Jiro, who attacked a Mongol ship in the light of day. Despite the shower of arrows and what Kusano lost in battle left hand, he burned the ship and captured twenty-one heads.

Samurai repulse the Mongols attack (1863).

The most famous of these "small craft" raids was by Kono Michiari, who also went out in broad daylight in two seemingly unarmed boats. The Mongols thought they were going to surrender and did not open fire. Japanese boats came close, the samurai knocked down the masts and rushed to board. Kono Michiari killed the ship's captain, captured a high-ranking warlord, and escaped under cover of the burning ship.

In the end, on June 30, the Mongols withdrew troops to the island of Takashima and tried to land on another stretch of the coast. They were thrown back again. The Mongols had to stay on crowded ships, in terrible crowding. It was suffocating heat. An epidemic began, which claimed 3,000 people, and the ships began to rot. Since the Yangtze army was still on the way, the Mongols could only wait and fight off the Japanese attacks.

On June 16, the Yangtze's advance ships reached Itoka, and on August 12, the great armada united for the last decisive attack on the Japanese positions. When the two fleets met, drums and cheers were heard on the shore, but this only strengthened the resolve of the samurai even more. As the turning point of the campaign approached, it became increasingly clear to the Japanese that personal courage alone was not enough to defeat the enemy, and the entire nation knelt down, praying to the gods for the defeat of the Mongols. The former emperor Kameyama at the most decisive moment turned to the founder of his family and sent a messenger to Ise to ask for divine help from her imperial foremother, the Goddess of the Sun. The request was heard.

The Mongolian stirrups and helmet are Japanese trophies now in the museum.

On the evening of the very day that the prayer was offered, August 15, 1281, a small cloud appeared in the sky, about the size of a hand. The cloud grew, and soon, even before sunset, a dense haze descended on the Genkai Sea, where the Mongol armada was drifting. Then the wind picked up. Its wild howl became audible even before it stirred up the surface of the sea. The waves grew, the Mongol ships swayed wildly, and the wind turned into a typhoon that brought down masses of water on the ships, threw them onto the rocks, pushed them together or simply blew them off the surface. The force of the wind and waves blew the armada to pieces; it seemed "as if someone had scattered divine oracle stems" over the surface of the sea.

When the kami-kaze, or “divine wind,” as it was immediately called, subsided, the samurai happily rushed to finish off the surviving invaders. The losses of the Mongols were enormous, one Chinese fleet lost half of its hundred thousandth crew. Thus ended the last attempt to conquer Japan. Kublai Khan planned another invasion, but it never took place. After the victory over the Mongols, the national pride of the Japanese increased exorbitantly, the kami-kaze was literally considered a weapon sent from heaven, and since then the kami-kaze was perceived as a symbol of the divine protection of Japan, and the shrine in Ise began to enjoy much greater honor and respect than when - either before. The suicide pilots of World War II, the kamikaze, consciously identified themselves with divine retribution.

This whole heroic story had a very prosaic ending. The victory over the Mongol armada did not lead to the conquest of any new territories. Thus, when the samurai who distinguished themselves in the war began to demand rewards, there was no free land that could be given to them. In addition, since the shogunate believed in the divine origin of kami-kaze, religious institutions also demanded their share in the distribution of land, if any. The abbot of one of the temples in Kyushu stated, for example, the following: ... sincere prayers were offered. When the vile invaders came again in 1281, all the people who believed that the expulsion of the enemy could be carried out only by divine will, and not by human power ... respectfully turned their eyes to the sky. And a divine hurricane arose, and with its mighty power scattered the enemy ships, and all the enemies perished. It was a victory bestowed by the all-powerful and perfect Heavenly Deity.

Some temples have gone so far as to invent different stories hoping for a better reward. The high priest of a Shinto shrine in Kyushu complained in 1309 that he still had not received a reward, although in 1274 the deity was throwing arrows at the enemy from his shrine, and a moment before the kami-kaze was raised, three purple banners on the roof of the temple turned towards the enemy fleet!

In the face of such a rival, rewarding samurai had to exercise great perseverance. However, until 1286 nothing was given to them. We owe this circumstance to the creation of the Myoko Surai Ecotoba scroll. Takezaki Suenaga had this painting painted to illustrate his exploits and to back up his claims for reward. The Hojo Regency was burdened for the next thirty years by excessive spending on bounties, religious services, and the maintenance of coastal defense lines. This burden eventually led to the downfall of the Hojo's power, which will be discussed in the next chapter. Only temples benefited from this. Kami-kaze would be a very bad wind if he did not bring anything to anyone.

