Battle of Bun'ei

The , or Bun'ei Campaign, also known as the First Battle of Hakata Bay, was the first attempt by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China to invade Japan. After conquering the Japanese settlements on Tsushima and Iki islands, Kublai Khan's fleet moved on to Japan proper and landed at Hakata Bay, a short distance from Kyūshū's administrative capital of Dazaifu. Despite the superior weapons and tactics of the Yuan forces, those that disembarked at Hakata Bay were grossly outnumbered by the samurai force; the Japanese had been preparing, mobilizing warriors and reinforcing defenses since they heard of the defeats at Tsushima and Iki. The Japanese defenders were aided by major storms which sunk a sizable portion of the Yuan fleets. Ultimately, the invasion attempt was decisively repulsed shortly after the initial landings.

The Yuan troops withdrew and took refuge on their ships after only one day of fighting. A typhoon that night, said to be divinely conjured wind, threatened their ships, persuading them to return to Korea. Many of the returning ships sank that night due to the storm.

The battle

After landing in the bay, the Yuan force quickly overran the town of Hakata (now a ward of Fukuoka), but were engaged by a number of samurai soon afterwards.

At first, the samurai were hopelessly outmatched; accustomed to smaller scale clan rivalries, they could not match the organization and massed firepower of the invaders. Yuan forces fought with precision, loosing heavy volleys of arrows into the ranks of the Japanese. The Yuan also employed an early form of rocket artillery, and their infantry used phalanx-like tactics, holding off the samurai with their shields and spears. Though unable to conclusively defeat the Yuan forces, the Japanese fought hard and inflicted heavy casualties.

In the course of the day's fighting, the Hakozaki Shrine was burned to the ground.

Despite their initial victories, the Yuan did not pursue the samurai further inland to the defenses at Dazaifu. ''Nihon Ōdai Ichiran'' explains that the invaders were defeated because they lacked arrows.

More likely this was a result of their unfamiliarity with the terrain, the expectation of Japanese reinforcements, and the heavy losses already suffered. The Yuan forces, which may have intended to carry out a reconnaissance in force rather than an immediate invasion, returned to their ships. That night, the Yuan lost roughly one-third of their force in a typhoon. They retreated back to Korea, presumably at the prodding of their sailors and captains, rather than regrouping and continuing their attack.

Main Battles of Battle of Bun'ei

Battle of Tsushima Island - Yuan victory

On November 4, about 1,000 soldiers of the Mongol Army landed on Komoda Beach. Sō Sukekuni (宗助国), Shugodai of Tsushima Island was killed in action.
Mongolians slaughtered dwellers of Tsushima.

Battle of Iki Island - Yuan victory

On November 13, Taira no Kagetaka (平景隆), Shugodai of Iki led about 100 soldiers. They were defeated by the Mongolian army, and Shugodai committed suicide in Hinotsume Castle (樋詰城). About 1,000 Japanese soldiers were killed there.

Battle of Hirato Island, Taka Island and Nokono Island - Yuan victory

On November 15 to 16, Mongolian army attacked the base of Sashi Clan. Hundreds of Japanese soldiers and Sashi Fusashi (佐志房), Sashi Tomaru (佐志留) and Sashi Isamu (佐志勇)
were killed.

Battle of Akasaka - Japanese victory

Mongolian Army landed on Sawara District and encamped in Akasaka.『蒙古襲来絵詞』詞四「たけふさ（武房）にけうと（凶徒）あかさか（赤坂）のちん（陣）をか（駆）けお（落）とされて、ふたて（二手）になりて、おほせい（大勢）はすそはら（麁原）にむ（向）きてひ（退）く。こせい（小勢）はへふ（別府）のつかハら（塚原）へひ（退）く、」 On seeing this situation, Kikuchi Takefusa (菊池武房) surprised the Mongolian army.
The Mongols escaped to Sohara, and they lost about 100 soldiers.

Battle of Torikai-Gata - Japanese victory

Thousands of Mongolian soldiers were awaiting in Torikai-Gata. Takezaki Suenaga (竹崎季長), one of the Japanese commanders, assaulted the Mongolian army and fought them.
Soon, reinforcements by Shiraishi Michiyasu (白石通泰) arrived there and defeated the Mongolians. The Mongolian casualties of this battle are estimated at around 3,500.

Withdrawal of Yuan army

Due to the defeat in the battle of Torikai-Gata, the Yuan army was exhausted. So they withdrew to their own ships. On seeing this situation, the Japanese army did night attacks and killed many soldiers.
Finally, Hong Dagu decided to withdraw to Yuan dynasty. In the midst of the withdrawal, they met a typhoon, most of their ships sank and many soldiers drowned.『高麗史』巻一百四 列伝十七 金方慶「諸軍與戰、及暮乃解、方慶謂忽敦茶丘曰、『兵法千里縣軍、其鋒不可當、我師雖少、已入敵境、人自爲戰、即孟明焚船淮陰背水也、請復戰』、忽敦曰、『兵法小敵之堅、大敵之擒、策疲乏之兵、敵日滋之衆、非完計也、不若回軍』復亨中流矢、先登舟、遂引兵還、會夜大風雨、戰艦觸岩多敗、?堕水死、到合浦、」

See also

*Battle of Kōan - the second invasion attempt by Kublai Khan, in 1281.
*Mongol invasions of Japan

Notes

References

* Davis, Paul K. (1999)
''100 Decisive Battles: From Ancient Times to the Present.''
Oxford: Oxford University Press. ;
* Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''Nihon Odai Ichiran''; ou
''Annales des empereurs du Japon.''
Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland
OCLC 5850691
* Turnbull, Stephen R. (2003)
''Genghis Khan and the Mongol Conquests, 1190-1400.''
London: Taylor & Francis.

{{coord missing, Japan

1270s in Japan
1274 in Asia
Bun'ei 1274
Bun'ei 1274
Bun'ei 1274
Bun'ei 1274
Wars involving Imperial China
Bun'ei
13th century in Korea
1274 in the Mongol Empire