What Was the Life of a Kamikaze Pilot Like?
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Date: 2022-12-29
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Comments and reviews: 20
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On May 28, 1950, Fujii boarded a plane piloted by Ensign Akira Ogawa as a communications officer. As the commander of the 45th Bombardment Group of the Army Special Attack Force, he sent the message, I am going in, and scattered into the sea of Okinawa with ten other suicide attackers.
This was five months after the death of his wife and two young daughters, and only two and a half months before the end of the war. Lieutenant Fujii was 29 years old, and his rank at the time of his death was Major. On his sortie, Fujii wrote a letter to his two daughters, who were too young to have passed away before him.
A cold December day with a raging wind
The dew on the riverbank of the Arakawa River and the extinguished life. In accordance with the will of my father, who, along with my mother, was burning with the blood of martyrdom, and who sacrificed himself to my father one step ahead of me, it is pitifully sad, and yet I am as happy as if I were laughing, and I pity the young life that disappeared with my mother.
My father will soon be able to follow in your footsteps.
Don't be afraid to sit on my father's lap this time and lie down to sleep
Until then, please don't cry and wait for me.
If Chieko cries, protect her well.
Goodbye for now.
Father is going to make a great achievement in the war and bring it back as a souvenir.
Now, Kazuko-chan and Chieko-chan, please wait until then.
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On May 28, 1950, Fujii boarded a plane piloted by Ensign Akira Ogawa as a communications officer. As the commander of the 45th Bombardment Group of the Army Special Attack Force, he sent the message, I am going in, and scattered into the sea of Okinawa with ten other suicide attackers.
This was five months after the death of his wife and two young daughters, and only two and a half months before the end of the war. Lieutenant Fujii was 29 years old, and his rank at the time of his death was Major. On his sortie, Fujii wrote a letter to his two daughters, who were too young to have passed away before him.
A cold December day with a raging wind
The dew on the riverbank of the Arakawa River and the extinguished life. In accordance with the will of my father, who, along with my mother, was burning with the blood of martyrdom, and who sacrificed himself to my father one step ahead of me, it is pitifully sad, and yet I am as happy as if I were laughing, and I pity the young life that disappeared with my mother.
My father will soon be able to follow in your footsteps.
Don't be afraid to sit on my father's lap this time and lie down to sleep
Until then, please don't cry and wait for me.
If Chieko cries, protect her well.
Goodbye for now.
Father is going to make a great achievement in the war and bring it back as a souvenir.
Now, Kazuko-chan and Chieko-chan, please wait until then.
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Paul
I am a proud American, and I view this as a tragedy. .. but these young ensigns sent on these missions were students who hadn't seen combat, and viewed their duty from a philosophical perspective. These pilots weren't brutes, or rapists, or fanatics. They were kids fresh from college. Imagine if that was your son, your brother, your nephew. And they put their lives on the line because it was their patriotic duty. What a horrible waste of life. These young men had so much courage and conviction. .. and they would have had tremendous promise if they weren't forced into this madness. Mad respect to them. They didn't deserve this, and whether or not they were forced to, they threw their lives away for their families and country without a second thought. They were true soldiers, and the people of Japan should show them more respect. From what I've heard, former kamikaze pilots are treated with disgrace. .. it's wrong. They deserve respect.
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I am a proud American, and I view this as a tragedy. .. but these young ensigns sent on these missions were students who hadn't seen combat, and viewed their duty from a philosophical perspective. These pilots weren't brutes, or rapists, or fanatics. They were kids fresh from college. Imagine if that was your son, your brother, your nephew. And they put their lives on the line because it was their patriotic duty. What a horrible waste of life. These young men had so much courage and conviction. .. and they would have had tremendous promise if they weren't forced into this madness. Mad respect to them. They didn't deserve this, and whether or not they were forced to, they threw their lives away for their families and country without a second thought. They were true soldiers, and the people of Japan should show them more respect. From what I've heard, former kamikaze pilots are treated with disgrace. .. it's wrong. They deserve respect.
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BloodyBay
Japanese Commanders: You have no choice! Get in that plane and slam it into that American aircraft carrier! For the Emperor!
Me: Yeah. for the Emperor. Got it. On my way.
. and then I would suddenly become the worst pilot in world history. Oops. I missed the aircraft carrier. Flew right over the deck instead of colliding with it! Silly me. Oops, I did it again. Oops, I actually flew close enough to the bridge to wave hello to the Americans! I must be improving. Oops, 'engine failure' has forced me to fly under the radar for a few hundred miles and land in Tahiti! Ah, well. I'm officially the Worst Pilot Ever. Hey, where's the nearest tiki bar? I'm going to drown my self-pity in, like, a million coconut cocktails. Oh, thanks. Does your bar accept Japanese aircraft as payment?
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Japanese Commanders: You have no choice! Get in that plane and slam it into that American aircraft carrier! For the Emperor!
Me: Yeah. for the Emperor. Got it. On my way.