In the autumn of 1929, disturbing reports began to appear in US newspapers about

a sharp curtailment of production, extinguished blast furnaces and open-hearth furnaces, about

hundreds of thousands of people who lost their jobs. The economic crisis that began in

United States, soon spread to England, Germany, France, Japan

and other capitalist countries.

Under these conditions, the contradictions between

imperialist powers in the Far East and the Pacific

ocean. Here, the struggle for sales markets, sources of

raw materials and spheres of influence...

Even at the height of the civil war, V.I. Lenin predicted: "All powers

are in a state where they are preparing a new imperialist

war... Not today or tomorrow, America and Japan will rush at each other; England

captured so many colonies after the victory over Germany that no other

the imperialist powers will not put up with this.

* V.I. Lenin. Full coll. cit., vol. 40, p. 92.

Imperialist circles in Japan have long dreamed of territorial

conquest and economic expansion. There have been increasing calls throughout the country for

conquest of world domination. Here is what the chairman wrote in 1927

Cabinet of Ministers in Japan, General Tanaka, in his memorandum to the Emperor:

"In order to conquer China, we must first conquer Manchuria and

Mongolia. In order to conquer the world, we must first conquer

states "did not object to the growth of our influence in Manchuria and

Mongolia, provided that we can protect the interests of the international

trade and international investment. This was personally told to me by the political

leaders of England, France and Italy."

Japan's insistence on undivided dominance in China and

other countries in East and Southeast Asia caused serious

anxiety of the main capitalist countries, and above all the USA and England.

However, their ruling circles were ready to satisfy the growing appetites

Japanese imperialists at the expense of China and the Soviet Union.

Anglo-American reactionary politicians became

make stubborn attempts to keep Japan from aggression in the southern

direction and direct her aspirations to the north. Pushing Japan against

Soviet Union, they hoped thereby to weaken both states and

The policy of "appeasement" of the aggressor pursued by the United States and Britain on

Far East, allowed imperialist Japan to prepare and

to carry out the capture of Manchuria in 1931, creating here a springboard for

further offensive against China, the Mongolian People's Republic and the Soviet Union.

In the immediate vicinity of the borders of these states, the Japanese became

build fortified areas, build airfields and military camps,

concentrate troops.

Almost immediately after the occupation of Manchuria on the borders of the Mongolian

People's Republic began to appear soldiers with a cockade "rising

sun" on the bands of caps. There were also various

"travelers" and prospectors in civilian clothes with a military bearing. Where

secretly, and sometimes openly, they were engaged in topographic and

geodetic surveys of the area.

Then, on the borders of the Mongolian People's Republic, various

armed provocations. Thus the Japanese imperialists frankly began

carry out their aggressive designs.

To disguise the robbery plans, the Japanese military put forward the idea

creation of "Great Mongolia", in which, under the auspices of the Country rising sun

all Mongolian tribes from Tibet to Baikal and from Xinjiang would unite

to Khingan. In implementing this plan, they once relied on

White Guard Ataman Semenov.

Then the adventure was a complete failure. Mongolian feudal lords led by

Bogdo Gegen (head of the Lamaist Church), based on their own interests,

preferred to come to terms with the Chinese militarists. At the end of 1919, under

pretext for protecting Mongolia from the revolutionary influence of Russia, the country was

introduced the troops of the Chinese General Xu Shu-zheng. He ultimatum demanded

from the government of the Bogdo Gegen "voluntary" renunciation of the autonomy of the country.

Mongolia became a province of China.

The situation of the people became even more difficult. There was growing discontent among

separate groups of feudal lords and clergy, whose rights and privileges were

severely cut down by the invaders.

“Mongolia was given into slavery,” writes one of the

founders of the MPR H. Choibalsan, - everywhere, in the city and hudon (district. -

M.N.), in every locality and in every yurt, all men and women became

talk about it and grieve about it. Everyone got worried and

find ways to restore national independence. They With

they began to look with disgust at the lamas and secular feudal lords, before whom earlier

bowed down."

