It's 1274 in Japan. The country is undergoing a crisis, as the power of the Emperor crumbles, and the rising samurais fight with each other. In this context, Kublai Khan sends ambassadors demanding capitulation. If Japan resists, a fleet of 5,000 ships carrying 150,000 soldiers will invade. The ambassadors are beheaded, and Kublai prepares his fleet.
This movie covers the Japanese side of the matter, of course. As the national threat grows nearer, everyone rallies to its defense. Armorers work hard, preparing swords and bows, and the samurai grudgingly put aside their feuds. Everyone volunteers, notably a man who claims to be 85, his sons, who range in age from 18 to 65, and his grandsons, too young to fight, but who beg to be taken along. The enemy lands on small islands, and the Japanese forces wait, and send small forays to destroy some of the warships. When the crisis is ripe, a major attack on the enemy fleet is planned for August 1, but a typhoon strikes, preventing this. It also sinks almost all the enemy fleet. By 1281, this is known as Kamikazi, the Divine Wind. The movie ends with the proclamation that if everyone in Japan is willing to give his all, then the gods will protect their divine island kingdom.
THe movie is shot with great bravura, with lots of moving shots, overhead shots, and large numbers of extras for the battle scenes. It is exciting.
This movie was "planned" (according to the translation) by the Japanese Intelligence Service, with support from the Ministry of the Army, Ministry of the Navy, and Military Intelligence. For the last year, Japan had been losing the War, and this is clearly an effort to rally the nation. Three months after its release, another kamikaze began striking: suicide pilots, hoping to take out enemy battleships. They were essentially pilot-driven explosive missiles. About 3,800 kamikaze pilots died, with approximately twice that number of sailors on ships killed in the spirit of nationalism and bushido.
A year after this movie was released, two Japanese cities were destroyed by atomic bombs. Japan quickly capitulated.
