I read this phrase "some people have a commitment like a kamikaze pilot on the tenth mission" pls. explain

Question

I'm not sure if i've got the words right...also kamikaze pilot i beleive is one who is a human bomb on a mission but wats the significance of tenth mission in the phrase

Answer 1

there is no tenth mission... that why they are kamikazes... suiciders... so I think that those people do not have commitment at all

Answer 2

You're right about what kamikaze means. So to continue the thought, if he is on his tenth mission, then he's not very dedicated to the idea, his heart isn't in it, that sort of thing. Obviously if he had really believed in what he was doing, his first mission would have been his last. So a person whose commitment to the cause is as poor as a repeat kamikaze pilot's is pretty much non-existent. Using "tenth" rather than some smaller number like "second" or "third" is just exaggeration for effect.

Answer 3

In theory Kamikaze pilots flew their planes into a ship, hopefully, sinking it. In reality they were told to hit only aircraft carriers to stop enemy planes from bombing Japan. If there was no aircraft carrier available to crash into then the pilot would return. Each time he took off the pilot expected to die so to do so ten times would require the utmost bravery and courage. This is how the commitment is being described.

In reality Kamikaze pilots were chosen from universities as, being extremly intelligent, they could be trained to fly in a very short time. Most were unwilling but were told that their families would suffer if they did not volunteer and lose much 'face' as their sons would be branded cowards. Also if they refused they were immediately sent to fight on the front line in the most dangerous positions were they would certainly die an inglorious death. In total only about 3,300 pilots were commisioned. Because of their short training they were poor pilots and most were shot down before reaching the targets. Only about 300 actually did survive to make an attack and, of those, about 30 or so hit their targets. Some defected and many got lost and ended up in the sea. The fame, or notoriety, and fairy stories surrounding them come mainly from Hollywood films , the producers of which are not too concerned with facts, but plots including kamikaze planes provide spectacular films. The Japanese were not so stupid as to waste the lives of their best pilots, they needed those for the defence of Japan.

Answer 4

For a kamikaze pilot, their first mission was their last! The job of the Japanese Kamikaze was to fly their plane directly into a warship to disable or destroy it. The kamikaze would die in this act.

The term essentially means that some people chicken out of commitment, or just have a big problem with making commitments.

Answer 5

Kamikaze pilots were never supposed to land; they were on suicide missions. In other words, the stereotypical kamikaze pilot was a fanatic totally dedicated to his mission (I say stereotypical because I imagine that the reality was that many kamikaze pilots were not fanatics at all but were forced to serve as such).

Thus if you are on your tenth kamikaze mission, the implication is that you were not too dedicated to the whole kamikaze mission (that's an understatement) because those who were really into it died during their first mission.

Either that or you just weren't very clear on the whole kamikaze concept!

Answer 6

don't know what others have said as the screen doesn't show it here but the kamikaze pilot would drive their plane into any obstacle (ship, barge, building, etc). They were like our guided missiles used today except they personally guided the missile (plane usually loaded with bomb/explosives as well as fuel) into their targets.

Many were not given the chance to change their mind, as landing wheels were made to fall off once the plane left the ground. But for those who believed that they were giving their lives for their country and it was the highest honor they could receive, there would not be a 2nd, 3rd, less alone 10th mission.

If you are truly committed to a cause, it only takes one time to give it your all - no matter the cost.

Answer 7

If a kamikaze pilot were to go on 10 missions, and not be killed on 9 of them, then he would not be a very 'committed' kamikaze pilot, would he. He wouldn't be trying very hard to perform his 'duty', that is, to die.
Were he truly 'committed', he would have died on the first mission. So, the phrase means that the subject of the comment, is not very committed.

Answer 8

Kamikaze, a suicide act made by Japanese pilot during world war II. They are not "human boms"

It could be saying "some people break commitments alot of times."

Answer 9

It means you're not committed to a goal. Obviously, if you're on your tenth mission, and you're a human bomb, you're obviously not very committed (or good) at what you do. The goal is pretty easy, and you're still not committed to it.

Answer 10

You're supposed to go through with it (suicide mission) the first time...

Tenth mission means you've been slacking off a wee bit...