Even though recent research proves Mongol ships were sunk in battle, the idea that a Divine Wind called Kamikaze sank the Mongol fleet still persists. According to the Kamikaze theory the battle started on a clear day but by night a tremendous storm appeared and sank all the Mongol ships. The only storm to have that type of power in Japan is a Typhoon or a storm of typhoon magnitude. Also a key point is the time of attack to storm can't be much more than 18 hours(24 hours is a whole day).
Yet anybody that has seen a typhoon knows that their are visible signs of its approach as much as 3 days before landfall. I will comment in Red important points within the article:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...0496?p=3&tc=pg
Early warning signs of an approaching tropical cyclone
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48 hours
The sky is now clear of clouds, the barometer is steady, and the wind is almost calm.
The swell is now about nine feet and coming in every eight seconds.
9 foot swells becomes 18 foot breakers. Japan and Korea are only 120 miles apart so large wave action should have been notice by the Mongol fleet.
36 hours
The first signs of the storm appear. The barometer is falling slightly, the wind is around 11 mph, and the ocean swell is about 13 feet and coming in seven seconds apart. On the horizon, a large mass of white cirrus clouds appear.
As the veil of clouds approaches, it covers more of the horizon.
A hurricane watch is issued, and areas with long evacuation times are given the order to begin.
This is like 26 foot breakers. Impossible to do a beach landing. Any sailor would notice a storm is coming
30 hours
The sky is covered by a high overcast. The barometer is falling at .1 millibar per hour; winds pick up to about 23 mph.
The ocean swell, coming in five seconds apart, is beginning to be obscured by wind-driven waves, and small whitecaps begin to appear on the ocean surface.
It is one day and six hours before the typhoon lands yet the sea is already too dangerous to send out boats
24 hours
Small low clouds appear overhead. The barometer is falling by .2 millibars per hour, the wind picks up to 34 mph. The wind driven waves are covered in whitecaps, and streaks of foam begin to ride over the surface. Evacuations should be completed and final preparations made by this time. A hurricane warning is issued, and people living in low lying areas and in mobile homes are ordered to evacuate.
If the Mongols reached Japan 24 hours before the storm, this is what they would have seen. Does it make any sense to attack?
18 hours
The low clouds are thicker and bring driving rain squalls with gusty winds. The barometer is steadily falling at half a millibar per hour and the winds are whistling by at 46 mph. It is hard to stand against the wind.
18 hours before landfall is about the maximum time the Mongols could have invaded since according to the theory the Mongols invaded during day light and the storm happened that night. 6Am to 12Midnight is 18 hours, the earliest the Momgols could have landed and still be daylight. However, 18 hours before a typhoon already generates 46MPH winds, there is no way they could have or would have invaded under these conditions. Furthermore, it is dark with rain clouds so the Idea of a clear calm day 18 hours before a typhoon is ridiculous lie.
12 hours
The rain squalls are more frequent and the winds don't diminish after they depart. The cloud ceiling is getting lower, and the barometer is falling at 1 millibar per hour. The wind is howling at hurricane force at 74 mph. The sea advances with every storm wave that crashes ashore, and foam patches.
6 hours
The rain is constant and the 92 mph wind drives it horizontally. The barometer is falling 1.5 millibar per hour, and the storm surge has advanced above the high tide mark. Thesea surface a whitish mass of spray. It is impossible to stand upright outside without bracing yourself.
This would be the minimum limit to win the Mongols could have attacked before a storm. It is 6 hours from Noon to 6PM. Yet the conditions are so bad, no military would try to land. Given 92 mph wind, the ships would have sunk way out at sea before they even got close to the coast of Japan.
1 hour
The rain becomes heavier. Low areas inland become flooded. The winds are at 104 mph, and the barometer is falling at 2 millibar per hour. The sea is white with foam and streaks. The storm surge has covered coastal roads and 16 foot waves crash into buildings near the shore.
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Even if the so called Kamikaze was not a typhoon but a large storm, to sink ships, it had to be big and strong so that it's presents had to be known hours in advance(All storms are similar in that they use hot are as the fuel to cycle their engines). Even the American Thunderstorm which is famous for being sudden can be seen 100 miles away and takes several hours to develop - today they can be predicted a day in advance. Besides, American Thunderstorms don't happen in Japan anyway.
Point is it is impossible for a large storm to sudden appear with the force to sink ships. And it happening twice on the exact day of invasion is ridiculous. The only way the Mongols could have been surprised by a typhoon is if they fought the Japanese ship to shore for two days straight then the typhoon hits on the third day. That would be enough time for the Mongols to make it to Japanese shores on a calm clear day and yet get hit with a powerful typhoon. Unfortunate for Kamikaze advocates, no account of the battle ever mentions the fighting raged on four several days. More important, if the Mongols could not successfully beach in two days means the Japanese were winning and didn't need a Kamikaze to save them. In a shit to shore stalemate, the shore side gets stronger as time goes on because they can replenish there food, water, soldiers and weapons while the ship side gets weaker because they are running out of food, water and men as time drags on.
As can be plainly seen. The Kamikaze story was propaganda to give credit of the victory to the Emperor of Japan as well as affirm he is a decedent of the gods.