神風, Letters from Kamikaze corps

神風 is Kamikaze in English. I think I don't need to explain what Kamikaze is. I bought a book about boys of Kamikaze corps and read it with mixed feelings. I think Japanese think of Kamikaze boys as matter of themselves, keep a case that we might be the boys of Kamikaze in mind. According to the author, many Japanese visit and bring the tears into their eyes at a memorial hall of Kamikaze.



In Japan, someone say they are heroes, heroic spirits of the war dead. And someone say they died in vain. In ordinary circumstances, whatever they were, everyone pray sincerely for the repose of their soul, and they become buddhas. But the author said "they should not become buddhas at this phase because we don't understand what they were yet. They are not hero and they were not foolish but victims".



If I write about whole story about Kamikaze, this blog will be too long, thus I site and write about important thing I think. At first I cite three letters from the boys(student mobilization).





1, Hayashi Ichizo, 23 years old, Kyoto University, died at Okinawa.



Dear my mother, at last, I have to send a sad tidings. Mother, however, please feel delight that I could become a pilot of Kamikaze. Even if I die, I am no less a warrior for the death and we are no less Christians for the death. But, mother, I am sad. You are sad too. When you are prostrated with sorrow, please cry. I will cry with you because I'm also sad. Then let's be glad after that we cry as much as we want to.

I will make a dash for an enemy ship with me singing carol.

Although I want to write more, I stop to do it here.

I think you would enetrate the thinking of me because you know whole what I am. I've never forgotten my own thoughts(christian faith) in my army life. I want to behave like a spoilt child.

Mother, please be sure to take care of your body.



previous day of my sally.

Sayonara



From

Ichizo.





2, Ando Takuya, 22 years old, Tokyo university, died at southwest island chain.



In front of the cyclonic storm reflects realness, a spirit is born freshly. The spirit must be a spirit of learning which we hold in our heart. We changed learning to this war. It is a insatiable quest of learning, and we attain new life. If a student would land back at our land, new and true east-west ideal will be born from inner self. Magnificent vision about genesis and development will be composed, and we will be able to guide Asian people to the world of new moral.

As a matter of course, we are no more than consumables. In front of surging mass of enemy's material superiority, we become just a pat of stone of breakwater. But those are vital foundation stones to establish a great world in our heart.

We willingly die. Ones who died at the head to establish new world must be a pride of Intelligence.



3. Uehara Ryoji: 22 years old, Keio University, died at gulf of Kadena. He charged at American fleet.



Even if a hegemonic country flourish transiently, inevitably the country become a loser. I think we can find the truth in the situation in German and Italy. Italian fascism and German Nazis already lost this war and now hegemonic countries being ruined in waves as if a architectural structure whose foundation stones were broken. Universality of truth has been proved. As history evidenced in times past, history will evince greatness of freedom for eternity. My conviction was proved right. it maybe that this is threat for our government, but I am glad. I think all conflicts of the day result from thoughts. I believe the present age is the age we can foresee results of conflict explicitly by our thoughts.



previous night of my sally.



I translated them from 『「特攻」と日本人』講談社現代新書 保阪正康, "special attack corps and Japanese" written by Masayasu Hosaka. Kodansha-Gendai-Shinsho(Kosansha nowadays paperback pocket edition)





That's why the author said they are victims and he don't define them a hero and don't define the boys died in vain. Even though there were militarism boys, it seems one third of Kamikaze boys are not volunteers. When I see scenes the boys died, looking at their cockpit, I always think of what they thought at the moment. Author also said our mind beautify them makes us to lose sense of realism.



I think commanders who ordered Kamikaze mission were not right in the head. Emperor Hitohito is also too. The emperor only praised up them with him saluting. Indeed it was as if a architectural structure whose foundation stones were broken.



The author said Kamikaze was not a strategy but was a aesthetics, and said government and news papers commended it and described them as if they are hero, god loyal warrior, and said

but the fact of them was not. The author said also that we see letters by boys who believed what government taught, we shouldn't believe whole of what they said because we sometimes find words which express what they really thought in the part of the letter which has never broad casted.



I mourn the loss of the lives of all fallen soldiers of the age.



I took the photo at Nakain-temple in Kawagoe.