Yes. <span>In 1281, Kublai Khan and his Mongol Army attempted to invade the islands of Japan by sea. The Mongols were winning the their invasion until unexpectedly, a typhoon came through off the coast of Japan and destroyed the Mongol forces and fleet enroute to Japan. The people of Japan considered this to be a great turn of fortune for them. They believed that this great storm was sent to them as protection from the heavens and is credited with saving the Japanese Empire. It was called the Kamikaze, or Divine Wind. </span><span>By the fall of 1944, it had become clear that the Japanese were again losing in a struggle for their empire. This time however, they were losing to the American and Allied forces in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Short on resources as well as victories, the Japanese again turned to this “divine” force in the belief that it would again save them from total annihilation by foreign forces. Only this time, instead of it being a “divine wind,” it came in the form of men who were willing to sacrifice their lives in order to help their country. These suicide pilots took on the name “kamikaze” and applied it to their airborne missions.</span>
