IndexWhat is Kamikaze?When, where and whoWhy was this decision made?Why Kamikaze was quite successfulWas it really worth it?The long-term effects of KamikazeWorks CitedWhat is Kamikaze?Kamikaze is a Japanese word that directly translates to "Divine Wind". In 1281, when the Mongol fleets were attacking Japan, a mysterious typhoon appeared out of nowhere and completely eradicated the Mongol fleets. [Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016] The Japanese saw this typhoon as a gift from the gods and called it "Divine Wind" or Kamikaze. Later, during World War II, the term was used once again, this time to refer to a special team of pilots who the Japanese hoped would be the divine wind to save them from another dangerous situation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay When, where and who On October 25, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte in World War II, Japanese pilots carried out a suicide attack on an Australian Navy ship, killing 30 sailors, in a desperate attempt to gain an advantage over the Allies . [Nichols, 2018] [“Kamikaze – Suicide Pilots of World War II”, 2018]This was the first of many suicide attacks carried out by Japanese pilots, known as “Kamikaze pilots”. [Sue, 2014]The suicide pilots, usually between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four [“Kamikaze – Suicide Pilots of World War II”, 2018] flew a specially designed piloted missile called “Ohka” or “Cherry Blossom” which it was dropped from approximately 7,500 meters above sea level. [“Kamikaze – Suicide Pilots of World War II”, 2018] Once the missile glided about 5 kilometers from its target, the pilot fired three rocket engines to accelerate to an incredible speed of 960 kilometers per hour while shouting “Tenno Heika Banzai!”, or “Long live the Emperor!” as they crashed their planes into enemy ships. [McKay & McKay, 2018] [Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016]Why was this decision made? After losing the Mariana Islands in the war, the Japanese would have to surrender or prepare to be invaded by the Allies as they had absolutely no chance of winning. [“Why did the Japanese use so many kamikaze missions? – Quora”, 2018] However, the Japanese refused to surrender their country, choosing instead to fight to the death. Japan was severely lacking in experienced soldiers, natural resources, weapons, materials, and, most importantly, flight-ready aircraft and experienced pilots. Therefore the only possible option for Japan was to maximize the number of Allied casualties for each Japanese death and instill a sense of fear in the opposition to make the Allies believe that attacking Japan would be futile and a waste of resources. Kamikazes were the perfect battle tactic for both objectives. [Kauffmann, 2016]Then Vice Admiral Onishi Takijiro began training young pilots after the fall of Saipan. The pilots chosen were usually college students motivated by obligation and gratitude to the country, and underwent intensive training lasting just a week. [Keegan, 1977] These students needed very little training, takeoffs but no landings. [“The dangerous struggle. The Kamikaze Menace | PBS”, 2018]“I firmly believe that the only way to turn the war in our favor is to resort to dive attacks with our planes. There is no other way. Provide me with 300 planes and I will change the fate of the war." said kamikaze squadron commander Motoharu Okamura. [Sue, 2014]Why the Kamikazes were quite successfulAlthough the Allies knew the sacrificial nature of their adversary, they werecompletely unprepared for the Kamikazes, which immediately created fear and apprehension in the American troops. [“The dangerous struggle. The Kamikaze Menace | PBS”, 2018]An Allied crew member confessed: “I didn't want to admit how scared I was. You have a large fleet of aircraft approaching, many of which will likely be kamikazes. They don't drop bombs because they probably miss you, they beat you, and doing nothing, standing around waiting, was petrifying. [“What it was like to fight the Japanese Kamikaze,” 2015]At the time, the Japanese thought that dying for the country was extremely honorable and often thought of themselves as the samurai of the Middle Ages. [“Kamikaze – Suicide Pilots of World War II”, 2018]“I firmly believe that the idea of ​​​​the kamikaze attack developed quite naturally in the fighting spirit of younger pilots. In my opinion, the best fighting method is to kill a thousand with one soldier and sink a battleship with one plane.” declared a man who had joined the Kamikaze and survived as the war was over before it could be "his turn". [Truman, 2015]Another said: “We saw the terrible situation of the war and believed that special attack was the best method. We have volunteered and are determined to sacrifice ourselves so that our country can achieve a victory.” [Truman, 2015]This is why Captain Motoharu Okamura was confident when he stated, “There will be more than enough volunteers to have this chance to save our country” [“First kamikaze attack of the war begins – October 25, 1944 - HISTORY”, 2018]Was it really worth it? Many people argue that the Kamikaze attacks were an irrational and ethically incorrect decision by the Japanese government at the time, as only 10% of the missions were thought to have succeeded and failed to turn the tide of war, effectively leaving all who lived to go to waste. The day before Japan's surrender, Onishi Takijiro even committed suicide with a note apologizing for the wasted sacrifice. [“The Dangerous Fight . The Kamikaze Menace |. PBS”, 2018]When asked what they thought of the Kamikaze in an interview with the BBC, young people in Japan had answers ranging from "irrational, heroic and stupid". The survivors, now in their nineties, confessed that not all Kamikazes were completely willing to do it. die for your country. “I would say 60 to 70 percent of us were eager to sacrifice ourselves for the emperor, but the rest probably wondered why they had to leave,” revealed one such survivor, Osamu Yamada. However, Mr. Yamada was also a supporter of the kamikaze: “It hurts me because Kamikaze was my youth. It was an innocent thing. It was truly something pure. It was much more sublime. But now it is discussed as if we were induced,” he said [“How young Japanese see kamikaze pilots of the Second World War”, 2017]Although the Kamikaze attacks did not change the outcome of the war, which ended after America dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it must however be recognized that the Allied casualties were more than 7000. [Sue, 2014] The Kamikazes also sank 40 to 50 ships and damaged hundreds of others Japanese view, the Kamikaze had postponed the end of the war and instilled a deep sense of terror in the hearts of the Allied troops. The Kamikaze was a demonstration of Japan's immense fighting spirit. "It's because I can't do it," one teenager described. "I find them heroic and courageous." ["How young Japanese see WWII kamikaze pilots", 2017]Remember: this is just an example. 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