When I starting reading, “Kamikaze Pilots”, written by Yuki Tanaka I thought that Tanaka was going to dive into the minds of suicide bombers. I was anticipated to read about the personal stories of these bombers. I wanted to know why so many educated young men would agree to end their own lives for their country. The statistics were staggering. It was difficult to determine which rhetorical strategy Tanaka used in this story. Tanaka used a very logical approach to discussing the difference between heroism and terrorism. It was very apparent to me that Tanaka believed that kamikaze pilots were not much different from the terrorist we know today.
Yuki’s tone was educational as he redefines terrorism. In the very first chapter of this story I could easily see the similarities with today’s terrorist and the Kamikaze pilots. Unfortunately, it is most often the young educated men that have so much to live for that applied to for a position of a Navy Air Cadet. In 1943 “all healthy males university and college students of humanities, and Social Science, who were 20 years of age or older was introduced.”(Tanaka, 2008, pg. 294). When I read through the statistics of many men who sacrificed their lives, I generalized the idea that such large numbers of men would not agree to the insanity of suicide attacks. Terrorist are usually a smaller group of people who are extremist. As I read further into “kamikaze Pilots”, I started to see some association with suicide bombers. Basically, “terrorist suicide bombers”, and Kamikaze Pilots die for many of the same reason. Tanaka states, “The concept of killing the enemy, as opposed to fighting for “country” was simply lacking in their thinking.”(Tanaka, 2008, pg.297).These bombers thought that they were true heroes because their actions were warranted by their government, whereas, suicide terrorist act upon the beliefs of organizations. It is stated that “Ritualized violence and brutality as exemplified by suicide attack may constitute the most negative manifestation of human being’s desire to let one’s own people live by sacrificing one’s own life.” (Tanaka, 2008, pg. 299). The only difference between Kamikaze Pilots and suicide bombers is one is brainwash to die for their country and the other is brainwash to die for their religious beliefs.
After reading “Kamikaze Pilots”, I have a different perception on what defines a suicide bomber. I think it would be easy to accuse Tanaka of dishonoring the men who have died to protect their country; however, his message was not meant to dishonor, but to illustrate a different kind of terrorism that occurs in our Wars today.
Do you believe that Kamikaze Pilot's have the same mentality as the suicide bombers we hear about today?
I believe that they have different motives for committing such acts. As Tanaka states, Japanese suicide bombers did it for the duty and honour of their families and hometown. The suicide bomber you hear about today carry out their sacrifice in honour of their political and religious views, as well as the suffering and hopelessness they feel others have inflicted on them.
ReplyDeleteI dont think they have the same intentions, however its an interesting thought about Japan in those times considering this type of death as heroic. I have also heard about suicide bombers that feel demonstrating there opinion in this way as the way god intended it for them. It makes you think about the circumstances that they are placed in.
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