In October 1920, a new Japanese protege appeared in Mongolia -

Baltic baron Ungern. He demagogically declared his desire

"liberate the Mongolian people from the yoke of the Chinese imperialists, restore

autonomy, glorify the lamaist religion. "At first, the adventurer was supported

feudal lords and a part of deceived arats who hated foreign oppressors. AT

February 1921, the baron took the capital of Mongolia, the city of Urga, and restored

power of the Bogdo Gegen. The Chinese occupiers were expelled. With the support of

Japanese military Ungern began to prepare a campaign against Soviet Russia.

However, he quickly exposed himself in the eyes of the Mongolian people as a Japanese

The struggle of the arats against the management in the country of the Ungernists was led by

The People's Party, created by the national hero of Mongolia D. Sukhe-Bator and

his colleague H. Choibalsan on the basis of revolutionary circles that arose under

influence of the Great October Socialist Revolution. Back in the summer of 1920

year, the Mongolian revolutionaries sent a delegation to Moscow, which

met with V.I. Lenin. Analyzing the military situation of Mongolia, which played

the role of a buffer between two warring worlds, Vladimir Ilyich spoke

delegates: "... the only right way for every worker of this

country is the struggle for state and economic independence.

This struggle,” continued Lenin, “cannot be waged separately, it is necessary

united organization of forces, political and state organization".

The Mongolian delegates imagined the future struggle only as

the destruction of gamins (as the Mongols called the military Chinese). Vladimir Ilyich

explained in detail: "It is not gamins in general that you must destroy, not with

you generally have to fight with Chinese gamins, but with corrupt Chinese

military and civilian politicians, with merchants and usurers ... Chinese

the peasants and workers must be your allies... Your

direct appeal to these forced masses, dressed in soldier's

overcoat, will be understood by them as a manifestation of true friendship and brotherhood, and with

proper management this case, you will not have enemies in their face, but

allies in the fight against a common enemy - the Chinese and Japanese imperialists".

Under the leadership of Sukhe Bator and Choibalsan in Mongolia begin

the first partisan detachments were created to fight the White Guards

gangs of Ungern, Chinese militarists and their feudal servants.

Mongolian People's Party. Her program was announced, elected

Central Committee, a decision was made to unite partisan detachments into

People's Army for armed struggle against foreign invaders

invaders. Sukhbaatar was appointed commander-in-chief of the People's Army, and

his deputy - H. Choibalsan.

party, workers-arats and partisan detachments in Troitskosavsk were

The Provisional People's Government was created, consisting of seven people. In the decision

meeting stated: "The purpose of the armed uprising of the people is,

firstly, the liberation of the motherland from the yoke of the Chinese militarists and the cleansing of its

from other invaders who invaded its territory, secondly, the creation

government able to protect the interests and develop the culture

Mongolian people".

command of Sukhbaatar drove the Chinese occupiers out of the city of Maimachen

(now Altan-Bulak). This date is considered in the Mongolian People's Republic

day of the founding of the People's Revolutionary Army.

However, the People's Revolutionary Army had no forces to fight the Whites.

it was still not enough. Therefore, the Provisional People's Government of Mongolia 10

April 1921 turned to the fraternal Soviet people with a request for

providing military assistance in the fight against Ungern.

The arats joyfully greeted the Soviet troops entering the land

Mongolia to fight together against a common enemy. Growing every day

forces of the People's Army, cattle breeders flocked to it from all sides.

In June 1921, a stubborn three-day battle took place in the Troitskosavsk region.

battle between the Soviet-Mongolian troops and the gangs of Baron Ungern. First

the blow of the enemy was taken by the detachments of the People's Army. Warriors of the 35th came to their aid

Siberian Rifle Division led by K.A. Neiman and the 35th separate

cavalry regiment under the command of K.K. Rokossovsky. Fighting shoulder to shoulder

shoulder, the Red Army and the Cyrics defeated the enemy. Wounded Ungern fled from

battlefields with the miserable remnants of their army.

Rapidly moving forward, parts of the Red Army and the Mongolian

Mongolia Urgu (now Ulaanbaatar).

the same day Sukhbaatar on behalf of the government in the central square

capital declared the independence of Mongolia. This date has since been annually

solemnly celebrated as the day of the victory of the people's revolution, as a great

national holiday of the Mongolian people.

