Sacrifice in Japan

Samurai, Christians and the Kamikaze - Part II

Last week, I explored the rise of an ideal of sacrifice in Japan - from the opening of the samurai era in the late 1100s to the surprise Christian conversions of large numbers of ex-samurai shortly after that era closed in the late 19th century. This week, I want to look at what happened when a generation of war-leaders in Japan tried to give the sacrificial ideal a zombie-like final act.

For many, the signature sound of the kamikaze will always be the drone of an aeroplane engine followed by a catastrophic explosion. For me, it’s the rustle of fabric.

The kamikaze corps, or Special Attack Force, was launched in the autumn of 1944 on a voluntary basis. Sometimes recruitment was a matter of marching young conscripts into a hall, handing them blindfolds to put on, and then giving them a lecture about Japan’s hour of need and the importance of sacrifice. Those who wished to volunteer were asked to raise their hands.

The blindfolds were intended to eliminate peer pressure. In reality, the s…