2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A social Historical Study on Racial Relationships and Human Behavior during the Battle of Okinawa
| Project/Area Number |
13610400
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Japanese history
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| Research Institution | Hiroshima City University (2002-2004)
Keiwa College (2001) |
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Principal Investigator |
TANAKA Toshiyuki Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima Peace Institute, 広島平和研究所, 教授 (10329336)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TANAKA Toshiyuki Hiroshima City University, Hiroshima Peace Institute (10329336)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2004
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| Keywords | Battle of Okinawa / Kamikaze Special Attack Operation / Suicide attack / nationalism / psychological dilemma / image of enemy / strategic bombing / indiscriminate bombing |
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| Research Abstract |
Towards the end of World War II Okinawa became a strategic frontline defense base for the Japanese Imperial Forces, and then the site of the only battle to be fought on Japanese soil - the most fierce battle in the Pacific War. In this battle American casualties totaled about 50,000, including 14,000 deaths. In addition, a few thousand US soldiers had to be withdrawn from the battlefield because of severe psychological problems caused by the terrifying fighting conditions. Japan lost 66,000 soldiers and 4,400 pilots.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the so-called Kamikaze Special Attack Operation, that is, Japan's organized suicide air attack on the Allied battle ships during the Battle of Okinawa, and to find out why and how the Japanese Imperial Forces adopted such a brutal strategy. This study also analyzes various psychological problems that members of the Kamikaze Special Attack Force faced. In particular, the following two issues are examined closely.
(1)The majority of the 4,400 kamikaze pilots were young university or college graduates who shared a similar social background. Thus the study examines some important common elements in their psychology and ideology - e.g., family oriented motivation for volunteering for this operation, particular ways they evaluated their own death, weak nationalistic sentiments and a weak commitment to emperor worship, as well as the lack of a concrete image of their enemy.
(2)One fundamental reason for choosing to become kamikaze pilots was to protect their families against the so-called "strategic bombing," i.e., "indiscriminate bombing" conducted by the U.S. Army Air Forces which destroyed many cites and towns throughout Japan in the last stage of the war. Thus, this study closely examines the history of "strategic bombing," including the historical process of how the military justification of indiscriminate aerial attacks on civilians was conceived and developed.
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Research Products
(2 results)