At the end of July, Ungern, having replenished his

thinned gangs, decides to attack Soviet Russia a second time. However, also on

this time, with the joint efforts of the Soviet-Mongolian troops, the main forces

Ungernovtsy were defeated. Ungern himself was in August 1921 with the help of

Mongolian partisans captured by scouts of the 35th cavalry

However, fighting with individual gangs still continued. In September 1921

year, a consolidated Soviet-Mongolian detachment under the command of the Siberian

partisan K.K. Baikalov and Khas-Bator numbering about three hundred people in

area of ​​Lake Tolbo-Nur was surrounded by three and a half thousand

White Guards General Bakic. Forty-four days Red Army men and cyrics

courageously repulsed the attacks of the enemy. In the end, they were rescued by the 185th

Rifle Regiment of the Red Army.

The arats faced many difficult tasks. Still roamed the country gang

White Guards, in some places the reactionary feudal lords raised their heads. There were many

economic difficulties.

Considering the importance in these conditions of the fraternal community of the two peoples,

in the late autumn of 1921, a Mongolian delegation was sent to Moscow. AT

its composition included the commander-in-chief of the People's Revolutionary Army, the leader

V.I. Lenin. Vladimir Ilyich had a long talk with Sukhe-Bator and others

envoys of the Mongolian people about the future of the country, about the path of Mongolia to

socialism, about the importance of friendship and mutual assistance between Soviet and Mongolian

peoples. Many of the advice of V.I. Lenin later formed the basis

programs of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party.

As a result of the negotiations, an agreement was signed on the establishment

friendly relations between Soviet Russia and Mongolia. Canceled

all the predatory treaties imposed on Mongolia by the tsarist government. This is

was the first equitable treaty in the history of Mongolia. He started

political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two fraternal

peoples. Speaking about the further development of Mongolia, Lenin pointed out that

backward countries, with the help of the victorious proletariat, can

transition to socialism, bypassing the capitalist stage of development.

However, the White Guards, supported by the militarists from Tokyo, and local

feudal lords interfered with peaceful construction. Only by the middle of 1922

joint actions of the Soviet-Mongolian troops defeated the main

White Guard gangs in Mongolia. For courage and heroism

shown in the joint struggle, the leaders of the Mongolian People's Army

Sukhe-Bator, Choibalsan, Khatan-Bator Maksarzhav were awarded the Soviet

government orders of the Red Banner.

In August 1924, the III Congress of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party

(before this congress the party was called Narodnaya) proclaimed a course towards

non-capitalist way of development. In accordance with Lenin's position

the congress recognized the achievement of socialism in Mongolia as practically feasible,

bypassing the capitalist stage of development.

In November 1924, the first Great Council in the history of Mongolia was convened in Urga.

People's Khural - a congress of representatives of the people supreme body

state power. The People's Great Khural adopted the constitution

Mongolian People's Republic.

The first years of the young Mongolian people's state were difficult.

The Japanese imperialists, with the help of their proteges, arranged on the borders

various provocations. From time to time the reactionary feudal lords raised their heads

and lamaist clergy. Therefore, at the request of the People's Revolutionary

The governments of the Red Army remained in Mongolia until 1925. When

the need for their presence passed, the Soviet troops were withdrawn to

The joint struggle of the Red Army and the cyrics sealed with inextricable bonds

friendship between the soldiers of the two revolutionary armies, always ready to help

each other in difficult times. Workers of the Mongolian People's Republic

gave the soldiers a warm farewell. In a message sent

People's Revolutionary Government to the leaders of the Soviet state,

said: "The people and the government of our republic firmly believe in helping

Union and the Red Army, if, more than expected, conditions similar to those

those observed in 1921".

After the defeat of the Whites, Japanese and Chinese interventionists, and

also the internal counter-revolution in the life of the Mongolian people opened

new page. With the help of the Soviet Union, the first successes were achieved in

economic and cultural construction. Started creating my own

industry, cities began to grow in the steppes, a decisive

fight against illiteracy and age-old backwardness.

The period of relative calm did not last long - only a few

years. In the early thirties, over the Mongolian People's Republic began

dark clouds are gathering, threatening the peaceful creative work of the arats. To

The hands of the Japanese imperialists again reached out to the free country...

In the face of an increased threat from Japan, at the request of

In 1934, a gentlemen's agreement was concluded, providing:

"mutual support by all measures in the matter of preventing and preventing

threat from military attack." This agreement reduced the threat of attack

Japan, but provocations at the borders continued. One of these encounters

happened in 1935 in the Khalkhin-Sum region. The invaders were driven back

a large group of Japanese and Manchus, with the support of tanks and aircraft, tried

invade the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic.

