Could the Mongols take Japan?

[Diogenes]

WI, when the Mongols invaded in 1274, they succeded in taking Japan, or at least Kyushu? After all, they had thought they had lost even though they had won, and when they tried again, they were hit by a typhoon. Did the Mongols adopt Chinese and Korean weapons and strategies? If so, would the Mongols adopt the Katana and Japanese militaristic tributes along with the recurve bow? Is it possible for the Mongols to become like Alexanders or the Roman Empire's, exept that the Mongols stay together under Kublai and his succecors? Would it survive up to the present era and become a Republic? Would it split under Communism?

 

[Mikey]

Has anyone taken over Japan without nuclear weapons? How effectively could the Mongols mount a navy-based invasion in a horse-unfriendly island chain?

 

[Diogenes]

They built they ships in Mongol-controlled Korea, and one of the reasons they had won was because the Japanese samurai's were mounted and were used to fighting mounted troops, so when the Mongols sent over +30,000 foot troops, the Japanese got pretty jacked up.

 

[Typo]

The mongol empire holding together is ASBish.

 

[rcduggan]

Has anyone taken over Japan without nuclear weapons?

Just because it hasn't happened doesn't mean it couldn't happen. Although Japan certainly has geography on its side. IMO the Mongols would be hard-pressed to launch a successful invasion (naval operations were not their strong suit), but with the right conditions it could be pulled off. I have no idea what those are, though.