Originally posted by medenaywe
But this one survived and haven't killed himself in ritual suicide?!?
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That is because he might have been a "volunteer" and not a volunteer. The Kamikazes can be divided into two broad groups:
Initial Group (Phillipines Oct. 1944): These volunteers were professional officers and NCOs and were all genuine and completely dedicated. There was no pressure to volunteer, volunteering was done in private and men with familes were specifially told they were not expected to volunteer.
Okinawa and later Group (April 1945): Now the Japanese are very desperate. Though there are still volunteer Kamikazes, unit commanders increasingly use pressure to find "volunteers". Young conscripts are publically shamed if they do not volunteer, volunteering was done during ceremonies with all present, some men who refused were still transfered to Kamikaze units as "assistants to heros" and then had to make formal requests to leave etc. etc.
Edited by Cryptic - 30-Nov-2011 at 17:22