The provocation began at dawn, when the Bulun-Deresu outpost was opened

hurricane fire two Japanese batteries. Then two tanks went on the attack. At

the border guards had only one weapon. His commander Zigmit was the first

projectile set fire to an enemy vehicle. Another tank froze from the second shot...

Commander Gongor with a handful of border guards held back the onslaught of the Japanese

company until the arrival of reinforcements. Cyric fought to the last bullet

Ulzijoe and preferred death from his knife to captivity.

A big surprise for the Japanese aggressors was a swift blow,

inflicted by the young air force of the MPR. Attack aircraft R-5Sh,

which were conducted by Mongolian pilots trained in Soviet aviation

schools, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy ...

support of twelve tanks and three aircraft, crossed the border of the Mongolian

People's Republic and attacked the border outpost of Adyk-Dolon.

Heroes-border guards repelled the onslaught of the enemy for four hours, until they arrived in time

help. Despite the numerical superiority, the Japanese cowardly fled from the Mongolian

land, leaving a hundred dead, two wrecked tanks and a lot of weapons on it. In that

Mongolian armored vehicles took part in the battle. riddled with armor-piercing

shells, they attacked the enemy five times, inflicting huge

losses. One armored car was hit behind enemy lines. When ran out

cartridges, her crew went into hand-to-hand combat with a platoon of Japanese ...

The aggressive actions of Japan, as it were, practically confirmed

repeated statements by various leading figures from Tokyo against

Mongolian People's Republic. So, in 1936, the chief of staff of the Kwantung Army, General Itagaki

stated that Mongolia is "... the flank of the defense of the Siberian Railway

roads ... Therefore, the goal of the army should be to spread

Japanese-Manchu domination of Outer Mongolia by any means,

available..."

No less candid was one of the pillars of Japanese

imperialism, Hadekase, who stated: "According to the unanimous opinion of the military

experts, Japan's offensive against the USSR through Outer Mongolia will

more successful than through Manchuria."

The accumulation of the forces of the Japanese invaders on the border of the Mongolian People's

The republic posed a threat to its independence. Considering this circumstance,

as well as new border incidents, at the request of the Mongolian government

Protocol on Mutual Assistance between the USSR and the MPR.

In the middle of 1937, it became known in Ulaanbaatar that in September

The Japanese military is about to attack the Mongolian People's Republic. In this regard, the government

Mongolian People's Republic turned to the Soviet Union with a request for

military assistance. In early September, the first Soviet tank and

motorized units entered the territory of the MPR. So plans were thwarted

Japanese imperialists, who hoped through an armed invasion of large

military forces with aircraft and tanks, supported by internal

counter-revolutionary forces, occupy the country and put in power

puppet government, consisting of feudal lords and clergy.

The Japanese General Staff hoped to quickly defeat the relatively

small Mongolian People's Revolutionary Army. Now

was to meet with the combined Soviet-Mongolian forces. To

the Kwantung Army was not ready for such an operation, and the invasion plan was temporarily

postponed.

Back in July 1937, the Japanese aggressors, having provoked an incident under

Beijing, unleashed a war against the Chinese people. After initial success,

in spite of a large number of troops sent to the continent and significant

superiority in military equipment, the results of the fighting of the Japanese army

were insignificant.

The restrained position of the Western powers in relation to Japanese aggression in

China was largely due to the fact that the reactionary circles of these countries hoped

to a big war with the Soviet Union and the Mongolian People's Republic.

So, in August 1937, during negotiations in Paris with the American

Ambassador V. Bullitt, French Foreign Minister I. Delbos stated:

"The Japanese attack is ultimately directed not against China, but against the USSR.

The Japanese want to seize the railway from Tianjin to Beiping and Kalgan,

to prepare an attack against the Trans-Siberian Railway in the area

Lake Baikal and against Inner and Outer Mongolia".

The plans of the Japanese generals for an "easy military walk" along

China has failed miserably. By the summer of 1938, it became clear that

it is impossible to conquer a people fighting for freedom. In Tokyo began aggressively

look for a way out of the situation. It was necessary by any means

England and the USA, as well as Nazi Germany.

The most aggressive circles of the Japanese military have proposed to allow

problem through an armed attack on the Soviet Union. However, sober

heads in the Japanese general staff reminded that the imperial army

too weak for a serious clash with the Soviet armed forces

in the Far East. Therefore, it was decided to organize a limited conflict

in the area of ​​Lake Khasan, in the very south of the Far Eastern Primorye.

