what does the use of kamikaze pilots show about japanese culture?

Question

was it because
1. they hated americans enough to commit suicide
or
2. they valued national honor more than the individual life
or
3. they did not mind dying b/c they were going to lose the war

need help NOW

Answer 1

it is no. 2. it is a great honor for them to die for their country. they have a strong feeling of nationalism that they could offer their life for their country.

Answer 2

Most importantly, it shows a much different set of cultural values than those cherished in the west. I spent many years in Asia and one of the differences I noticed was that Asians tend to put the community's needs before the individual's needs. In the west, on the other hand, the individual's needs are generally placed before the needs of the community. One example, during Asian financial crisis, I saw South Koreans standing in lines that were sometimes blocks long in order to donate jewelry, money and gold and other precious metals to assist their government in its efforts to combat the financial meltdown. I cannot picture that happening in America, or any other western country, even though America is trillions of dollars in debt. I often miss the community first values I saw firsthand as I traveled through Asia. My point? The Japanese Kamikaze was placing the life of the community before his own needs.

Answer 3

None of the choices you offered apply. The overwhelming motivation of the kamikaze pilots, according to post-war interviews with the survivors, was a profound sense of obligation to

1) their family

2) the Emperor

3) personal honor

Obligation and gratitude to their parents was the most important motivation.

They weren't "brainwashed" or drugged. They weren't all expecting to become gods at the Yakisuni shrine (some of the pilots were Christians). They went to their deaths hoping that their sacrifice would spare their parents the humiliation of defeat.

BTW, some of the responses to this question are needlessly insulting and racist.

Answer 4

They were brainwashed, not unlike some of our own military.
Not at all unlike Alkaida!
Many cultures have beliefs and practices that are not accepible to us Americans. Is it a matter of choice or prejudice? We are all individuals and none of us are trained to accept easily the idiocyncrocies of others. Culture is developed by us all and does change through out history and territory. Communication helps the world as a whole develope our individual as well as international awareness.

Answer 5

2. they valued national honor more than the individual life

Answer 6

To choose the best of your three listings, is not very difficult.
(2)
Although they envied us to a considerable degree, it was not our form of government nor our culture as a whole that was their object of envy, but our technological and industrial level of achievement.

And they desperately wanted to catch up, and believed they could, if only they had the natural resources to do so. This situation was the primary cause of the war: their desire to expand into, and control the entire far east.

Their national honor was the main stay of their commitment to war.

One often hears of the Nazi's view of themselves, as being a superior group. But they had nothing on the Japanese. Japans treatment of their conquered peoples, exceeded that of the Nazi's in my opinion. You need only to talk to a p.o.w. of theirs, to appreciate this.

I realize that I've gotten somewhat off the track, but that the world as a whole has forgotten this seemingly, really burns me.

Wotan

Answer 7

2 - the concept of honor and personal sacrifice plays a huge part in Japanese culture.

Answer 8

It was more a case of intense peer pressure IMO. Just like soldiers everywhere, they died for their comrades, not for their country. I guess the best answer would be #2, but it's an inadequate explanation. Their national identity was an organic whole with their families, friends and superiors.

Answer 9

2. the kamikaze were a throwback to the samurai of yesteryear. they valued the life of their lord more than theirs. so the kamikaze valued the honor of their emperor and nation more.

Answer 10

Super committed.