Who became kamikazee

tomorrow. I

am deeply emotional, and just hope to sink one (American

battleship).

Already, hundreds of visitors had visited us. Cheerfully singing

the last

season of farewell.[51]

and is cut off there. His handwriting however was very stable, and was

not as if he was

losing control. If for some reason he had to leave the diary for a

while, why did he not

go back to it? Was it that he had become extremely emotional that he

could no longer

write? In any case, he never returned to his diary.

Part Five

In reading the last letters of the Kamikaze pilots, there are

generally two types. One,

the "Typical" letters and the other, the "Unique" letters. Most of the

typical letters were

written by graduates of military schools such as the Youth Pilot

Training School. The

"Unique" ones were written by the Special Flight Officer Probationary

Cadets--the

graduates from college. The first two of the following five pilots

have written a typical

letter, and the other three have written unique letters.

Corporal Masato Hisanaga of the 72nd Shinbu Squadron was twenty years

old. In his

letter, he thanked his parents for the years that he was alive, and

reported to them how

he had been doing, and informed them of the kindness of the people

where he had

been. After asking his parents to say "Hi" to various people, he says

that he will take

revenge for his older brother (who, as it appears, must have been

killed in the war) by

sinking the enemy's battleship and killing its soldiers. He too asks

that his younger

brothers follow their brother (himself). "All of the (Japanese)

population is the

tokkotai." He too mentioned, "I have no nostalgic sentiments."[52]

Corporal Shinji Ozeki, 19 years old wrote a will to his mother

saying:[53]

As a man I will courageously go. Now, I have no special nostalgic

sentiments. However, I will go regretting that although being

born a man, I

have not had filial piety.

To give this young self for the protection of the imperial

nation, I believe is

piety.

I hope that you will forgive my sin of being undutiful and that

you will live

in happiness.[54]

This is similar to what Corporal Araki and Hisanaga had mentioned. All

reveal their

thoughts towards their parents. They believed their dying was piety,

which shows that

they were doing it for their family. All had mentioned having no

nostalgic sentiments

possibly to make their parents feel easier. Because these are

"Typical" letters, many

others had written just as they had.

The unique ones written by the college graduates included more

personal feelings. For

example, Second Lieutenant Shigeyuki Suzuki wrote:[55]

People say that our feeling is of resignation, but that does not

know at all

how we feel, and think of us as a fish about to be cooked.

Young blood does flow in us.

There are persons we love, we think of, and many unforgettable

memories. However, with those, we cannot win the war.

To let this beautiful Japan keep growing, to be released from the

wicked

hands of the Americans and British, and to build a 'freed Asia'

was our

goal from the Gakuto Shutsujin year before last; yet nothing has

changed.

The great day that we can directly be in contact with the battle

is our day

of happiness and at the same time, the memorial of our

death...[56]

Second Lieutenant Ryoji Uehara, a graduate of Keio University was 22

years old. His

ideas were "radical" for the time, and if known by the Kenpeitai, he

would not have

been left alone.[57] In a note, he wrote to a journalist just before

his mission that he

was greatly honored to be chosen as a Kamikaze pilot.[58 ]Yet he also

wrote, thinking

logically with the skills he had gained in college. He believed in

democracy. He believed

that the victory of democracy was obvious, and although fascism would

make the

country appear to be prosperous temporarily, only decline would wait

for it. He

mentioned the fact that Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany had been

defeated, and that the

power of "Freedom" will appear in history. He says that if his ideas

were correct, it

would be a tragedy for the nation but that he would be happy. In the

end of the note he

wrote:

Tomorrow, one believer in democracy will leave this world. He may

look

lonely, but his heart is filled with satisfaction.

Second Lieutenant Uehara believed that he would not go to Yasukuni

Shrine, but go to

heaven where he would be able to meet his brother and the girl he

loved, who died

earlier.[59]

Second Lieutenant Toshio Anazawa was engaged. Yet being chosen for

such a mission

that [engagement] was to be canceled. He wrote in his last letter to

her all the

thankfulness he felt for her and her family. He tells her that he does

not want her to

reflect on the time they had spent together.[60] He wrote:

As an engaged man, as a man to go, I would like to say a little

to you, a

lady before I go.

I only wish your happiness.

Do not mind the past. You are not to live in the past.

Have the courage and forget the past. You are to create a new

future.