. and then I would suddenly become the worst pilot in world history. Oops. I missed the aircraft carrier. Flew right over the deck instead of colliding with it! Silly me. Oops, I did it again. Oops, I actually flew close enough to the bridge to wave hello to the Americans! I must be improving. Oops, 'engine failure' has forced me to fly under the radar for a few hundred miles and land in Tahiti! Ah, well. I'm officially the Worst Pilot Ever. Hey, where's the nearest tiki bar? I'm going to drown my self-pity in, like, a million coconut cocktails. Oh, thanks. Does your bar accept Japanese aircraft as payment?
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Alice
Iys sad that the emperor wasted promising, educated minds.
I wonder what they could have accomplished if they were allowed to.
I didn't know about what the soldiers went through
Now I have a better understanding of why POW and incarcerated civilians were so mistreated. I met an Indonesian woman who was prisoner of the Japanese, she lost all her teeth and she would not talk about that time. Too painful, she did not want to relive it.
Did you know that Greg Pappy Boyington was shot down, picked up by Japanese sub and spent 20 months as POW.
He told of baseball bats and starvation. It was a brutal time.
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Iys sad that the emperor wasted promising, educated minds.
I wonder what they could have accomplished if they were allowed to.
I didn't know about what the soldiers went through
Now I have a better understanding of why POW and incarcerated civilians were so mistreated. I met an Indonesian woman who was prisoner of the Japanese, she lost all her teeth and she would not talk about that time. Too painful, she did not want to relive it.
Did you know that Greg Pappy Boyington was shot down, picked up by Japanese sub and spent 20 months as POW.
He told of baseball bats and starvation. It was a brutal time.
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FoxU
I remember when my grandmom still alive she had this story that during the World War 2 in the Philippines they were hiding in the mountain near the sea and they saw U. S Aircraft flying around and the sky became dark because of the volume of the aircraft passing by with their fighter plane and bomber and they saw sea battle where the japs ship exploded and my grand mother's family terrified and when the ship sank those Japanese Navy crews swam into the shore and when they reach the shore the Filipino civillians are waiting for them to hit by a boat paddle until they died one by one
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I remember when my grandmom still alive she had this story that during the World War 2 in the Philippines they were hiding in the mountain near the sea and they saw U. S Aircraft flying around and the sky became dark because of the volume of the aircraft passing by with their fighter plane and bomber and they saw sea battle where the japs ship exploded and my grand mother's family terrified and when the ship sank those Japanese Navy crews swam into the shore and when they reach the shore the Filipino civillians are waiting for them to hit by a boat paddle until they died one by one
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Wheatley
Are we gonna ignore the fact that the creator used the wrong picture of Japanese kamikazi pilots at 2: 46?
That picture isn't Imperial Japanese soldiers, that is the Nisei (Japanese American nationals) who served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment of the US Army, who fought against Japan and Germany. Ironically they are as brave and spearheaded as kamikaze pilots, and was one of the most decorated unit in WW2. They are well known for overcoming a lot of discrimination from their white colleagues and famous for rescuing the Lost Battalion in France.
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Are we gonna ignore the fact that the creator used the wrong picture of Japanese kamikazi pilots at 2: 46?
That picture isn't Imperial Japanese soldiers, that is the Nisei (Japanese American nationals) who served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment of the US Army, who fought against Japan and Germany. Ironically they are as brave and spearheaded as kamikaze pilots, and was one of the most decorated unit in WW2. They are well known for overcoming a lot of discrimination from their white colleagues and famous for rescuing the Lost Battalion in France.
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Ernest
You failed to mention that the ceremonial drink kamikaze pilots received was often laced with amphetamines. Both as a way of bolstering the pilots' aggression and to take the edge off of their fear of death. The same thing is still done with many suicide bombers. Zealotry can only drive people so far without a little chemical help. For those that will inevitably point out the conflict of an upper taken with a downer (alcohol) I point to qat, a leaf that many Yemeni men chew that provides the same warring mix in one.
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You failed to mention that the ceremonial drink kamikaze pilots received was often laced with amphetamines. Both as a way of bolstering the pilots' aggression and to take the edge off of their fear of death. The same thing is still done with many suicide bombers. Zealotry can only drive people so far without a little chemical help. For those that will inevitably point out the conflict of an upper taken with a downer (alcohol) I point to qat, a leaf that many Yemeni men chew that provides the same warring mix in one.
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Влад
At first, when we hear about Kamikaze pilots the first thought in our mind is that this is such a horrible thing, and thankfully it's all in the past, however most of us don't realize that, being sent to war or having a gun in your hands, is essentially the same as being a Kamikaze pilot. You loose your life just because someone told you that the whole meaning of your life is to fight for A, B or C. Wars are meaningless.
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At first, when we hear about Kamikaze pilots the first thought in our mind is that this is such a horrible thing, and thankfully it's all in the past, however most of us don't realize that, being sent to war or having a gun in your hands, is essentially the same as being a Kamikaze pilot. You loose your life just because someone told you that the whole meaning of your life is to fight for A, B or C. Wars are meaningless.
