The document discusses the history and origins of kamikaze attacks during World War II. It provides background on how Rear Admiral Masafumi Arima first conceived of organized kamikaze attacks in 1944. It then describes how kamikaze units were established and carried out organized suicide attacks, sinking 34 ships and damaging 368 others. The document also examines the cultural and religious beliefs in Japan that influenced soldiers to carry out kamikaze missions, with many believing they were sacrificing themselves to serve the emperor. Finally, it discusses the extensive training kamikaze pilots underwent to mentally prepare them to die in their missions.
6. Rear Admiral Masafumi
Arima
First recorded kamikaze
attack was by 1st Lt Fusata
Lida on 7 Dec 1941 during
Pearl Harbor Attack.
In 1944 Rear Admiral
Masafumi Arima conceived
the idea of raising Kamikaze
Unit.
7. Rear Admiral
Masafumi Arima
15 Oct 1944, Rear
Admiral Masufima struck
USS Franklin.
Recognized as 1st
Official suicide attacker
and was posthumously
promoted to the rank of
Admiral.
8. In Oct 1944, Commander
Asaiki Tami, raised
Kamikaze Special Attack
Unit at Manila,
Philippines.
Sub Units were:-
Shikishima.
Yamato.
Asahi.
Yamazakura
10. • In 1944–45, the Japanese were
heavily influenced by Shinto
beliefs. , Emperor worship was
stressed after Shinto was
established as a state religion
during the Meiji Restoration
• In 1890, the Imperial Rescript on
Education was passed.
• The ultimate offering was to give
up one’s life. It was an honor to die
for Japan and the Emperor.
• Honor was to become
eerie, that is ‘guardian spirits’
of the country
11. • Newspapers and books ran
advertisements, articles, and
stories regarding the suicide
bombers, to aid in recruiting
and support.
• Many Japanese felt that to be
enshrined at Yasukuni was a
special honor because the
Emperor twice a year visited
the shrine to pay homage.
12. • Publishers also played up the
idea that the kamikaze were
enshrined at Yasukuni and
ran exaggerated stories of
kamikaze bravery – there
were even fairy tales for little
children that promoted the
kamikaze.
• While many stories were
falsified, some were true,
such as the story of Kiyu
Ishikawa who saved a
Japanese ship when he
crashed his plane into a
torpedo that an American
submarine had launched.
13. • Ceremonies were Carried
out for the departure of
Kamakazies.
• Japanese Flags Were
given to them Or the rising
Sun Flag(Insignia of
Japanese Navy)
14. • Katana
Sword/Nambu Pistol
• Hachimaki Head
band with rising Sun
Logo
• Sennin Bari Belt “A
belt with thousands
stiches, sewn by
thousands women
Who made one Stich
Each
17. • Captain Motoharu Okamura commented that “there
were so many volunteers for suicide missions that he
referred to them as a swarm of bees,” explaining:
“Bees die after they have stung.”
• Many of the kamikaze pilots believed their death
would pay the debt they owed and show the love they
had for their families, friends, and emperor.
18. Must make loyalty his
obligation.
Must make prosperity
his way of life.
Must highly esteem
military valor.
Must have regards
for righteousness.
Must have simple
live.
19. In Japanese, Kamikaze
means “divine wind”
Was an honor to die for country.
Was an honor to serve the
emperor.
One crashed plane could
sink a ship
Become a hero if fifty people died
21. When a person eliminates all
thoughts about life and death then
he is able to forget totally about
his earthly life and will also enable
him to concentrate their attention
on destroying the enemy with
steady strength of mind and at the
same time strengthen their
excellence in flight skills too.
22. Kasugai Takeo: According to him “ it generally consisted of
incredibly punishing training coupled with cruel and torturous
punishment as a daily routine .”
Irokawa Daikichi: This person was trained at Naval air base
who recalled that he was struck so hard and frequently that
his face was no longer recognizable ,he also wrote that I was
hit so hard that I could see no longer and fall on the floor.
This cruel training was justified by the idea that it would
implant a soldier's fighting spirit
23. Pilots were given training which
detailed how they are supposed
to think, prepare and attack. From
this training pilots were told to
attain a high level of spiritual
training and to keep their health
in very best condition. These
things among others were meant
to put the pilot into the mind set
in which he would be mentally
ready to die.
24. The training was very detailed
in how a pilot should attack .
The Tokkotai pilot’s training
told pilots never to close
their eyes. This is because if
a pilot closed his eyes he
would lower the chances of
hitting the target, especially
the ships.