You are to live from moment to moment in the reality. Anazawa no

longer

exists in the reality.[61]

Unlike the first two letters, which contained the words, "I have no

nostalgic emotions,"

he wrote: "It's too late now, but I would like to say some of my

wishes."

He then listed the books he wanted to read, what he wanted to see,

what he wanted to

listen to, and that he was eager to see her, and to talk to her.[62]

The last three writings probably spoke for themselves and require no

further

explanation. They just made clearer the different ways of thought the

college students

had from the others who attended military school.

Not only in writing had the thoughts of the pilots appeared. In

actions, and in speeches

too were the emotions visible. Corporal Mineyoshi Takahashi, according

to Mr. Yasuo

Takahashi, his older brother, had changed since entering military

school, and his

attitude in talking with Mr. Takahashi was not as it used to be.[63]

(The way Mr. Y.

Takahashi explained the differences before and after Mineyoshi joined

the military was

similar to the way Mr. S. Araki had explained Yukio's changes.) He

remembers that

the last time they met, he took Corporal Takahashi into the ship he

was working in.

Suddenly, Corporal Takahashi had asked his brother: "Which part of the

ship is the

weakest?" Mr. Takahashi remembers that he was extremely surprised, but

pointed to

the place which he knew was the weakest.[64]

This reveals that Corporal Takahashi was thinking of his mission

rather calmly. He had

asked the question, probably thinking of which part of the ship he

should drive his plane

into.[65]

Corporal Takamasa Senda before his departure had been singing many

songs with

children, and at times, sat quietly alone, burning old letters in an

expression of deep

thought. The last night, he looked up at the stars and said, "You are

lucky, this will be

the last time I see the stars...I wonder how my mother is

doing...."[66] His singing with

the children was probably to forget the coming mission, and his

burning the letters was

to forget the past. Saying that he wanted to be able to see the stars

again is an

indication that he wanted to live.

Whether patriotism was the answer to the way they felt can be doubted

in the case of

Second Lieutenant Fumihiro Mitsuyama. His real name was Tak Kyong-

Hyong.[67]

He was Korean, but like other Japanese men, he too was sent to war,

and was chosen

as a Kamikaze pilot. The last evening before his mission, he went to

the cafeteria

appointed by the Army, which was run by a lady, Mrs. Tome Torihama,

who was

called "Okasan" (mother) by the young Kamikaze pilots of Chiran Air

Base. He went

up to her and said, "I will sing you a song of my country," and sang

Ariran. By the

second verse he was in tears.[68] Because he was a graduate of

college, he had not

volunteered willingly but was probably pressured to circle "desire

earnestly" in the

survey, especially being a Korean.

According to survivors, all say that they felt quite calm, and normal.

They were not

scared of death but were happy that the day had finally come.[69] Mr.

Itatsu was a

pilot who had departed for the mission but because his engine had

stopped on the way,

his plane fell into the sea, and he survived.[70] He says that he

remembers being happy

when he was chosen for the mission.[71] He said that the young people

then who had

gone into military schools did not have the ability to think

logically, and therefore sent

applications without much thought. He also says that these pilots were

really innocent,

and thought purely that they would be able to serve, and protect the

country.[72] An

author and a critic, Tadao Morimoto said in a T.V. program that he

believes that it was

not true that they were happy to die for the country.[73] Mr. Itatsu

says that he

disagrees with him because some young and innocent pilots died

believing they could

become happy dying that way.[74] Since Mr. Itatsu was one of the

Kamikaze pilots

himself, his comments should be given more credibility than the

comments made by

Tadao Morimoto who had been an officer in the Navy during the war, but

was not

involved with the Kamikaze attacks himself.

Kiichi Matsuura, the author of the book Showa wa Toku (Showa Far Away)

wrote

that he recalls the first planned date of the mission was like every

other day, and no

special conversation took place. When he found that his aircraft would

not function

properly, he suddenly felt the strong urge to live. His aircraft not

functioning implied that

he would not die. Realizing that, he could only think of living. On

his second "chance"

his plane was fine halfway. He was with two other pilots, and seeing

one of them sink

into the sea, realized a problem in all their engines. The two

returned. He recalls that

until the moment they decided to return, he was not at all scared,

because they were

flying toward death. However, returning was frightening. He had to

protect his life from

death.[75]

Finally, in an interview with a member of the Self Defense Force, Mr.