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Bobby
Too bad the citizens didn't force Hirohito and Tojo become Kamikaze pilots since both were war mongers who didn't have to suffer in their sick and sadistic military. Shinto was another insane religion that made theirs's a sick and cruel culture. Thank God we didn't lose the war to them and the Nazis.
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Too bad the citizens didn't force Hirohito and Tojo become Kamikaze pilots since both were war mongers who didn't have to suffer in their sick and sadistic military. Shinto was another insane religion that made theirs's a sick and cruel culture. Thank God we didn't lose the war to them and the Nazis.
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Petronilo
Kamikaze means the Divine Wind its history is that the Divine Wind saves Japan from the Mongols Invasion under Kublai Khan 12th century! They have unquestioned Loyalty to the Divine Emperor Hirohito! Death before surrender! Duty is heavier than a mountain and Death is as light as a feather! K
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Kamikaze means the Divine Wind its history is that the Divine Wind saves Japan from the Mongols Invasion under Kublai Khan 12th century! They have unquestioned Loyalty to the Divine Emperor Hirohito! Death before surrender! Duty is heavier than a mountain and Death is as light as a feather! K
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Isaac
When people ask why the bombs were dropped on Japan, you need only look at their pure savagery, even on their own men. They would have never relented, they would have never surrendered. Hundreds upon hundreds of thousands would have died in a Japanese invasion. On both sides.
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When people ask why the bombs were dropped on Japan, you need only look at their pure savagery, even on their own men. They would have never relented, they would have never surrendered. Hundreds upon hundreds of thousands would have died in a Japanese invasion. On both sides.
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James
If the Emperor was such a great man and was worthy of so many others sacrificing their lives for him, why didnt he ever offer to sacrifice his life?
Seems awfully shallow and selfish to ask so many other people to do something that you arent willing to do yourself.
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If the Emperor was such a great man and was worthy of so many others sacrificing their lives for him, why didnt he ever offer to sacrifice his life?
Seems awfully shallow and selfish to ask so many other people to do something that you arent willing to do yourself.
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Anthony
I definitely would have declined in a room full of people who wouldn't have declined I would have been like yo I'm a coward don't send me I want to live plus like I mean I'm kind of smart send me to academia or like I could find you some great tax loophole's
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I definitely would have declined in a room full of people who wouldn't have declined I would have been like yo I'm a coward don't send me I want to live plus like I mean I'm kind of smart send me to academia or like I could find you some great tax loophole's
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Duncan
At 12: 53 it looks like Japanese with a M E 262? I know the axis powers shared weapons but this must be in Germany on a official visit or something, iv seen Japanese soldiers on a tiger tank but I know they never used them, if anyone has info pls let me know
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At 12: 53 it looks like Japanese with a M E 262? I know the axis powers shared weapons but this must be in Germany on a official visit or something, iv seen Japanese soldiers on a tiger tank but I know they never used them, if anyone has info pls let me know
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Dean
All's I can think about is the Curb your enthusiasm episode about the guy who's grandfather or uncle was a kamikaze pilot but lived. and Larry just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he didn't die. dark but it was funny
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All's I can think about is the Curb your enthusiasm episode about the guy who's grandfather or uncle was a kamikaze pilot but lived. and Larry just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he didn't die. dark but it was funny
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edydon
The kamikaze units were actually more about being realistic. The Japanese military realized that sending their inexperienced pilots in dilapidated planes against American corsairs were essentially suicide missions.
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The kamikaze units were actually more about being realistic. The Japanese military realized that sending their inexperienced pilots in dilapidated planes against American corsairs were essentially suicide missions.
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laserbeam
I saw a documentary about WW2. There was a clip of japanese kamikaze pilots who, it appeared, to be pouring something, I assume was Sake into their eyes. does anyone know if the pilots put Sake into their eyes?
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I saw a documentary about WW2. There was a clip of japanese kamikaze pilots who, it appeared, to be pouring something, I assume was Sake into their eyes. does anyone know if the pilots put Sake into their eyes?
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Richard
You appear to have some photos of Nissae? spelt wrong) soldiers as well as Chinese Nationalist troops. How about a video on those brave US Japanese warriors that saw action in the European theatre.
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You appear to have some photos of Nissae? spelt wrong) soldiers as well as Chinese Nationalist troops. How about a video on those brave US Japanese warriors that saw action in the European theatre.
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buttons&gadgetsdr1
yes please do more WWII vids, as much as you can do, id also love to see vids about the korean war, that is not a war that is much talked about, all the ''fame'' goes to wwii, and 'nam
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yes please do more WWII vids, as much as you can do, id also love to see vids about the korean war, that is not a war that is much talked about, all the ''fame'' goes to wwii, and 'nam
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Alexander
_The rebel of yesterday, tomorrow's fool_
_Who are you kidding being that cool? _
_Trying to break away from running with the pack_
_But they ain't listening so you've gotta go back_
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_The rebel of yesterday, tomorrow's fool_
_Who are you kidding being that cool? _
_Trying to break away from running with the pack_
_But they ain't listening so you've gotta go back_
reply
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