[Chock]

Just in case anyone is interested:

Prior to mid June 1944, 'kamikaze' attacks would have been an impromptu decision by a Japanese pilot, as at that time the idea as a sanctioned concept had not been approved in any real form. The credit for its inception is generally given to Captain Eiichiro Jyo, at one time commander of the Chiyoda (a light carrier). At the time of his command, the carrier group of which he was part was mostly equipped with the Model 21 Mitsubishi Zero, which was then outclassed by better US aircraft. However, these were modified to carry a 550lb bomb and transferred to the newly-formed 333rd Air Group, with the specific intention of going after US carriers, and given the name Tokebetsu Kogeki Kai (Special Attack Unit). On June 19 1944, a group of 43 aircraft from this group managed to penetrate the defenses of a US battleship task force, and despite heavy losses, about 12 aircraft managed to carry out attacks, one hitting the US ship South Dakota, another two making suicide dives on the Indiana. These were not the first ever Japanese suicide attacks by aircraft, but they were the ones that formed the germ of the Kamikaze idea.

Impressed by these results, Jyo suggested that 'crash dive tactics' should be formally adopted, but his superiors disagreed. However, a supportive voice came in the form of Rear Admiral Takajiro Ohnishi, who had just taken over the First Air Fleet in the Philippines. Ohnishi and his followers were heavily into the mysticism of the Bushido Code (part of the Samurai warrior code). The Samurai having been abolished in 1871, the Bushido code was to some degree absorbed into some variations of Shintoism, thus loyalty and self-sacrifice, became part of the Japanese official religion (incidentally this is one of the themes you find Akira Kurosawa's work is often critical of, and is rumoured to be one of the reasons why he was ultimately dropped from a role where he was due to be the director of the Japanese footage from the movie Tora! Tora! Tora!, although officially, it was because he was 'unwell').

Back in 1944 however, Ohnishi became a patron of much of the dedicated development of genuine Kamikaze aircraft such as the Yokosuka Ohka rocket-powered suicide bomb. In fact there is some suggestion that much of this development work was in direct contravention of overall official doctrine, and is reminiscent of the backbiting and rivalry that plagued many German aircraft designers. Nevertheless, by late 1944, actual planned suicide raids were taking place with many obselete aircraft types finding a new and very deadly use.

Tying the more mystical elements of warrior codes to the kamikaze, or Divine Wind as it is often translated - actually a literal translation of Kamikaze would be God Wind - resulted in elaborate pre-mission rituals where kamikaze pilots would be presented with intricate gifts from women, indulge in religious ceremonies, wear head-dress scarves with the rising sun etc. The divine wind, from which they got their name was an actual historical event, in that it was a typhoon which wiped out a Mongol invasion fleet which was on its way to attack Japan in the 13th century. The comparison is an obvious one with the oncoming US carrier fleet heading for the Japanese homeland, and was particularly effective at entrancing susceptible young men who felt duty-bound to their Emperor. This is one of the reasons why obselete, easy-to-fly aircraft were preferred for these attacks (the Mitsubishi Zero, being easier to fly than many other Japanese aircraft , became a favourite for these attacks).

Overall, it is estimated that well over 2500 individual aircraft embarked on suicide missions, scoring hits or near-misses that caused damage on 363 occasions. A total of 71 ships were sunk or damaged beyond economical repair in these attacks, and human casualties on the allied side as a result of Kamikaze attacks are estimated to number over six and half thousand.

So, there you go, if that doesn't convince you how stupid war is, nothing will.