Matsunaga, a

word which held the key to a better understanding was mentioned. The

word was

"decision." To the question, "If something happened, would you not be

afraid?" he

answered that it was his decision to enter such a world, and that he

would not escape if

anything did occur.[76] Similarly, although it was with far more

psychological pressure,

all the Kamikaze pilots had made the decision.

Conclusion

The pilots were, as a matter of fact, not radical nor extremely

patriotic, but were the

average Japanese of the time. It was a dream for the young boys of

late Taisho period

and early Showa to serve in the military, especially in the Air Force,

as a career. Not all

pilots who wanted to become Kamikaze pilots could become one. Although

this may

sound strange, there were so many volunteers to make the suicidal and

fatal attacks,

that the military, to be fair, had to let the ones with the better

grades go earlier. Because

of the aura that had covered Japan, the young pilots of 18 and 19 were

eager to go.

Those of the Special Flight Officer Probationary Cadets who had their

own thoughts

like Second lieutenants Suzuki, Uehara, and Anazawa were able to

separate their

personal life from what was required of them to do for the war. They

felt the

responsibility to go.

How exactly the pilots felt about the attacks could not be known but

it seems that they

were, in general, happy that they could serve the country, but had

other thoughts

towards death. Because the brainwashing done on the pilots trained in

military schools

was so effective, it changed the priority of 'life, then country,' the

other way around.

Life was made, by the atmosphere and education of the time, to be not

the first priority,

but something that must be given up for the first priority, the

Emperor and the country.

If they believed that ever-lasting happiness would follow their

mission, there was

nothing for them to fear. Those who were not brainwashed (the college

graduates) may

have felt fear. If they were able to detach themselves totally from

life, they might have

felt better. Yet is detaching oneself from life really possible?

In any case, it seems that they were all optimistic. They volunteered,

believing their

death might save their family, the ones they loved, and Japan.

However, as a student

investigating fifty years after the events, it was not possible for me

to understand exactly

how the pilots had felt towards their mission.

Appendix One

The Different Pilots' Training Schools in The Imperial Army Where the

Kamikaze Pilots

Were Trained

The Youth Pilot Training School

The students who had graduated from the Youth Pilot Training

schools had the

best flying skills of the Imperial Army. This schooling system

had begun in 1933,

and lasted until the end of the Pacific War. The age range that

was accepted into

this school was between 14 and 17. Originally, the time spent in

the school was

three years. One year of general education in Tokyo and two years

of

specialized education in various parts of Japan. However, by the

end of the war,

the students of the 15th term were trained in only a year and 8

months and were

made into soldiers just in time for the Okinawa Tokko.

Candidates for Second Lieutenant

Non-commissioned officers whose excellence was recognized were

educated in

the Air Corps Academy. Because of their experience and career,

their skill was

of a high level.

Imperial Army Air Corps Academy

Students who had completed the four-year course of Middle School

or the

Higher Elementary School took an examination to enter. They

became civil

servants who had decided to work in the Army. Graduates of the

56th and 57th

term were involved in the Okinawa Tokko.

Pilot Trainee

The pilot trainees had to have a pilot's license, and had to be

an Officer

Candidate. After one month in a squadron, they received six

months of flight

training in the Imperial Army Air Corps Academy of Kumagaya, and

after six

months as probationary Officer, became Second Lieutenants. Among

the

students of the Ninth term, there were graduates of the Higher

Pilot training

schools.

Flight Officer Candidates

Officer candidates consisted of drafted men with at least Middle

School

education. After four months of preliminary education, a test was

taken. If they

passed the test, they received the required education for

officers, and if found fit

for the position were ranked as Higher Officer Candidates. After

serving as

probationary officers, they were ranked as Second Lieutenants. If

they were not

found fit as an officer, they became the Lower Officer Candidates

and became

non-commissioned officers. Those who had the interest in flying

received training

with the Special Flight Officer Probationary Cadet in the

Imperial Air Corps

Academy. The students of the 7th, 8th, and 9th term were involved

in the

Okinawa Tokko.

Special Flight Officer Probationary Cadets

This was for the college students drafted into the war by the

Gakuto Shutsujin

who were interested in the Air Corps. The 1st term entered in

October 1943,

the 2nd in December 1943, and the 3rd in June 1944. They were

made into

Second Lieutenants in one year, half a year earlier than planned.

One sixth of the

entire Okinawa Tokko of the Army was made up of these 312 cadets.

