Analysis by Randall Sasaki and Jun Kimura of the Chinese-built warships has revealed that they were far more advanced in their construction and technology than contemporary European craft. Since the 1980s, and especially in recent years, archaeological surveys and excavations led by Torao Mozai and Kenzo Hayashida have yielded a large number of artifacts, including weapons, armor, containers for provisions, personal items, and the fragmented remains of some of the ships. The legend of that wind, the “kamikaze,” would later inspire Japanese World War II pilots to fly their planes into Allied ships. Japanese legend and an account by Marco Polo blame the defeat on a heavenly sent wind, or storm, in response to prayers for deliverance. Both invasions were part of the Khan’s plan to assimilate Japan into the Mongol Empire-and both failed. According to legend, the ships numbered in the thousands and more than 100,000 men participated in the 1281 attack. The largest naval invasions in history were the seaborne assaults of 12 on Japan by Mongol, Chinese, and Korean soldiers, marines, and sailors under orders from Emperor Khubilai Khan.
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