During World War II in the Pacific, beginning in late 1944 and continuing into 1945 Kamikaze pilots were used in a final attempt to inflict heavy damage on Allied forces just before Japan’s surrender. Kamikaze pilots would deliberately crash their planes, loaded with bombs, into U. S. Navy ships during the Battle of Okinawa and later operations against Japan. Later Kamikaze pilots aimed not at ships but at landing craft, hoping to crash through and sink the smaller vessels, with crews’ quarters a favored target.
Kamikaze attacks were a weapon of asymmetric war used by Japan near the end of World War II against United States Navy battle groups. In total, as many as 4,000 suicide air attacks took place during the last six months of the Pacific War. The Kamikaze (“divine wind”) was first widely deployed in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, on October 25 and October 26, 1944. During this battle Kamikaze pilots damaged or sank numerous U. S. vessels and inflicted heavy casualties (especially on carrier groups), although they failed to inflict critical damage to any American naval vessel.
Kamikaze strikes inflicted heavy damage to U. S. carriers when U. S. forces made amphibious landings in the Philippines, in February 1945 at Lingayen Gulf and March 1945 at Mindanao, and in April during the invasion of Okinawa. Kamikaze attacks (including plans involving “kamikaze” flying boats) also occurred against Allied forces in the Battle of Wake Island, Battle of Peleliu, Battle of Saipan, Battle of Guam, Battle off Samar, and other battles before Japan’s final sortie in late July/August 1945.
A 5-inch (13 cm) shell from a Kamikaze aircraft penetrate her Number 1 turret after it crashed into her flight deck on October 30, 1944, during the Battle of Samar. Kamikaze aircraft were essentially pilot-guided explosive missiles, purpose-built or converted from conventional aircraft. Pilots would attempt to crash their aircraft into enemy ships in what was called a “body attack” in planes laden with some combination of explosives; alternatively, they would try to smash into enemy flight decks, preferably where they packed the greatest concentration of anti-aircraft guns and armored homing heads.
Kamikaze attacks frequently occurred at dawn and dusk (golden hours); attacking at night became common as it made visual detection harder for warships that were equipped with relatively few radar systems. Kamikazes typically used G4M2e Model 24s armed with 800 kg (1760 lb) bombs or K4Y1 Model 11s armed with 550 kg (1210 lb) bombs, although some Kamikazes were armed with Type 99 aircraft torpedoes. Kamikaze attacks were highly effective due to the large number of Allied ships that were stationed in home waters and in the Pacific theater.
Kamikazes typically attacked anti-aircraft cruisers, destroyers, and especially aircraft carriers. Kamikaze pilots aimed for one of three places on a ship: the boiler rooms, the bridges, or the magazines containing multiple aircraft fuel tanks. The fleet carriers Bunker Hill and Intrepid were both hit by Kamikazes who achieved their aim of crashing into fuel storage areas causing massive explosions and loss of life.
Kamikaze attacks were also more successful against other lighters, agile ships able to change course quickly, such as destroyer escorts and landing ships. These types of vessels escorted the larger warships and transports that could not maneuver as readily. Kamikazes never sank a single U. S. aircraft carrier but did cause enough damage with their explosive payload to render several carriers inoperable after they had been hit, even if the Kamikaze aircraft themselves ultimately failed to destroy their intended target.
In addition to Kamikaze planes, surface ships were employed as improvised explosive-laden suicide weapons in a tactic dubbed “Baka” (fool) by Mitsuo Ohta . This ranks alongside another Kamikaze tactic, where obsolete or damaged warships were used as decoys to attract the attention of U. S. forces and then were sunk by other Kamikazes attacking from another direction. The Kamikaze aircraft represented a tactical shift in the conduct of air operations against United States Navy fleets during World War II.
