On October 25th 1944, two hours after sunrise the U.S.S Santee (C.V.E -29) an escort carrier lying in the Mindanao area was attacked by a single Japanese aircraft coming in lowly and – crushing into the flight deck1.
The `accident´ caused heavy damage – and proofed to be none. At the latest on the next day the American Forces in the Philippines had to realize that the Japanese were now using a new dreadful and desperate strategy to turn the tide of war. They started suicidal attacks in large numbers trying to hit enemy ships with their planes loaded with bombs. Another escort carrier the St.Lo (C.V.E.- 63) was sunk during this first attack after being hit by a suicide plane – leaving the U.S. soldiers and leaders frightened and shocked. Kamikaze – divine wind - became another Japanese word known to U.S. soldiers.
What led the prime of Japan’s youth to this last hopeless sacrifice?
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. The situation in autumn 1944
III. The invention of kamikaze
IV. The backgrounds
V. The survivors
VI. The results of the kamikaze attacks
VII. The influence of kamikaze attacks on the war
VIII. The very end
IX. Causes for the process of large scale suicide tactics
X. Conclusion
XI. About suicide (a comparison to the western point of view)
XII. Final announcement
Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to investigate the historical, psychological, and cultural origins of the Japanese kamikaze suicide tactics during World War II, questioning what drove Japan's youth to undertake such terminal missions. It explores whether these actions were purely voluntary or the result of deep-seated socio-cultural pressures and state indoctrination.
- Historical context of the Pacific War and Japan's military desperation in 1944.
- Cultural and religious foundations, including Bushido, Shintoism, and Zen Buddhism.
- The psychological impact on kamikaze pilots and the reality of their indoctrination.
- Statistical assessment of the military effectiveness of suicide attacks.
- Comparative analysis of suicide as a concept between Eastern and Western ideologies.
Excerpt from the Book
The backgrounds
It is very surprising to see how fast the idea of kamikaze was developed accepted and carried out. This indicates that the ideological and / or cultural backgrounds that allowed the sacrifice of a soldier’s life as a legitimate tool to harm the enemy were deep-rooted in the Japanese self-consciousness. That is partly true if we look at the Japanese history, religions and mythology:
1.) The Japanese share strong compassion for the hero that failed. As Ivan Morris describes the prototype of the Japanese hero – Yamato Takeru – fails and after his death transforms into a white bird thus promising relief because of his sincerity. Takeru is followed by many and then historically defined heroes like Minamoto no Yoshitsune and above all Kusunoki Masashige. They all prove to have magokoro, (??) i.e. a true heart meaning they do stick to their once chosen way until the end even if they can foresee that there is nothing left to achieve. This attitude the Japanese honour with hooganbiiki i.e. sympathy for those who fail. Especially if the actions of the hero were concerned about the welfare of Japan and/ or the imperial house.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the initial emergence of kamikaze attacks on U.S. escort carriers in late 1944 and sets the research focus on the motivations behind these missions.
II. The situation in autumn 1944: Provides a historical overview of the Pacific War, detailing Japan's loss of military momentum and the strategic desperation leading to the Philippine campaign.
III. The invention of kamikaze: Describes the decision by Vice-Admiral Onishi Takaijiro to initiate organized suicide attacks as a last-resort military tactic.
IV. The backgrounds: Examines the deep-rooted cultural, religious, and historical factors in Japan that shaped a unique perspective on sacrifice and honor.
V. The survivors: Analyzes personal reports from surviving pilots, highlighting the dissonance between official ideology and the reality of being coerced into missions.
VI. The results of the kamikaze attacks: Presents statistical data demonstrating the minimal military impact of kamikaze tactics against U.S. naval forces.
VII. The influence of kamikaze attacks on the war: Argues that suicide tactics failed to alter the outcome of the war and were largely futile against U.S. industrial and technical superiority.
VIII. The very end: Documents the final stages of the war in the Pacific, including the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and the eventual Japanese surrender.
IX. Causes for the process of large scale suicide tactics: Synthesizes the factors—ranging from propaganda to social collectivism—that facilitated the implementation of suicide missions.
X. Conclusion: Reflects on the nature of kamikaze operations as a desperate expression of identity and the tragedy of wasted youth.
XI. About suicide (a comparison to the western point of view): Explores the moral and philosophical aspects of self-sacrifice and compares Japanese views with Western historical contexts.
XII. Final announcement: Summarizes the necessity of understanding extreme human behavior within its cultural context rather than through premature judgment.
Keywords
Kamikaze, Japan, World War II, Bushido, Suicide, Onishi Takaijiro, Pacific War, Military History, Cultural Identity, Collectivism, Shinto, Zen Buddhism, Strategy, Sacrifice, Historical Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper examines the historical and psychological underpinnings of the Japanese kamikaze suicide tactics, seeking to understand the motivations of the pilots and the societal factors that made such missions possible.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers military strategy, Japanese cultural history, religious influences, psychological conditioning, and the statistical impact of suicide missions during World War II.
What is the core research question?
The research asks what led the youth of Japan to perform these desperate, hopeless sacrifices and how such a radical concept of duty was culturally and socially maintained.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses historical analysis, review of eyewitness accounts, statistical military data, and a comparative study of socio-cultural and philosophical concepts.
What does the main body address?
It addresses the timeline of the Pacific War, the strategic decisions behind kamikaze, the psychological reality of the pilots through interviews, and a critical look at the effectiveness of the tactic.
How would you characterize this work through keywords?
Key terms include Kamikaze, Bushido, Collectivism, Military History, Sacrifice, and Japanese Identity.
Does the author consider the kamikaze missions as voluntary?
The author presents evidence that while some may have acted out of conviction, many pilots were subjected to the subtle pressures of Japanese collectivism, effectively removing their freedom of choice.
What is the author's final conclusion regarding kamikaze success?
The author concludes that kamikaze tactics were a futile and unconventional method of warfare that achieved no measurable strategic success against U.S. naval forces.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Thomas Marx (Autor:in), 2001, Kamikaze - an approach to the historical and psychological backgrounds, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/38208
