Kamikaze Pilots must have been very brave young men when they left their aircraft carrier on their final mission. To write a letter to your wife and children or to your parents and tell them you would not be coming home, and to parcel your belongings to be sent home to them.
Knowing that you were flying out to your death must have been very hard to do.
A lot of them never completed their mission being shot down before they reached it or missing their target completely.
Numbers quoted vary, but at least 47 Allied vessels, from PT boats to escort carriers, were sunk by kamikaze attacks, and about 300 vessels damaged. During World War II, nearly 4,000 kamikaze pilots were sacrificed.
Pilot Kiyoshi Ogawa , who flew his aircraft into the USS Bunker Hill during a Kamikaze mission on 11 May 1945
USS Bunker Hill was hit by kamikazes piloted by Ensign Kiyoshi Ogawa (photo above) and another airman on 11 May 1945. 389 personnel were killed or missing from a crew of 2,600.
*******************************
Suicide Bombers do the same thing, set of on a mission knowing they are going to their death and leave a video tape or write a letter for their families.
Are they brave, well you could say that they are, but i think their bravery stems from their religion or being brain washed by their leaders.
And of course they have the added bonus of seven virgins to look after them when they get to heaven.
But no matter what, they carry on to the target, their death and the carnage that follows is usually very gruesome with dozens of deaths.
********************************
Either way, they both scare the pants off me Harry. But then war is a very scary thing, whatever the “causes” behind them. I just wish it was scary enough to keep us from having them…
The cause of 99% of wars from way back is about religion, they will never stop.
I’m with IzaakMak on this one,Harry. They both scare me to death. Anyone who would be that ensconced in the fanatical party line (whether it be political or religious) is frightening to me even without a explosives involved.
Thanks Michelle, i think the pilots were brave in what they did, but the Suicide bombers are just the scum of the earth, just the same as the IRA over here.
They all scare the crap out of me Harry! Nihilism is a grotesque distortion of our humanity.
True Jim, it takes all sorts to ruin a world.
Don’t get me off on a terrorist rant…especially when the terrorists we need most fear today’s planes are in reserve: “Federal Reserve” that is…Of course, they too …have a few loose drones lurking around.
Good Post
Bless You
Have a rant i love rants
Here are your drone pilots.
http://dribblingpensioner.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/drone-pilots-at-work/
Hi Harry. To me, suicide bombers, the IRA, the terrorists in all their current versions, seem no different from each other: they are all fighting a war of some kind. Unfortunately, the ones who do the deed are not those who send them off to their deaths (in the case of suicide bombers). Are the former misguided? In the case of the IRA, thoroughly glamorized in book and film, the “lads” come off as having a genuine, heartfelt cause. They seem to be different. You would know better, Harry. I’d love to hear more.
Terrorists don’t fight a war, they hide and lurk then kill. Just like the IRA, they never fought anyone, they hide and murder they are not an army just a bunch of murdering terrorists. film makers can glamorize them all they want but people here know what they are.
I appreciate the clarification. Over here, we only know what we see and read.
When you believe in a cause so much that you are willing to give your life to it (literally), then you see your death as noble. I don’t think you consider the deaths of the “enemy” as tragic because they are not like you (human and noble)–they are something less than worthy of life.
We “civilized” people point to suicide bombers and Kamikaze pilots as terrorists, but don’t consider the people operating drones in that way. Soldiers are willing to die for their country. They don’t mean to take out “innocent” people, but they do. They also objectify the “enemy” as a way to make it easier to justify killing them. Watch a training video of Boot Camp if you don’t believe me.
In the final analysis, people are people. The only way to do violence against them is to believe that they are not people. As long as people can be convinced that there is an enemy that is not really human, there will be war and death and suffering.
All of it scares me, not just the suicide bombers and the Kamikaze pilots, but the “Special Forces” that our countries train to “take out” certain “targets.”
As long as killing is seen as a viable solution to any problem, humanity and our collective future is in grave (pun intended) trouble.
I agree with what you said, the only thing is the pilots were in the air force.
Drone pilots have got it wrong so many times and kill a lot of innocent people, the S A S are top notch and take out only those they go after 99% of the time. Below is the drone pilots for you to see, its good.
http://dribblingpensioner.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/drone-pilots-at-work/
It’s an interesting point. But I’m not sure that it is bravery with the suicide bombers. They’re so brainwashed that they’re convinced they’re simply going to pop up to heaven to enjoy all the (I think it’s 72?) virgins. What sacrifices are they making really? (At least in their minds)
But bravery aside, I’d say morally they are very different. If you’re in the navy and you’re on a warship, you can at least try and shoot the planes down. If you’re an unsuspecting commuter just trying to get to work, that’s very different. Only cowards and bullies attack the defenceless.
both are idealistic young fools, used as tool by evil old men.
Thanks Bill, that was my point in the question ” are the bombers brave ” they are not.
72 virgins they are very lucky L)
The Japanese kamikaze targeted enemy combatants.
One thing, the Americans should get the heck out of Afghanistan. Just let them plant poppies and kill little girls who just want to go to school. And they should never , ever go to Syria. Hell hole ! It’s not worth it.
I agree with you, but if they don’t go into Syria they won’t have anyone to fight, what will they do
I have a lot to say …. but I dare not open my mouth!