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Although most commonly associated with the WWII Japanese suicide pilots, Kamikaze (from Kami - "god" and kaze - "wind") actually means 'divine wind' in Japanese. It refers to the typhoon which saved Japan from a Mongol invasion fleet.

In 1274 Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan landed a large expeditionary force on the island of Kyushu, but was driven off by Japanese warriors. In 1281, he made another attempt, but with a much larger force, combining 40,000 troops from North China and 100,000 troops from South China. The two huge invasion fleets converged off Kyushu. Japanese religious leaders prayed for deliverance as the invasion fleet approached. A huge typhoon hit the coast, sinking many of the Mongol boats, half were killed or perished. Those who survived fled back to the Chinese mainland.The grateful Japanese called this particular typhoon KAMIKAZE, or DIVINE WIND.