Pilot Training Schools

This was not an institution belonging to the Army, but belonged

to the Ministry of

Communications. However, the content was almost the same. There

were

twelve of these schools and the students were separated into the

regular course

and flight training course. Students of fourteen to fifteen years

old entered the

regular course. After three years of regular education, the

students received one

year of flight training which the students of the flight training

course had

completed. To enter the flight training school from the

beginning, an educational

background of more than Middle School graduation was required.

108 of the

graduates died in the Okinawa Tokko.

Appendix Two

The 72nd Shinbu Squadron

Many of the Kamikaze pilots mentioned in the Essay were pilots of the

72nd Shinbu-tai

of the Imperial Army. The following are pilots of the squadron:

Title Name Age at Departure

Captain:

First Lieutenant Mutsuo Sato 24

Sergeant Nobuyoshi Nishikawa

Sergeant Kazuo Arai 21

Corporal Yukio Araki 17

Corporal Tsutomu Hayakawa 19

Corporal Kairyu Kanamoto

Corporal Atsunobu Sasaki

Corporal Kaname Takahashi 18

Corporal Mineyoshi Takahashi 17

Corporal Masato Hisanaga 20

Corporal Toshio Chizaki 19

Corporal Takamasa Senda 19

This squadron was formed on January 30, 1945 as the 113 Educational

Flight Corps,

then was transformed to the 23rd Rensei Flight Corps. On March 30,

1945, the same

unit was renamed the 72nd Shinbu Squadron. (Shinbu refers to the

squadrons of the

Imperial Army which made the suicide attacks by aircraft.) They were

stationed in

Heijo, what is now P'yongyan of North Korea. From March 25, 1944, they

were in

Kagamihara, Gifu prefecture for about one month. Before the mission in

May, the unit

returned to Kyushu, and stayed in Metabaru, for a few days, and flew

over to Bansei

Air Base. Their attack was first planned to be made on May 20, 1945,

however it was

postponed to May 27, 1945 due to rainy weather.

Of the twelve pilots, three did not depart for the suicide attack.

Corporal Atsunobu

Sasaki was killed by an American P-51 on May 2, 1945 in China. On the

same day,

Sergeant Nobuyoshi Nishikawa was injured, and could not take part in

the mission.

The aircraft of Kairyu Kanamoto malfunctioned on the day of their

mission, and could

not take off. The remaining nine made their mission from Bansei Air

Base at 6:00 a.m.,

May 27, 1945.

Appendix Three

The Research Method

The first time I learned of this topic was in August, 1992. It was

the time when I went

with my parents to Japan and visited manmuseums and talked to many

people whose

age varied from12 to 60 and they have told me many stories about war.

There, a great number of primary sources and photographs were

displayed, which

made me even more interested in the topic.

Since the summer of 1992, the collection of information started, with

no academic

purpose. In 1993, the book Rikugun Saigo no Tokko Kichi by Shichiro

Naemura

was published. This book was about the Kamikaze pilots who departed

from Bansei

Air Base.

That summer of 1993 was crucial to my interest in the Kamikaze pilots.

First, I visited

Chiran Tokko Heiwa Kaikan again on August 21, and looked in more

detail at the

letters, diaries and photographs of the pilots. The photographs were

extremely inspiring

in a sense, since in none of them were the pilots showing an

expression of fatigue, or

regret. Most of them were smiling.

On the same night, I decided to spend the evening at "Tomiya Ryokan"

which is what

used to be the small restaurant Ms. Tome Torihama ran during the war,

and which the

Kamikaze pilots used frequently. There were several photographs of the

Kamikaze

pilots remaining there. Mr. Yoshikiyo Torihama, the grandson of Ms.

Tome Torihama,

talked to me about many episodes concerning the last evening the

pilots visited the

restaurant.

Since May 1993 I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to

organize my thoughts

and information on this topic.

This essay was extremely interesting and, above all, meaningful for me.

The

members of the older generation who I interviewed encouraged and

supported me

tremendously.

Appendix Four

The following are those who have supported and encouraged my research

for the

Extended Essay: (in alphabetical order)

Mr. Seiichi Araki

Mr. Tadamasa Itatsu

Ms. Itsuko Kai

Mrs. Masako Kai

Mr. Kyoichi Kamei

Mrs. Fusako Manabe

Mr. Ryo Matsunaga

Mr. Shiniro Nagao

Mr. Tadashi Nakajima

Mr. Glenn Scoggins

Mr. Tohshio Senda

Mr. Yasuo Takahashi

Mr. Yoshikiyo Torihama

Mr. Akira Yamami

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