Special Attack ~ KAMIKAZE

Kamikaze – also “Divine Wind” and “Special Attack”

Although not CBO/ETO, but very much in the context of revisionism in history (or should I more accurately say: one party’s world-view vs another’s), I note James’ passing remark above: “Kamikaze, suicide rather than surrender” (granted, explicitly in the context of the Cowra Breakout). I think it is fair to say Kamikaze is generally thought and spoken of in that language/meaning by the Western mind. Suicide rather than surrender. I have a different take on it.

I assume we all know of the background to Kamikaze in (a) the Samurai tradition [noble warrior who, inter alia, will die for his lord rather than accept defeat] and (b) the legend/fact of the various “Divine Winds” that saved Japan from invasion/defeat from time tom time. In 1995 I spent about 10 days on holiday in Tokyo; my far better half was working and I got to meander about the city. Great fun. One day I wandered into the Yasukuni Shrine. If you ever get a chance to visit this place – DO – it’s remarkable, for its serenity; for it’s museum, history and artifacts (very, very different collection/display philosophy better left for another thread); and for it’s world view. It will take your head away.

There is a section in the museum on “special attack”. It discusses the background, training, tactics and efficacy of “special attack”. I’m relying on memory here, but basically the argument/history presented is …
– Japanese forces were having a hell of a time keeping US forces at bay, their sea and island hopping forces were making inexorable progress
– in particular, damaging US seaborne forces (particularly carriers and invasion fleets) was extremely problematic; the combined defensive firepower of the carrier fleets (AA and carrier based interceptors) was such that Japan’s aviators were suffering enormous losses for little effect
– ie., it had become clear that if you went out in a bomber to attack a US ship, the most likely outcome was that you would be killed and would not damage your target
– some bright spark (or maybe some collective thinking process) came up with a far more efficient and effective solution – given that you were almost certain to die anyway, why not draw on tradition and legend (above) and let a handful of people place single aircraft (and later other things) straight into the target? Only one aircraft/life would be lost with a far higher strike rate
– in other words, it was an efficiency play; and it was remarkably effective; it raised morale on the “defending” (= Japan’s) side, scared the living daylights out of those being struck, and actually caused some significant damage at relatively low cost of the defender’s lives and material

I wonder, isn’t that the stuff of a VC?

http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/