Kamikaze Pilots: The First American Civil War

On October twenty fifth, nineteen forty-four it was a nice clear morning on Leyte Island in the Philippines. The sunrise is in full effect, and nearby the Japanese Naval Fleet has amassed a large concentration of firepower approximately 25 miles from United States ships positioned in the area. 6:45 am the first shots were fired from 20 miles away and the battle had begun. 24 Japanese Zero’s, Japan’s first squadron of Kamikaze pilots approached on the horizon. Then, as if from a scene in some horrific film, the Japanese fighters strapped with 500lb bombs, one by one nosedived out of the sky and deliberately crashed into the U.S. Warships. The Saint Louis, a U.S. Carrier was struck by an A6m Zero Kamikaze Fighter and sank in less than an hour. …show more content…
On this occasion a great typhoon destroyed the mongol fleet, saving Japan from Foreign conquest. The Japanese believed the gods sent the typhoon and named it kamikaze or ‘Divine Wind’. (‘Origin of kamikaze’) Kamikaze pilots in World War Two were young men between the ages of 18 and 24 who crash dived planes loaded with explosives, into allied ships. These men were raised to believe that sacrificing their lives for the emperor was a great honor. They believed they were honored like the samurai of the middle ages. The majority of young Japanese men thought that sacrificing themselves was an honor, and would bring honor to their family, especially if they had done something to bring their family bad luck or dishonor, this was a way to redeem …show more content…
Some of these allowed these young pilots to wear various articles of clothing and remembrances of their loved ones with him at the time of their mission and death. Most pilots would wear a headband (hachimaki), swords that were normally family heirlooms, or one that had been presented to them by a commander, a thousand stitch belt, and mascot dolls. Some were very unique, the ashes of Lt. Cmdr. Tsutomu Kairya, who was killed during his training, were carried in a silk pouch by Lt. Kentaro Mitsuhashi on his Oka mission on March twenty-first, nineteen forty-five. The headband or hatchimaki was normally a part of a kamikaze’s wardrobe. They originated from the samurai who wore them around their heads to keep hair and sweat from getting in their eyes. During World War Two, most of these were written on using blood. Along with the Hatchimaki the kamikazes, along with other members of the military, would also wear thousand stitch belt as a good luck charm. This was a white cloth that was about four to five inches wide and had a thousand read stitches.Every stitch in this belt was made by a different person, giving their wishes of good luck to the pilots on their mission. These were normally made by family and friends. Each end had cotton