Kamikaze is a term that became widely known during the Second World War. This word meant Japanese suicide bombers who attacked enemy planes and ships and destroyed them by ramming.
Meaning of the word “kamikaze”
The appearance of the word is associated with the name of the Mongol Khan Khubilai, who, after conquering China, twice gathered a huge fleet to reach the shores of Japan and conquer it. The Japanese were preparing for war with an army that exceeded their own strength many times over. In 1281, the Mongols gathered almost 4,500 ships and a hundred thousandth army.
But both times it didn’t reach a major battle. Historical sources claim that off the coast of Japan, the ships of the Mongolian fleet were almost completely destroyed by the suddenly breaking storms. These typhoons that saved Japan from conquest were called the "divine wind," or "kamikaze."
And when during the Second World War it became apparent that the Japanese were losing to the United States and its allies, detachments of suicide bombers appeared. They should, if not turn the tide of hostilities, then at least cause the greatest possible damage to the enemy. These pilots began to be called kamikaze.
The first flight of the kamikaze
Already from the very beginning of the war, there were solitary rams executed by pilots of ignited aircraft. But these were forced casualties. In 1944, the first official squad of suicide pilots was formed. Five pilots in Mitsubishi Zero fighters, led by Captain Yukio Seki, flew October 25 from the Mabarakat Philippine airfield.
The first victim of the kamikaze was the American aircraft carrier St. Law. Seki's plane and another fighter crashed into it. A fire started on the ship, and soon it sank. So the whole world knew who the kamikaze were.
"Living weapon" of the Japanese army
Following the success of Yukio Seki and his comrades in Japan, mass hysteria began over heroic suicides. Thousands of young people dreamed of making the same feat - to die, destroying the enemy at the cost of their lives.
Hurriedly formed "special strike detachments", and not only among the pilots. There were also suicide teams among paratroopers who were dumped at enemy airfields or other technical installations. Suicide sailors controlled either boats filled with explosives or torpedoes of enormous power.
At the same time, an active processing of the consciousness of young people was carried out, they were impressed that the kamikaze were heroes who sacrificed themselves for the sake of saving the Motherland. They are completely subordinate to the Bushido Code, calling for constant preparedness for death. This is the ideal to strive for.
The last flight of the suicide bombers was arranged as a solemn ritual. Its integral part was white bandages on the forehead, bows, the last cup of sake. And almost always - flowers from girls. And even the kamikaze themselves were often compared to sakura flowers, hinting at the speed with which they open and fall. All this surrounded death with a halo of romance.
The relatives of the dead kamikaze were waited by the honor and respect of the entire Japanese society.
The results of the actions of shock troops
Kamikaze - these are those who made almost four thousand sorties, each of which was the last. Most flights led, if not to destruction, then to damage to ships and other military equipment of the enemy. They managed to instill terror in the American sailors for a long time. And only towards the end of the war did they learn to fight suicide bombers. In total, the list of dead kamikaze consists of 6418 people.
US official figures say about 50 sunken ships. But this figure is unlikely to accurately reflect the damage inflicted by the kamikaze. After all, ships did not always sink immediately after a successful attack by the Japanese; they managed to stay afloat sometimes for several days. Some ships were able to tow to the shore, where repairs were done, without which they would be doomed.
If we consider the damage to manpower and equipment, the results immediately become impressive. After all, even giant aircraft carriers, with huge buoyancy, are not immune from fires and explosions as a result of a fire ram. Many ships burned out almost completely, although they did not go to the bottom. About 300 ships were damaged, and about 5 thousand US sailors and allies were killed.
Kamikaze - who are they? Change of world view
After 70 years since the appearance of the first death squads, the Japanese people are trying to determine for themselves how to relate to them. Who are kamikaze? Heroes who deliberately chose death in the name of the Bushido ideals? Or victims stupefied by state propaganda?
There was no doubt during the war. But archival materials lead to reflection. Even the first kamikaze, the famous Yukio Seki, believed that Japan was in vain killing its best pilots. They would do more good by continuing to fly and attack the enemy.
Lieutenant Hiroshi Kuroki, who became the author of the idea of a torpedo controlled by a suicide bomber, considered this only a gesture of despair and the result of incorrect decisions of the central command.
Be that as it may, kamikaze is part of the history of Japan. The part that ordinary Japanese cause pride in their heroism, self-denial, and pity for people who died in the prime of life. But she leaves no one indifferent.