Loyal to the Divine State: Kamikaze Pilots

Bound by Bushido, the samurai code of honour, Kamikaze Pilots were Japanese pilots during WWII who carried out suicide missions to crash their aircrafts into enemy targets. They would be strapped with as many explosives as possible for maximum destruction. It was a desperate last attempt to try and cripple the Allied forces but, in the end, it proved ineffective and quite futile. This battle tactic was especially prominent during the air and sea battle of Leyte Gulf from October 23-26, 1944. These valiant soldiers

fought for pain and for glory.

After the Battle of Midway during 1942, between Japan and the United States, Japan suffered heavy losses, and things only went downhill from there. With significantly fewer warships, planes, and fuel than the U.S, the Japanese needed to pull out all the stops to try and change the path the war was headed down. First suggested by Motoharu Okamura was the idea of suicide pilots. He believed that it was the only way to turn the tide in favour of Japan, but it wasn't until Vice Admiral Takijirō Ōnishi that the first kamikaze unit was formed. Kamikaze pilots would be strapped with bombs and loaded with extra gasoline tanks to maximize the damage done to the enemy.

Though the task was gruesome, under Bushido, soldiers believed that it was the ultimate act of honour to die for the emperor, who was seen as the divine state under Shinto beliefs. Bushido was the embodiment of loyalty, sacrifice, and dying with dignity rather than surrendering. Their faith in Shintoism wasn't the main reason they sacrificed their lives, but many young men felt that they had no choice due to immense societal and military pressure. Propaganda heavily reinforced the idea and instilled it deep into the minds of society. Soldiers felt it was necessary to choose between being heroes or facing terrible shame. The Kamikaze followed through with their duties in a blaze of pride and flames, but many were just teenagers with barely any combat knowledge. The youngest ever documented Kamikaze pilot was 16-year-old Yasuo Tanaka, but it’s highly likely that boys under the age of 16 were soldiers or even Kamikaze pilots during these battles. They typically didn’t have much battle knowledge because training would be rushed. Their sole purpose was to fly and sacrifice themselves on their first and very last mission as bombs anyway, so they were only taught how to fly and maneuver their planes. To truly understand some of the emotions these soldiers felt, many of their letters to their loved ones have been preserved and are available for viewing either in person in museums, or online.

The Kamikaze pilots were more than just weapons of war, they were young men trapped in a bad situation where society crushed them under the pressure. Caught in a time of desperation, they were bound by duty and honour, where propaganda stole their chances at having a future. Their lives were lost for nothing because their attacks were proven futile, and it’ll forever stain the country of Japan. They will look back on these valiant soldiers with honor and regret. Regret for the extreme lengths the country went through to try to turn the tides of the war, but honour and respect for the soldiers who went bravely, believing they were fighting for the greatness of their homeland. It’ll serve as a reminder of the terrors of war and why peace is so important.

Lendon, Brad. “Last Letters from Japan’s Young Kamikaze Pilots Offer Rare WWII Insights.” CNN, 15 Jan. 2024, www.cnn.com/travel/japan-kamikaze-pilots-museums-intl-hnk/index.html.

Ray, Michael. “Battle of Midway.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 27 May 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Midway.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Kamikaze | Pilots and Aircraft.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 28 Dec. 2016, www.britannica.com/topic/kamikaze.