1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 2: show that explores the highs and lows of everyday history. 4 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 2: I'm Gabe Bluesier, and in this episode, we're talking about 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: one of the most horrifying wartime practices in modern history, 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 2: the Kamakazi strikes of World War II. As a warning, 7 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 2: today's episode includes discussion of suicide as a military tactic 8 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 2: and may be upsetting for some listeners. The day was 9 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 2: October twenty fifth, nineteen forty four. The first Kamakazi bombers 10 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 2: sank in American warship at the Battle of Layte Gulf. 11 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 2: The attack took place in the Pacific Ocean near the 12 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: Philippines and was part of a last ditch effort by 13 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 2: the Japanese to prevent Allied forces from reaching the home 14 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 2: islands of Japan. After conventional military tactics had failed to 15 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 2: stop the American offensive, Japan began using its own pilots 16 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 2: as improvised missiles. The first five were deployed at Leyte 17 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 2: Gulf in modified planes laden with explosives. Their goal was 18 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 2: to fly over enemy ships and then crash dive into 19 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: them for maximum damage. Only one Kamikazi pilot managed to 20 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 2: hit a target. On October twenty fifth, he crashed his 21 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 2: plane directly into the flight deck of the USS Saint Lo, 22 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 2: sinking it in a matter of minutes. It was the 23 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: first official kamikazi strike of World War II, but it 24 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 2: would be far from the last. By the summer of 25 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 2: nineteen forty four, the Japanese Air Force was on its 26 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 2: last legs. The country had lost several major battles in 27 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 2: the Pacific, as well as most of its skilled pilots, 28 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 2: modern aircraft, and fuel. Meanwhile, American troops had steadily advanced 29 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 2: from island to island, creeping ever closer to Japan itself. 30 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 2: The tipping point came in July of that year, when 31 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 2: the US captured Saipan. That put Japan within range of 32 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: America's new B twenty nine bombers, making it more likely 33 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: than ever that the Home Islands would be attacked. Nonetheless, 34 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: despite heavy losses and long odds, the Empire of Japan 35 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: refused to surrender. Instead, it created a special attack force 36 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 2: known as the Kami Kazi. The unit's name is a 37 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 2: combination of two Japanese words Kami, meaning god or divinity 38 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 2: and kase meaning air or wind. Thus Kamikazi is usually 39 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 2: translated as divine wind. The name was chosen because of 40 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 2: its historical significance in Japan. Back in the thirteenth century, 41 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 2: a great typhoon destroyed in approaching Mongol fleet and saved 42 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: the island nation from invade. Japan's suicide bombers were expected 43 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: to provide the same service as that legendary divine wind, 44 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 2: and so they were named accordingly. Japanese naval Captain Modiharu 45 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: Akamura championed the grim new tactic, saying quote, in our 46 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 2: present situation, I firmly believe that the only way to 47 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 2: swing the war in our favor is to resort to 48 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 2: crash dive attacks with our planes. There is no other way. 49 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 2: Provide me with three hundred planes, and I will turn 50 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: the tide of war. He went on to say that 51 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: more than enough pilots would volunteer for this chance to 52 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: save their country, and indeed, the first Kamikazi force was 53 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 2: composed of twenty four volunteers. Five of them were deployed 54 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: at Leyte Gulf on October twenty fifth, nineteen forty four. 55 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 2: They were supposed to attack a group of escort carriers, 56 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: but all five planes either missed their targets or were 57 00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 2: shot down by American forces. However, after one Kamakazi pilot 58 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: missed his initial target, he directed the plane toward a 59 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: warship instead. The pilot deliberately dove toward the USS Saint 60 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 2: lo at full throttle, reaching a speed of over three 61 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: hundred miles per hour before striking the flight deck. The 62 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: damage to the carrier was so severe that it sank 63 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 2: in just thirty minutes, and out of the eight hundred 64 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 2: and eighty nine crewmen on board, one hundred and thirty 65 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 2: four of them were killed. The very next day, dozens 66 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 2: of additional Kamakazi