The Kamikaze pilots of WWII compared to the Suicide Bombers of today ?

Question

Anyone here who lived during WWII or knows alot about history know how people view the Kamikaze pilots in WWII. Were they viewed as incane, brainwashed, and murderers like the suicide bombers today? If not how were they viewed, and was it because the kamikaze pilots were attacking only military vessels and killed only soldiers compaired to the suicide bombers who kill soldiers and civilians? I am just curious on how different wars compair to eachother throughout history?

Answer 1

Wow, good question. In addition to their differences in choosing targets, I'd think that kamizakee pilots were a bit more tolerable in that they could be distinguished as enemies, whereas suicide bombers are often no different than innocent civilians. After all, an enemy plane was an enemy plane, and even from a distance ships could distinguish the Japanese planes and atleast have the opportunity to defend themselves. The victims of suicide bombings (military and civilian alike) are seldom given that chance....

Answer 2

I believe Japanese citizens during WWII viewed Kamikaze pilots differently from American citizens, and of course, we do have different views of Suicide Bombers of today from, say, Islamic Radicals.

I've been told that Japanese citizens, just like any other countries during the war time, technically could not speak bad about the country's plans or its military. Kamikaze pilots, literally meaning the God's Wind, were expected to bring the victory for Japan and thus they were supposed to be viewed with a lot of respect.
Of course, seeing objectively from today's perspective Kamikaze Pilots WERE brainwashed: many were taught that serving or dying for the Emperor is possibly the greatest thing a man could do. It is highly possible to say that if they were not brainwashed enough, they couldn't have sacrificed their lives to kill others.

Does this sound similar to the situation of suicide bombers today? I do not know.

Answer 3

Yes, the other day there was an article about the origins of suicide bombers. The first was in Lebanon when a bomber blew up an embassy. But it can be traced back in time. And during the II WW the Japanese had the Kamikaze planes and the killer torpedoes who gained honour. And they yelled Banzai while doing it, meaning 10000 years, ie., the period of the Meizi rule.
Have you seen the Indian movie Terrorist starring Ayesha Dharkar (the second queen of Nabu after Padme) or Dil Se (the title song for Inside Man is taken from this movie).

Answer 4

Well everybody's just about hit the best points, but I think the two most important differences are that the kamikaze were engaging a futile but heroic last defensive stand, and that they were attacking military targets. Japan was responsible for some blood-curdling war crimes and civilian atrocities over the war, but the kamikaze were not one of those.

Answer 5

Hello,
As said:

In common they had a strong belief and were/are willing to sacrifice their lives for a religious and semi- religious cause.

In difference Kamikaze pilots concentrated on naval military targets whilst suicide bombers, besides miltary also concentrate on pizza joints, night clubs and public markets.

The Japanese Kamikaze pilots have more respect for this reason; thought of crazy but respected. Many felt though they were a last ditch pathetic effort for Japan to redeem herself militarily. Actually I know of one Canadian pilot, Robert Hampton Grey whose plane was fatally hit by gunfire in World War II. Seeing he was a goner anyway, he managed to crash his plale into a Japanese destroyer, putting it out of action.
He got the DSC, Victoria cross for that so under the right circumstances there is some respectability.

Michael

Answer 6

My observations (I am 53, so I did not live through WWII)...

You hit the nail on the head... the Japanese Kamikaze, though as fanatical as current Suicide Bombers,* only focused their destruction on the enemy warriors.

Today, many non-combatants are injured, including many of their own people.

I think both of them were foolish, but that's my way of thinking.




*(I personally think they should be called Suicide Murderers... it's a more honest description)


.

Answer 7

The main difference--probably stated by others, but I'm being more concise--is that the Kamikaze pilots were not motivated by hatred, or the spreading of terror among the populations of enemy countries. They were warriors, not terrorists. A certain amount of fanaticism, obviously, was necessary to drive them to volunteer to commit suicide for the service of their country, but no more than today's soldier's (even in our own military) who make the brash claim that they would proudly die for their country.

Answer 8

The aviators of the Special Attack Squadrons ("Kamikaze" or Divine Wind) attacked only military targets. During the Battle of Okinawa they inflicted more Navy casualties, and sank or crippled more Navy ships, then did the aviators of the Japanese Combined Northern Fleet in their attack on Pearl Harbor.
What is never mentioned is what nation gave them the model for this system of aerial attack. It was Orson Welles, in his famous radio broadcast of H.G. Wells' "War Of The Worlds", which aired on Haloween night in 1938. Towards the end of the broadcast the radio play portrays two American aviators deliberately flying their aircraft into one of the invading Martian space ships!

Answer 9

Correct, Japanese Kamikaze pilots were "combatants attacking combatants or military attacking military." However, on the other hand, radical suicide bombers indiscriminately attack or murder innocent civilians.
~

Answer 10

even though to Western thought, that deliberately killing yourself is madness, you have to, in retrospect, have some respect for the Kamikaze Corps.

For those who kill innocent bystanders AS POLICY...contempt isn't strong enough......let's just call them "not so smart" bombs.