Japan had initially attempted to use high-level bombers with large payloads that could inflict mass damage; however, these attacks had been unsuccessful due to better training and tactics of American fighter pilots such as experience in dogfights and superior numbers (and therefore more ammunition). Kamikazes represented a tactic designed for use by pilots who had minimal flight training and rudimentary weapons skills; they would crash themselves into enemy ships and at least try to ensure that they took as many of the enemy down with them as possible.
Kamikaze strikes were used by the Japanese during the battles at Leyte Gulf, Okinawa, and elsewhere in an attempt to delay Allied advances on key areas. Kamikazes were not a military concept until around February 1945; however, some Kamikaze weapons had been developed earlier. The “Kamishiro Special Attack Corps” (formed from Army pilots) was formed for a suicide attack on Allied air raids on Japan in 1944, and had Kamikaze gliders built and tested successfully since January 1944; though there is no record of Kamishiro aircraft ever being involved in a Kamikaze mission.
Imperial Japanese Navy Captainoharu Okamura developed the concept of dive-dive-dive Kamikaze attacks in 1943, to counter American superiority in carrier based aircraft. The Kamizake (“Divine Wind”) units were formed at the beginning of 1945, and took inspiration from Captain Okamura’s concepts; Kamizakes did not become known as Kamikazes until 11 January 1945. Suicidal crash-diving was not a new tactic for Japan. As early as 1932, Staff Officer Isoroku Yamamoto ordered the development of “suicide torpedoes”, ultimately built by Kure Naval Arsenal in prototype form as Type 7.
These “Chigetai Torpedo” (Personal Torpedo) were intended to allow Japanese personnel stranded on an island or shipwrecked to destroy a larger enemy vessel by manually aiming their torpedo and then deliberately crash-diving into that enemy. In 1940, Kamikazes were officially named “Special Attack Units” in the Japanese Navy’s Aeronautical Department, and one year later the word Kamikaze was coined to describe a person who would willingly die for his country, giving up individual existence for duty.
There was no Kamikaze pilot initiative or special forces action in Japan before 1944; though some pilots did carry out suicide missions early in the war. In 1942 Lieutenant Yukio Seki had taken off from the final Japanese stronghold of Saipan on a Nakajima B5N2 carrier attack plane armed with a 500 lb (226 kg) bomb, which he later dove into a bridge on Guam. Kamikaze-like tactics were first used in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, but had been proposed as early as 1941, to deal with expected casualties from the Allied bombing of Japan after Japan’s initial defeats.
Kamikazes came from all walks of life and represented a cross-section of Japanese society. In order to maintain operational secrecy, complete training for Kamikaze missions varied considerably; however, Kamikaze trainees typically flew dozens of flights over several months before they attended a few days worth of “cram” lessons about their targets. Kamikaze pilots generally passed a series of physical and mental examinations prior to their final sorties.
All Kamikazes were volunteers – no one was forced to become a Kamikaze pilot. In order to ensure secrecy and accurate targeting, the Kamikazes would be told only that which was needed for their mission. Kamikaze pilots were generally given a map of their target area with lines drawn on it showing the Kamikaze’s path from its take-off point to its final dive onto an enemy ship under attack; however, Kamikazes were never told where they would strike until after takeoff.
Kamikazes flew downed planes or those otherwise unfit for flight back to base where they naturally became part of a pool of damaged but repairable aircraft. These Kamikazes became known as “Bakayaro” (stupid fool) because of the effort expended in repairing them, and Kamikazes who flew such Kamikaze planes became known as “Bakayaros”. Japanese Navy Kamikazes were required to sign a written oath pledging themselves to die for the Emperor before they could volunteer, and at least nine Kamikaze pilots committed suicide in public ceremonies.
Kamikaze trainees underwent extensive survival training. Kamikaze pilots wore armbands reading “To Imperial Army – Kamikaze Special Attack Corps member” and had their ashes scattered over Japan after their cremation. Kamizakes died not only knowing that there was no chance of escape but also knowing both the horror and shame surrounding Japan’s defeat; many felt it better to become a Kamikaze than face dishonor.
