The Mind of the Kamikaze
20th century
•
14m
In late 1944, Japan’s military turned to a deadly and radical tactic: suicide attacks by pilots known as kamikaze, or “divine wind.” These young men, often in their late teens, flew explosive-laden aircraft into Allied ships, sacrificing themselves to delay defeat. The kamikaze program, rooted in Japan’s cultural and strategic desperation, is a fascinating study in psychological conditioning. The kamikaze were products of a system that suppressed survival instincts to achieve tactical objectives. From the Battle of Leyte Gulf to the airfields of Kyushu, the kamikaze program, offers a case study of the intersection between military strategy and human sacrifice.
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