About Japanese Kamikaze Pilots

Japanese Kamikaze pilots are legendary for their willingness to sacrifice their lives for their emperor and country during World War II. The Kamikaze campaign was a last ditch effort by the Empire of Japan to repel Allied naval forces that were advancing toward the Japanese mainland. In the end, the effort failed to achieve its objective. However, Japanese Kamikaze pilots have a prominent place in history for their devotion to their cause and what Western cultures view as extreme behavior.

History of

The word Kamikaze means "divine wind" in Japanese. It was originally used to refer to a typhoon that destroyed the Mongol fleet attempting to invade Japan in 1281. The word was later adopted to refer to Japanese pilots who intentionally crashed their planes into Allied forces during the latter stages of World War II. The decision to begin Kamikaze attacks is attributed to Vice Admiral Takijiro Onishi. He faced the daunting task of repelling an Allied invasion even though most of his aircraft were destroyed and most of his experienced pilots were dead.

Evolution

Sporadic Kamikaze attacks were reported throughout 1944. The largest organized Kamikaze attack happened during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. 355 Kamikaze pilots supported by 341 support fighters attacked the American fleet off Okinawa. They sank six ships and severely damaged ten others. As the war progressed, Japan had to use older slower aircraft and less experienced pilots. This made the Kamikaze attacks less successful in the final days of the war.

Effects

Kamikaze attacks failed to stop the Allied advance toward Japan or prevent a Japanese defeat in World War II. However, Kamikaze pilots have attained notoriety world wide for their fanatical behavior. They are viewed with a mixture of awe, bewilderment and admiration. In Japan, their willingness to sacrifice their lives for their emperor and country is seen as noble and consistent with the samurai code of Bushido. Many in the West view the deaths of Kamikaze pilots as senseless.

Misconceptions

It is widely believed that the Japanese samurai code of Bushido requires soldiers to willingly give up their lives. This is not true. Bushido calls for sacrifice and, if necessary, the sacrifice of your life in the line of duty. It does not call for suicide. Imperial Japan based their military philosophy on the principles of Bushido. However, military leaders did not resort to Kamikaze attacks until the end of the war. It was a military decision. The belief was that more damage could be done by piloted aircraft and that the damage could reduce the number of Japanese casualties later. It is also widely believed that all Kamikaze pilots were volunteers. There is no way to know how much the Japanese culture of blind obedience pressured young pilots into volunteering.

The Facts

During World War II, about 2800 Kamikaze pilots flew missions. They are credited with sinking 36 American ships and damaging 368 others. About 10,000 American sailors were believed killed or injured in Kamikaze attacks.