The choice of this place was dictated not only by political, but also purely

military reasons. So, in case of luck, it was possible to capture important

tactically, hills dominating the area to the west of the lake,

from which one can control a large tract of Soviet land south of

Posyet Bay and monitor the distant approaches to Vladivostok.

When planning the place of the provocation, the Japanese generals also counted on

the unpreparedness of the area for defense, the absence of large Soviet forces here

troops and the difficulty of their rapid concentration due to the limited road

Soviet government withdrawal of border guards from the heights of the Nameless and

Zaozernaya, located west of Lake Khasan. The Japanese representative was

maps were presented, from which it was clear that these heights are on

declared that if the demand of the imperial government was not

satisfied, then "Japan will have to come to the conclusion that

use of force."

groups invaded Soviet territory and attacked eleven

Soviet border guards at the height of Bezymyannaya. After a stubborn battle, with the help of

approached Soviet rifle company and a reserve group of border guards,

infantry division after artillery preparation again attacked Zaozernaya

and nameless. Under the onslaught of superior enemy forces, Soviet border guards

were forced to retreat.

Western imperialist circles showed the closest interest in

events on the Soviet-Manchurian border. Spreading slander on the USSR,

the reactionary press of Western Europe and America deliberately distorted events

publishing reports of the "capture" by the Soviet border guards of the Japanese

territory, about battles, "colossal losses" Soviet troops. Some

bourgeois newspapers began openly advising Japan to expand its military

actions against the USSR by stopping or limiting the war in China.

Passing off wishful thinking, the American newspaper New York

occasion to limit its activities in Central China and the present

a Japanese-Russian incident could automatically turn into an undeclared war."

By order of the commander of the Far Eastern Front, Marshal of the Soviet

Union of V.K. Blucher, the 32nd and 40th rifle

divisions, 2nd mechanized brigade.

During the two-day battles, the Japanese were pushed back, but it was not possible to knock them out from the heights.

succeeded. Having regrouped, after a strong artillery preparation, the 96th

and the 95th rifle regiments of the 32nd rifle division and units of the 118th rifle division

the end of the day all Soviet territory was completely cleared of Japanese

invaders.

Having received a decisive rebuff, the Japanese aggressors were forced to request

negotiation. The next day, hostilities near Lake Khasan were

terminated.

The defeat at Khasan was not only the first military defeat of the Japanese

imperial army, but also the first blow to the armed forces of the aggressive

triangle Berlin - Rome - Tokyo, which has so far won victories

thanks to the connivance of the Western powers.

It is no coincidence that the English magazine The Economist wrote: "Japan received

a proper lesson that will have a favorable effect on both the Far Eastern

situation, and on the European one. " The French newspaper Oror pointed out: "This

The lesson is valid not only for Far East. Bluff policy in Europe

may also be doomed to failure. To do this, it is enough not to allow

intimidate yourself."

The fighting in the area of ​​​​Lake Khasan demonstrated to the whole world the strength and

the power of the Soviet Union. His armed forces thwarted the insidious

plans of the US and British imperialists, who were counting on armed

clash between the USSR and Japan. The fighting showed complete superiority

of the Red Army, especially in aviation, tanks and artillery, over the Japanese

armed forces, considered the most powerful in the capitalist

the world. "The defeat suffered by the Japanese troops in these battles," admitted

Japanese General Staff officer Tanaka Ryunti, testifying

to the International Military Tribunal in Tokyo in 1946 - made seriously

think about the readiness of the Japanese army for a big war."

Thus, the attempt of the Japanese imperialists with a victorious blow against

Soviet Union to demonstrate to the whole world their military might,

to intimidate the ruling circles of the United States, Britain and Kuomintang China with this, to raise

its shares in Hitler's Germany and fascist Italy suffered full

In September 1938, Hitler, British Prime Minister Chamberlain,

French Prime Minister Daladier and leader of Fascist Italy Mussolini

Munich signed an agreement under which Czecho-Slovakia was issued for

destruction of fascist Germany. The ruling circles of Western states have betrayed

Czechoslovakia and sacrificed it, trying to direct the Nazi

aggression against the Soviet Union.

The Munich Agreement and the policy of condoning aggression immediately

also affected foreign policy Japan. The samurai raised their heads even higher and

headed for the conclusion of a military bloc with Nazi Germany.

At the same time, the offensive operations of the Japanese in China expanded.

As before, provocations continued on the Soviet Far Eastern borders.