KAMAKAZI THE “DIVINE WIND

Written By: Robert Mills

There have been moments in history where a single determined person, or natural event, forced destiny down one path instead of another, an event which forever changed what occurred afterward. This article, the second in a series for The Distillery Channel’s journal “The Distillery Channel Journal”, explores more examples of these history shaping phenomena.

How two perfectly timed typhoons, seven years apart, changed the course of East Asian history.

In this month’s chapter, we will explore two instances where invading naval fleets so enormous that they would have led to the certain defeat of Japan, were instead annihilated in route by sudden storms, leading to the abject failure of both invasions.

After he conquered China and Korea in the late 13th Century, his vast empire stretched across the entire Eurasian landmass from Eastern Europe and the Middle East to the Pacific Ocean. Khan next set his sights on subjugating Japan, the world’s oldest unconquered nation 1 .

Khan commanded by far the mightiest naval force on earth. To conquer Japan, Khan sent his first attack fleet in 1274, this one consisting of 900 ships carrying an invasion force of 35,000. This invasion failed due to a typhoon, as explained below. So, Khan spent the next seven years energetically building a much bigger navy. Then, in 1281, Khan sent this second, vastly larger force of over 4,400 ships, bearing 140,000 men, to crush the Japanese nation. This latter effort remains to this day the largest attempted naval invasion in history. Its immense scale was only recently eclipsed by the actual D-Day invasion of allied forces into Normandy in 1944. Japan’s 40,000 samurai soldiers wouldn’t have stood a chance against Khan’s gigantic armada.

But unexpectedly, once each invasion was underway, ferocious typhoons roared out of the East China Sea, savaging Khan’s naval invasions and causing both of them to fail miserably. More than a third of the ships and men in the first invasion were lost. But nearly all the ships and men in the much larger second invasion were lost -- 100,000 drowned, 30,000 captured (then killed by the Japanese) -- making this “one of

naval invasion in history”.

As a result, Japan remained unconquered, its unique and highly consequential civilization intact. Japan went on to become a great and independent Asian power. Mongol China never expanded its empire further eastward, and gradually fell into decline.

Japanese poets, who believed god was on their side, called those typhoons “kamikaze”, meaning “Divine Winds” . But for those storms, Japan would almost certainly have been brutally subjugated by the Mongols, like many other nations, and forced to become one of Kublai Khan’s vassal states. Japan may well have been permanently annexed to Korea or China and had its cultural identity annihilated. Khan’s cultural footprint in East Asia would have been far greater and more consequential. Instead, these two storms changed the path of history, imposing limits on Mongol power while preserving Japan’s sovereignty and its unique culture.

Mike has been associated with and in the business of golf since the late 60’s. He has traveled extensively in golf and has been seen in over 50 countries around the world as a renowned Golf Trick Shot Artist, professional golf instructor, master clinician and public speaker.

In his travels Mike has come into contact with nearly every type of golf operation conceivable which has allowed him to be one of the more knowledgeable individuals in the world in the business of golf instruction. He has successfully operated as an entrepreneur and independent contractor in the golf business since 1978. Prior to 1978, Mike was head professional for a private club for 6 years and assistant professional at several other country clubs earlier in his professional career in the late 60’s including the famed Marco Island C.C which was home to the late Gene Sarazen.

Mike has an instructional TV series entitled “The Golf Doctor” which has been seen on Wink-News a CBS affiliate for 35 years and is viewed by millions of people annually. In addition, Mike is the author of a golf instructional video “Learning Golf” (produced in 1978), published writer (Golf tips and Golf articles). Mike can be seen and heard weekly on the Radio/TV weekly show thedistillerychannel.com which he gives golf advice and tips to its listeners.

Mike Calbot as golf instructor, swing analyst and golf trick shot expert, travels the world giving performances, schools, clinics and corporate outings, which allow him continuous exposure. His Golf Studio boasted a healthy clientele in the thousands and has personally given over 85,000 lessons.

Through progressive practice programs quickly elevating the skills of beginner, intermediate and advanced golfers.