strikes were made. The attacks sank five 67 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 2: more ships and severely damaged twenty three others, bringing the 68 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 2: death toll of American sailors to nearly three hundred. Emboldened 69 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 2: by this success, the Japanese decided to double down on 70 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: their Kamikazi strategy. The first waves of pilots had flown 71 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:54,119 Speaker 2: stripped down versions of regular fighter planes Mitsubishi A six 72 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 2: M zeros that had been packed with hundreds of pounds 73 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 2: of explosives, but in later Kamakazi raids. Many of the 74 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 2: pilots would fly specially designed rocket powered planes called Oka. 75 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 2: The word Oka in Japanese means cherry blossom, a popular 76 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 2: symbol in Japanese culture for the transitory nature of human life. 77 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 2: Shortly after a cherry blossom blooms, its petals fall from 78 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 2: the tree and are blown away by the wind. The aircraft, 79 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 2: named for the flower was designed to do the same. 80 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: Each Oka was carried towards its target attached to the 81 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 2: belly of a larger bomber. Then, once in position, the 82 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 2: Oka pilot would detach from the bomber, ignite the rocket, 83 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 2: and blast toward an enemy vessel at nearly six hundred 84 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 2: miles per hour. The Oka's speed made it much harder 85 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 2: to shoot down, but also much more difficult to steer. 86 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 2: As a result, the majority of Kamakazi pilots didn't actually 87 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: hit their targets, with many just crashing into the sea instead. 88 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:59,679 Speaker 2: Captain Oka Mura had likened the kamikazi to bees, saying 89 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 2: quote they sting, they die, but in practice only the 90 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: latter proved to be a sure thing, and while the 91 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,559 Speaker 2: tactic continued to be employed against Allied warships throughout world, 92 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 2: War II, its ineffectiveness eventually discouraged pilots from volunteering for 93 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: those missions. Early kamikazi pilots had either been eager to 94 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 2: die for their country or at least willing to out 95 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: of a sense of obligation, but near the end of 96 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 2: the war, most of the volunteers, some of whom were 97 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 2: as young as seventeen, had to be shamed or otherwise 98 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: coerced into service. The Oka was first used in combat 99 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 2: in late March of nineteen forty five at the Battle 100 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 2: of Okinawa. During the assault, Kamikaze pilots struck about three 101 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty Allied vessels, sinking forty seven and badly 102 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 2: damaging the rest. That said, none of the ships destroyed 103 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 2: were of much strategic importance, and they represented only a 104 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 2: fraction of the Alli's substantial naval fleet. Kamikazi attacks were 105 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 2: frightening to the American, Australian and British sailors who witnessed 106 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 2: and fell prey to them, but as a naval defense strategy, 107 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 2: they simply didn't inflict enough damage to turn the tide 108 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 2: of the war. As Captain Okamura had promised, Japan lost 109 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 2: the Battle of Okinawa, just as it had lost the 110 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 2: Battle of Leyte Gulf, and just as it would eventually 111 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 2: lose the war. By the time of the country's unconditional 112 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 2: surrender in August of nineteen forty five, more than thirteen 113 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 2: hundred Japanese aircraft had been deployed on kamikaze missions. In 114 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 2: those attacks, more than seven thousand Allied personnel had been killed, 115 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 2: along with more than three thousand Japanese pilots. Those lives 116 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 2: and countless others were swept away during the war, like 117 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,239 Speaker 2: so many cherry blossoms in the wind. But no matter 118 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 2: what either side pretended, there was nothing divine about it. 119 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,239 Speaker 2: I'm Gabe Luzier and hopefully you now know a little 120 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 2: more about history today than you did yesterday. If you 121 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: have a second and you're so inclined, consider keeping up 122 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 2: with the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You'll find 123 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 2: us at TDI HC Show. You can also rate and 124 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 2: review the show on Apple Podcasts, or you can get 125 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 2: in touch directly by writing to this Day at iHeartMedia 126 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 2: dot com. Thanks to Chandler Mays for producing the show, 127 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 2: and thank you for listening, and I'll see you back 128 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 2: here again tomorrow for another chilling day in history class.