Monday, April 14, 2008
Kamikaze
I did not know that there was so much history behind these missions. I just thought that Japanese men were trying to complete last ditch efforts to win the war. In fact the name came from an old tale of divine wind and a storm that destroyed a fleet in the past to save them. The college intellectuals of WWII had committed themselves to save their families by becoming weapons to target aircraft carriers. These thoughts and concepts were honorable much like Bushido and the code of the Samurai. I think that these individuals were even more like the medieval soldiers than the Japanese army men were. Did they compare themselves to the medieval soldiers?
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I do not know what they compared themselves to; however, I cannot see that they compared themselves to medieval soldiers charging into battle, because they could retreat. I am not sure the Kamikaze could have pulled up before crashing. They were on a mission, no matter the cost. However, the suicide bombers in the war today seem more like the Kamikazes. It was a case that even though they did not have that much training, they knew that they were to penetrate the enemy at whatever cost.
I think the Japanese higher ups were just working with what they had. I don’t think it was a completely last ditch effort. However, mobilizing the entire civilian population was. The attacks produced the desired effects. Moreover, what is the difference between a pilot crashing his plane into a ship and a Japanese infantryman continuing to fight on Iwo Jima or Okinawa when resistance no longer made sense? There are Americans that won the Medal of Honor that individuals would consider their actions suicidal.
I think that Japanese had the right to be made how their kamikaze pilots were being portrayed to the world. To us they were committing suicide. But to their culture they were being honorable and giving their life for their country.
I think that Japanese had the right to be made how their kamikaze pilots were being portrayed to the world. To us they were committing suicide. But to their culture they were being honorable and giving their life for their country.
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