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What Jack Weatherford thinks about Japan

@jack-weatherford · 22 positions · 0 changes of mind

Anthropologist and author of Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, and DeWitt Wallace Professor of Anthropology emeritus at Macalester College.

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2 dated positions, 2025, in their own words. Our reading of what Jack Weatherford has said — not written or endorsed by them.

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  1. Our readingKublai Khan's invasion of Japan failed on its own terms but achieved its real purpose, which was cutting the Southern Song off from Japanese sulphur for gunpowder.

    Their wordsBut there actually, I think there's a very, very good reason for invading Japan. Several. The main one was to cut off the supply of sulfur. They needed it for gunpowder in the South Song. They lost their sources in northern China when they were driven out. They got it from Japan. It was a great source.

    ↗Jack Weatherford: Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire | Lex Fridman Podcast #476youtube.com 17th of 22 in this recording

    China

    Interesting

  3. Our readingThe Japanese defeated the Mongol invasions; the typhoon only sank the ships afterwards, and it deserves far less credit than it gets.

    Their wordsBut I think Japan had defeated the Mongols. I would say. Japanese deserve credit for that victory. And then the sinking of the ships was more caused by the typhoon.

    ↗Jack Weatherford: Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire | Lex Fridman Podcast #476youtube.com 18th of 22 in this recording

    Interesting